Sokolovi (Auriculatus) Shark Tooth – Serrated Fossil from Dakhla

This striking fossilized Otodus sokolovi tooth features a tall, slender triangular crown with finely serrated cutting edges and a broad, robust root. Its pale cream coloration and clearly defined tooth profile give it an elegant appearance, while the preserved serrations reveal the specialised cutting structure of this ancient predator. Discovered in the fossil-rich Dakhla region of Morocco, this remarkable tooth offers a tangible connection to the prehistoric seas of the Late Eocene.

Specimen Details

✓ Species: Otodus sokolovi (Jaekel, 1895)
✓ Former / Alternative Names: Carcharocles sokolovi, Carcharocles auriculatus
✓ Age: Late Eocene, approximately 40 million years old
✓ Location: Dakhla, Morocco
✓ Weight: 80 g
✓ Size: 84 mm left side | 91 mm right side, measured from base to tip at an angle | 71 mm wide
✓ Condition: Minor Repair

The Story Behind the Tooth

Around 40 million years ago, warm marine waters covered much of the region that is now southwestern Morocco. These ancient seas supported a rich ecosystem of sharks, fish and marine mammals, creating an environment where large predatory sharks such as Otodus sokolovi could thrive.

Otodus sokolovi was a member of the Otodontidae, the family of megatooth sharks renowned for their large, triangular, serrated teeth. The species is particularly interesting to fossil collectors because it represents an important stage in the evolutionary development of this remarkable group.

The classification of these Eocene sharks has changed over time, which is why O. sokolovi can also be encountered in older literature under names such as Carcharocles sokolovi and Carcharocles auriculatus. Its combination of a substantial triangular crown, serrated cutting edges and lateral cusplets helps distinguish it among the closely related otodontid sharks of the Eocene.

A Glimpse into the Evolution of the Megasharks

The story of Otodus sokolovi is part of something much bigger. Over millions of years, the otodontid sharks developed increasingly specialised teeth and increasingly formidable bodies. Closely related forms appeared through the Eocene and Oligocene before the lineage eventually produced Otodus megalodon, the legendary giant that dominated later prehistoric oceans.

This means a sokolovi tooth isn't simply an attractive fossil shark tooth. It represents an earlier chapter in the evolutionary story of the megasharks — a time when these extraordinary predators were already developing the distinctive serrated teeth that would become so characteristic of their later relatives.

Own a Piece of the Megashark Story

Add this beautifully preserved Otodus sokolovi tooth to your collection and hold a genuine piece of prehistoric marine history — a fossil from an ancient predator that lived tens of millions of years before megalodon. Its elegant triangular crown, preserved serrations and unrepaired condition make it a fascinating specimen for both shark-tooth collectors and anyone captivated by the evolution of Earth's great marine predators.