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Fossils from Monmouth County, New JerseyMackerel (Archaeolamna kopingensis aka Cretodus arcuatus aka Cretodus arcuata)
Age – Late Cretaceous; Commonality – Common; Size – average: ¾ inch, max: 9/8 inches
These teeth have a distinct look even when they are worn. They have a relatively robust triangular crown. They normally have a robust triangular cusplet on each side of the crown. The cusplets are rather massive for the size of the teeth and are thick at the base. They can sometimes have little secondary cusplets. The roots are bilobate. The lingual protuberance on these teeth juts out well on anterior teeth and diminishes a little in laterals and posteriors. The nutrient groove is missing on these teeth; instead, these teeth possess a nutrient pore. Some posterior teeth have ridges on the bottom of the labial face (these may not be present in all teeth). Laterals and posteriors are more curved distally than anteriors. This shark possessed two symphyseal/parasymphyseal teeth. It also had small intermediate teeth. The anteriors and laterals are enlarged in comparison to teeth of other positions. This shark had a crushing type of dentition.
Symphyseal / Parasymphyseal Teeth
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Symphyseal A. kopingensis teeth are scarce and have a unique shape. This shark likely had 3 symphyseal files in total.
Anterior Teeth
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Upper anterior teeth have symmetrical root lobes and a slightly curved crown. This one is likely an upper second anterior.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This tooth has more symmetrical root lobes and is likely an upper first anterior.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Lower anterior teeth generally have a more erect crown and asymmetrical root lobes (except lower first anteriors). This one is likely a lower second anterior and has the “classical” shape of a lower anterior.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Here is another lower anterior (likely a lower second anterior). This one is probably from a sub-adult.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This tooth has a large lingual protuberance and is most likely a lower first anterior. Lower first anteriors are reduced in size. They are the most symmetrical lower anteriors, but are not as symmetrical as upper A1 teeth.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This A. kopingensis is most likely another lower first anterior (there is a chance that it is actually a sub-adult upper A1); it has a much smaller lingual protuberance than the tooth above.
Intermediate Teeth
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Intermediate teeth exist only in the upper jaw, in between the last anterior file and the first lateral file. They resemble lateral teeth, but are smaller, less robust, flatter, and less distally curved.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This intermediate has an interesting shortened distal root lobe. A. kopingensis likely possessed 2 intermediate files.
Lateral Teeth
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Upper lateral teeth have slightly shorter root lobes than upper anterior teeth. They also have a longer mesial root lobe than distal root lobe and are very distally curved.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This upper lateral is a little more stout than the one above.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This sub-adult upper lateral possesses a distal secondary cusplet and a large mesial cusplet which looks like it was developing into a double cusplet.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Lower lateral teeth are less curved and less robust than the uppers. Lower lateral teeth can seem similar to lower anteriors. Lower laterals are less robust and normally have a less prominent lingual protuberance. They also have a wider and “smoother” angle between the root lobes; lower anteriors have a narrow and “sharper” angle between the root lobes.
Posterior Teeth
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Posterior teeth are usually much smaller than the anteriors and laterals. Most of the posterior teeth are likely uppers. This is a relatively large tooth for a posterior and is from one of the first posterior tooth files.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
Another large posterior tooth. This one has a massive mesial cusplet.
Lingual View
Labial View
Profile View of Mesial Side
Profile View of Distal Side
Basal View
Occlusal View
This posterior tooth is of a more usual size for posterior teeth and has labial wrinkles, a common feature in posterior teeth.