THE SHARKS

The Crow Sharks
Squalicorax pristodontus (Morton)
Squalicorax kaupi (Agassiz)

Age - Cretaceous  Commonality - Very common

Two species of Squalicorax are commonly found in the streams of Monmouth County, S. pristondontus and S. kaupi. Of the two species S. pristondontus is the larger and more commonly found tooth. The crows are easy to identify, they are the only Cretaceous teeth found in NJ in with serrations. They are wide, flat teeth with large compressed roots. The two species look very similar. S. pristondontus is the larger of the two averaging between 3/4 and 1 1/2 inches with S. kaupi going between 1/2 to 5/8’s of an inch. S. kaupi has a distinct notch on the distal side of the crown with finer serrations than S. pristondontus. The teeth of both these species seem to hold up well to stream wear.

On the left is S. kaupi with the distinctive notch.
On the right is the larger S. pristondontus.
Monmouth County, NJ.
 

Both species of crow look flat or compressed when viewed
in profile.
 

Posterior teeth have an elongated look.
Squalicorax are the only Cretaceous teeth to have serrations,
 

An assortment of larger S. pristondontus.
In NJ S. kaupi tends to be ignored, the largest of these
teeth is only equal to an average sized S. pristondontus.
 

A large S. pristondontus.

Squalicorax symphysial tooth.
Identified by Dr. Kenshu Shimada from
DePaul University.
This tooth sat for months unidentified.

 

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