Megalodon Tooth Millions of Years Old Found in Florida (Video)

“We were really close to the ground,” said Kristina Scott, who found the tooth while diving off Venice in Sarasota County with her boyfriend. “I saw just the root of it, covered in barnacle. I knew the shape. And I pulled it out of the dirt, and started freaking out. I pulled his [her boyfriend’s] arm. I was trying to yell with the regulator in my mouth. But yeah, we were just stoked.”

When compared to other shark teeth, this megalodon fang makes modern sharks look like sardines. But how big, exactly, were these ancient behemoths. Well, there’s only fossil records to go off, but scientists have some ideas. According to a Smithsonian report on the carcharocles megalodon:

“Carcharocles megalodon was once the most fearsome predator to reign the seas. This ancient shark lived roughly 23 to 3.6 million years ago in nearly every corner of the ocean. Roughly up to 3 times the length of a modern-day great white shark, it is the largest shark to have ever lived. It had a powerful bite with a jaw full of teeth as large as an adult human’s hand. They likely could tear chunks of flesh from even the largest whales of the time. It should come as no surprise that upon discovery in the fossil record, the massive shark was named Carcharocles megalodon or ‘big toothed glorious shark.’”

As for the rarity (and potential price tag) of such a find from the diver in Florida – as in, could she cash in on it? – the newscasters could only fathom:

“From our understanding, this is, like, museum-quality stuff…it’s a big deal.”