The word megalodon is a compound of Greek root words, meaning “giant tooth.”

Carcharocles Megalodon existed from late Oligocene (15.9 million years ago) to the early Pleistocene (2.6 million years ago). It was the largest marine predator in the history of the planet, estimated to grow to nearly 60 feet in length, over three times that of the average modern Great White Shark. The bone-crunching teeth of these fearsome predators were evolved for ripping apart large prey such as whales, as is evidenced by tooth marks discovered in fossil whale bones.

With the exception of the teeth, megalodon’s rigid structure was comprised of cartilage and, since there were no bones, the only fossil evidence left behind are teeth. Teeth over 6” in length are rare. The largest tooth ever found measures 7.48”. The standard unit of measurement for a megalodon tooth is the greatest length as measured along the slant of the tooth, from the tip to the most distant point on the root.