Georgia's State Fossil
The Shark Tooth

A Partial List of the Shark Teeth,
& Their Kin,
Reported From Georgia

By Thomas Thurman
Posted 19/Jan/2019
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There could easily be thousands of shark teeth reported in Georgia's paleontological literature which I've omitted. Even as early as 1911 Veatch and Stephenson, in their review of Coastal Plain deposits reported dozens of shark species based on teeth. There's also the issue of re-assignment which isn't addressed on these pages, where species are reclassified.

One should also bear in mind that identifying shark teeth is not simple. Consider our own mouths, in our lifetimes we typically grow 20 baby teeth and 32 adult teeth, then we stop growing teeth. Each tooth we grow is separate and distinct based on our age and the tooth's location.

Shark teeth not only differ by species, but within a single shark's mouth they too will have different teeth in different locations. And, don't forget, shark never stop growing teeth and will lose thousands through their lifetimes.  
 
​
​Savannah River Island
See;www.georgiasfossils.com/updated-islands-of-the-savannah-river.html
Shark teeth which cannot be accurately dated.
Henry (Hank) Josey reported originally in 2016;
“South of Savannah there lies a string of several small island which offer some unique opportunities to the field researcher.  These islands, named Barnwell, Hog, Jones, and Cockspur, are not natural islands, but are manmade…. Because of the significant mixing of spoil material, exact dating of these materials is nearly impossible.  Fossils from the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene epochs are all found together, representing some 19 million years of evolution….”
​Cartilaginous Fish (Chondrichthyes; shark family)
Scientific name                     Common Name                    Specimen       Reporting
Carcharhinus leucas             Bull shark                             Teeth              H. Josey
Carcharhinus limbatus        Blacktip shark                      Teeth              H. Josey
Carcharhinus obscurus        Dusky shark                         Teeth              H. Josey
Carcharias taurus                 Sand tiger shark                  Teeth              H. Josey
Carcharocles megalodon     Megatooth shark                 Tooth             H. Josey
Carcharodon carcharias     Great white shark                Teeth              H. Josey
Euselachii (Superorder)       Shark                                      Vertebrae      H. Josey
Galeocerdo contortus           Long-tooth tiger shark       Tooth             H. Josey
Galeocerdo cuvier                 Tiger shark                            Teeth              H. Josey
Hemipristis serra                  Snaggletooth shark             Tooth             H. Josey
Isurus desori                          Shortfin mako shark           Teeth              H. Josey
Isurus hastalis                       Giant mako shark                Teeth              H. Josey
Myliobatis                               Eagle ray                               Multiple         H. Josey
Negaprion eurybathrodon  Lemon shark                        Teeth              H. Josey
Sphyrna laevissima              Hammerhead shark            Tooth             H. Josey

​​​Cretaceous Sharks; approximately 83 million years old.
Eutaw Formation
See: www.georgiasfossils.com/7a-georgias-pterosaur.html
In 2001 Ochilee Creek sharks reported by G. R. Case & David Schwimmer from the Eutaw Formation in Georgia 
​​Scientific Name                                Common Name         Frequency                 Reporting
Borodinopristis                                Sawfish                       No info                       Case
Columbusia                                       Shark                          No info                       Case
Chiloscyllium                                    Bamboo Shark          No info                       Case
Cretodus borodini                            Mackerel Shark         No info                       Case
Cretolamna appendiculata            Mackerel Shark        No info                       Case
Erguitaia                                            Ray or Skate              No info                       Case
Hybodus                                             Hump Toothed         No info                       Case
Ischyrhiza                                          Sawfish                       No info                       Case
Ischyrhiza mira                                Sawfish                      No info                       Case
Lissodus babulskii                            Sawfish                      No info                       Case
Microdontaspis                                Carpet Shark             No info                       Case
Protoplatyrhina renae                   Skate                           No info                       Case
Pseudohypolophus                          Guitarfish                   No info                       Case
Ptychodus mortoni                          Extinct Shark            No info                       Case
Ptychotrygon                                    Sawfish                       No info                       Case
Ptychotrygon triangularis            Sawfish                       No info                       Case
Scapanorhynchus rhaphiodon     Goblin Shark             No info                       Case
Squalicorax falcatus                       Mackerel Shark         No info                       Case
Squatina hassei                                Angel Shark               No info                       Case
​
​Cretaceous Sharks; approximately 77 million years old
Blufftown Formation
See; www.georgiasfossils.com/7b-so-many-sharks.html
In another joint project where David Schwimmer assisted Gerard (Jerry) Case we have sharks from the Blufftown Formation. In gratitude for Schwimmer's help, Case named a new sawfish species for him, see below; Borodinopristis schwimmeri  
​Scientific Name                           Common Name      Frequency                         Reporting
Hybodus (species?)                   Hump Tooth            Tooth & claspers              Case
Lissodus babulskii                     Thresher family       5 teeth                               Case
Squalicorax kaupi                      Crow Shark              100+ teeth                        Case
Pseudocorax affinis                   Crow Shark               2 teeth                               Case
Squatina (species?)                    Angel Shark              2 teeth                              Case
Ginglymostoma globidens       Nurse Shark             5 Teeth                              Case
Scapanorhynchus texanus       Goblin Shark            1,000 + teeth                   Case
Synodontaspis holmdelensis    Ragged Tooth          2 teeth                               Case
Cretolamna appendiculata       Mackerel Shark       7 teeth                              Case
Cretodus borodini                       Mackerel Shark       3 teeth                              Case
Ischyrhiza mira                           Sawfish                     Oral & saw teeth             Case
Ptychotrygon vermiculata        Sawfish                     Oral & saw teeth             Case
Brachyrhizodus romer               Cow Nosed Ray       Chevrons                         Case 
Pseudohypolophus                      Ray (Species?)         Chevrons                         Case
Rhombodus laevis                        Guitarfish family    6 teeth                             Case
Borodinopristis schwimmeri     Sawfish                     Saw Tooth                       Case

​Paleocene Sharks; Approximately 60 million years old.
Clayton Formation
See; www.georgiasfossils.com/9-the-clayton-formation-report-by-hank-josey.html
Hank Josey filed a report on the Clayton Formation on this site in 2016 where he reported finding a single species of shark, but multiple teeth from the species were receovered when he later joined James Renfroe in the field, who knows the area well.
​
Genus                                    Common name        Frequency                 Reporting     
Straitolamna                        Shark                         common                    H. Josey

​Middle Eocene Sharks; approximately 40 million years old
Blue Bluff Unit
See: www.georgiasfossils.com/11-a-whale-for-georgia.html
The 1998 Georgiacetus paper led by Richard Hulbert, currently with the Florida Museum of Natural History gives us Middle Eocene shark teeth as predators apparently scavenging on the Georgiacetus carcass; only 10 teeth from scavengers were recovered, which is unusual. Often such large carcasses have thousands of related shark teeth. Georgiacetus means Georgia-whale.
Scientific name                     Common Name        Frequency                 Reporting
Carcharias macrota            Sand Tiger Shark     No info                       Hulbert
Carcharhinus macloti         Hardnose Shark       No info                       Hulbert
Triaenodon (sp)                   Reef Shark                 No info                       Hulbert
Myliobatidae (sp)                Eagle Ray                   No info                       Hulbert 

​Case’s Late Eocene Sharks
These fossils cannot be accurately dated or placed into their correct stratigraphy due to an error in the published paper.
In 1981 Gerard (Jerry) R. Case published an extensive list of Georgia’s Late Eocene (Early Jacksonian) sharks but the paper has a major error in stratigraphy which seriously impacts its usefulness in research.
 
      Correct Stratigraphy                 Stratigraphy as Reported by Case
      Twiggs Clay                                 Clinchfield Sand
      Tivola Limestone                       Tivola Limestone
      Clinchfield Formation              Twiggs Clay
 
The Clinchfield Formation is Georgia’s richest source of vertebrate fossils, Case states that it crops out commonly in road cuts between Perry and Clinchfield, GA. It does not. The Twiggs Clay crops out commonly between Perry and Clinchfield. In this area the Clinchfield is significantly subsurface. Furthermore, the two formations are distinctly different, the Clinchfield Formation is an unconsolidated medium grained sand almost devoid of clay. The Twiggs Clay is dense, fine grained silt-bearing clay almost devoid of sand. The Twiggs Clay can be variable in appearance depending on my weathered it is, but it is never rich in sand. The two formations are not easily confused.
As a note on environments represented…
  • Twiggs Clay; typically a very quite environment with gentle or absent currents. Clay is the last thing to settle out of currents entering the sea.
  • The Tivola Limestone; significant to strong currents, somewhat off-shore, most of the material is shell that are typically broken, disarticulated & in all orientations.
  • Clinchfield Formation; coastal, nearshore, even inter-tidal.
    • In some locations of Houston County's Clinchfield Formation articulated Crassostrea oysters in growing positions suggest inter-tidal environment.  

The scientific value of Case’s 1981 research is deeply flawed, but his listed fossils is reproduced here as they’re all Early-Late Eocene and valid fossils as such.
​Of note is Pristis pickeringi a new species named by Case in honor of Sam Pickering, former Georgia State Geologist. 
​Genus & Species                               Common Name        Frequency                 Reporting
Pritis pickeringi                               Sawfish (New sp)      1 rostral tooth           Case
Heterodontus pineti                        Bullhead shark         1 tooth                        Case
Procarchrodon auriculatus           Megatooth (?)           3 teeth                        Case
Isurus oxyrhinchus                          Shortfin mako          3 teeth                       Case
Lamna twiggsensis                         Mackerel shark        5 teeth                        Case
Odontaspis acutissima                   Sand tiger shark       5 teeth                        Case
Odontaspis cuspzdata                     Sand tiger shark       1 tooth                       Case
Ginglymostoma obliquum             Carpet shark             1 tooth                       Case
Scyliorhinus distans                        Catshark                    2 teeth                       Case
Scyliorhinus enniskilleni                Catshark                    3 teeth                       Case
Hemipristis wyattdurhami            Weasel shark            4 teeth                       Case
Galeocerdo clarkensis                     Tiger shark                3 teeth                       Case
Negaprion eurybathrodon             Lemon shark            3 teeth                       Case
Scoliodon terraenovae                   Requiem shark         1 tooth                        Case
Rhizoprionodon (sp)                       Requiem shark         12 teeth                      Case
Galeorhinus galeus                         School shark             1 tooth                        Case
Galeorhinus huberensis                  School shark             5 teeth                        Case
Sphyrna zygaena                             Hammerhead           1 tooth                       Case
Squatina prima                                Angel shark               2 teeth                       Case
Rhinobatos casieri                           Guitarfish                 1 tooth                        Case
Dasyatis borodini                            Stingray                     1 tooth                       Case
Dasyatis charlisae                           Stingray                     3 teeth                       Case
Pristis lathami                                 Sawfish                      1 rostral tooth           Case
Propristis schweinfurthi                 Sawfish           3 Rost. teeth/Rost. frag    Case
Rhinoptera daviesi                          Cownose ray             1 chevron                   Case
Myliobatis (sp)                                 Eagle ray        1 chevron & jaw plate         Case
Aetobatis (sp)                                   Eagle ray                    1 Chevron frag          Case
​
​Late Eocene; Appo; 35.4 million years old.
Clinchfield Formation; Houston & Wilkinson Counties
See; www.georgiasfossils.com/new-14b-fossils-impacts--tektites-dating-the-clinchfield-formation.htmlee; 
Though not recorded on this page, see the above link as the Clinchfield Formation is Georgia's most productive source of vertebrate fossils. 
Genus &/or Species              Common name                      Frequency                  Reporting
Abdounia enniskilleni         Extinct Gray Shark              492 teeth                   Westgate
Abdounia enniskilleni         Extinct Gray Shark               589 Teeth                  Parmley
Carcharias acutissima        Sand Tiger Shark                  446 Teeth                  Parmley
Carcharias cuspidate         Great White Shark               Abundant                  Pickering*
Carcharias hopei                 Sand Tiger Shark                  296 Teeth                  Parmley
Carcharias hopei                 Sand Tiger shark                  922 teeth                   Westgate 
Carcharias koerti                Sand Tiger Shark                  123 teeth                    Parmley
Carcharocles angustidens  Megatooth Shark                  2 Teeth                      Parmley
Carcharodon auriculatus   Giant toothed shark            2 teeth                         Westgate
Dasyatis (sp)                         Stingray                                 53 teeth                       Westgate
Edaphodon (sp)                    1st SE Chimaera                   Extremely Rare        Parmley
Galeo latidens                      Tiger shark                            219 teeth                     Westgate
Galeocerdo alabamensis    Requiem Shark                     351 Teeth                   Parmley
Galecerdo latidens               Tiger Shark                            Abundant                  Pickering*
Ginglymostoma serra         Nurse shark                           13 teeth                      Westgate
Hemipristis curvatus          Snaggletooth shark               170 teeth                     Westgate
Hemipristis curvatus          Snaggletooth Shark              635 Teeth                  Parmley
Heterodontus (sp)                Angel Shark                           1 Tooth                        Parmley
Isurus (sp)                             Mako shark                           4 teeth                         Westgate
Isurus praecursor                Mako Shark                           27 Teeth                      Parmley
Lamna (sp)                            Porbeagle shark                   124 teeth                     Westgate
Lamna Appendiculate         Mackerel shark                     Common                     Pickering*
Mustelus vanderhoefti        Smoothhound Shark           3 Teeth                        Parmley
Myliobatis (sp)                     Eagle Ray                               Abundant                    Pickering*
Myliobatis (sp)                      Eagle ray        8 dental batteries/284 teeth         Westgate
Nebrius thielensis                 Nurse Shark                           79 Teeth                    Parmley
Negaprion eurybathrodon Lemon Shark                        2127 Teeth                Parmley
Negaprion gibbesi                Lemon shark                        1538 teeth                 Westgate
Palaeorhincodon                   Whale Shark                          1 tooth                         Parmley
Physogaleus (sp)                  Carchrhinid                            19 teeth                      Westgate
Physogaleus secundus        Sharpnosed Shark                70 Teeth                    Parmley
Pristis (sp)                             Sawfish                                   Very rare                     Pickering*
Propristis schweinfurthi     Sawfish                                    238 rostral teeth      Westgate
Raja (sp)                                 Skate                                      4 skutes                     Westgate
Rhinoptera (sp)                    Cownose ray                           67 teeth                       Westgate
Scyliorhinus gilberti            Catshark                                 53 Teeth                    Parmley
Sphyrna (sp)                         Hammerhead                        Rare                             Pickering*
Squatina (sp)                        Angel shark                             1 tooth                        Westgate
Squatina prima                    Angel Shark                           6 Teeth                        Parmley
Striatolamia macrota         Sand Shark                            1 Tooth                        Parmley​

​Late Eocene; Approximately 35 million years old​
Tivola Limestone
See;www.georgiasfossils.com/14c-tivola-limestone-vertebrates.html 
Reports from Sam Pickering, Former Georgia State Geologist, and  specimens collected, and identified by Bill Christy who donated them to the Smithsonian. 
​Genus & Species                   Common name                  Frequency         Reporting
Lamna apppendiculata      Mackerel Shark                 Rare                    Pickering
Carcharias cuspidate          Great White                       Rare                    Pickering   
Galeocerdo latidens             Tiger Shark                        Rare                    Pickering
Carcharodon megalodon   Megatooth                          Very Rare          Pickering
Myliobatis (species?)           Eagle Ray                           Common           Pickering
Carcharhinus (species?)     Requiem shark                  Tooth                 B. Christy       
Cretolamna (species?)         Mackerel shark                 Tooth                 B. Christy        
Galeorhinus (species?)        Hound shark                      Tooth                B. Christy        
Hemipristis (species?)         Snaggletooth shark           Tooth                B. Christy       
Odontaspis (species?)          Sand Shark                         Tooth                B. Christy      

​Late Eocene; Approximately 34.35 million years old. 
Twiggs Clay Sharks
See; www.georgiasfossils.com/14d-twiggs-clay-vertebrates.html
As seen below, there are many reports from several researchers, there are also terrestrial vertebrates reported from the Twiggs Clay.
Genus & Species                       Common name                   Frequency               Reporting
Lamna apppendiculata          Mackerel Shark                  Common                  Pickering
Carcharias cuspidate              Great White                        Abundant                 Pickering
Galeocerdo latidens                Tiger Shark                          Common                  Pickering
Myliobatis (species?)              Eagle Ray                             Abundant                 Pickering
Carcharocles auriculatus      Megatooth Shark                Rare                           Parmley
Ptychodus (species?)              Ray-like Shark                     Rare                           Thurman
Lamna twiggsensis                 Mackerel shark                   2 teeth                      Case
Ginglymostoma obliquum     Nurse shark                        2 teeth                       Case             
Odontaspis acutissima           Sand shark                          3 teeth                       Case
Propristis schweinfurthi        Sawfish                                 3 snout teeth           Case
Myliobatis (species?)              Eagle Ray                             8 teeth                      Case
Scyliorhinus enniskilleni        Catshark                              10 teeth                     Case        
Hemipristis wyattdurhami   Snaggletooth shark            5 teeth                       Case            
Negaprion eurybathrodon    Requiem shark                   5 teeth                       Case
Pristis (sp)                                  Sawfish                                2 rostrum teeth       H. Josey

​Latest Eocene; Approximately 33.9 million years old
Sandersville Limestone
See; www.georgiasfossils.com/14f-sandersville-limestone-by-hank-josey.html
The Sandersville is one of three Latest Eocene formations in Georgia, one of the others if the Ocmulgee Formation which is also listed on this page. The last one is the Tobacco Road Sand which has yet to produced a reported vertebrate fossils.
Linked above is Hank Josey's report on the Sandersville Limestone. 
​Genus & Species                   Common Name        Frequency                 Reporting
Aetobatis                               Spotted eagle ray      No Info                      H. Josey
Carcharias                            Sand tiger shark       No Info                      H. Josey
Carcharocles auriculatus   Megatooth shark     No Info                      H. Josey
Galeocerdo latidans            Tiger shark                No Info                      H. Josey
Myliobatis                             Eagle ray                    No Info                      H. Josey
Negaprion eurybathrodon Lemon shark            No Info                      H. Josey
Serratolamna lerichei         Mackerel shark        No Info                      H. Josey

​Latest Eocene; Approxiametly 33.9 million years old.
The Ocmulgee Formation
See; www.georgiasfossils.com/14e-ocmulgee-formation-vertebrates.html
For more details on this formation and locations where it can be observed, see; www.georgiasfossils.com/14n-fossil-ridge-a-stratigraphic-study-in-oaky-woods-wildlife-management-area.html
​Genus & Species                   Common name                Frequency           Reporting
Lamna apppendiculata      Mackerel Shark               Rare                      Pickering
Carcharias cuspidate          Great White                     Common             Pickering
Galeocerdo latidens             Tiger Shark                      Rare                      Pickering
Myliobatis (species?)            Eagle Ray                        Abundant            Pickering
​

Early Oligocene: between 33.9 & 28.4 million years ago
Bridgeboro Limestone
www.georgiasfossils.com/8-suwannee-current-gulf-trough--bridgeboro-limestone.html​See: 
Deborah Freile reported an Early Oligocene megatooth from a Carcharocles auriculatus from the Bridgeboro Limestone in the Georgia Journal of Science in 2001.
Burt Carter at Georgia Southwestern report to the author in a personal communication that he’d found a pristis sawfish tooth.
Genus                                    Common name        Frequency                 Reporting
Carcharocles auriculatus   Megatooth shark     Very rare                   Freile
Pristis (sp)                             Sawfish                      Very rare                   Carter

​
​Late Oligocene; between 28.4 & 23.03 million years old
Suwannee Limestone Residuum
David Benjamin Childress reports finding large, Late Oligocene shark teeth in the Suwannee Limestone residuum along Flint River.
I have not created a webpage on these finds as I am hoping Childress with write me a short report.
Genus                                    Common name        Frequency                 Reporting
Carcharocles sokolovi        Megatooth shark     Rare                            Childress

Miocene Epoch; between 23.03 & 5.33 million years ago 
Echols County, GA.
Voorhies, 1974, while researching terrestrial fossils Dr. Michael Voorhies from the University of Georgia encountered shark teeth, he collected approximately 200 specimens and arranged this list to show greatest frequency at the top and least at the bottom. The fossils were stored in UGA’s collections but, sadly, since Voorhies’ departure decades ago, his scientifically important collection has apparently become lost or scattered.
Genus                                    Common name        Frequency                 Reporting
Negaprion                             Requiem shark         Most common          Voorhies
Carcharhinus                        Requiem shark         *                                  Voorhies
Hemipristis                           Weasel shark            *                                  Voorhies
Galeocerdo                            Requiem shark         *                                  Voorhies
Odontaspis                            Sand shark                *                                  Voorhies
Carcharodon                        Great white               Least common         Voorhies
​
​Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History;
Downloaded 7/April/2013 Online Collections Catalog; Georgia Miocene Specimens
Genus & Species                   Common Name       Specimens                 Location 
Sharks & their relatives
Aetobatis (species?)              Eagle Ray                  Dermal bone         None Listed
Carcharhinus egertoni        Requiem Shark         Tooth                      None Listed
Carcharodon carcharias    Great White               Tooth                      None Listed
Carcharodon megalodon   Megalodon                 2 Teeth                    Coffee County
Carcharodon megalodon   Megelodon                 4 Teeth                    None Listed
Galeocerdo aduncus            Requiem Shark         2 Teeth                    None Listed
Galeocerdo contortus          Requiem Shark         Tooth                       None Listed
Hemipristis serra                 Weasel Shark             3 Teeth                    None Listed
Isurus desori                          Mackerel Shark         Tooth                      None Listed
Isurus hastalis                       Mackerel Shark         Tooth                      Chatham Cnty 1927
Isurus hastalis                       Mackerel Shark         4 Teeth                   None Listed
Negaprion (species?)           Lemon Shark              5 Teeth                   None Listed
Odontaspis cuspidate          Sand Tiger                   21 Teeth                 None Listed
Raja (species?)                       Skate                            Dermal Bone        None Listed
Sphyrna prisca                     Hammerhead              2 Teeth                  None Listed