RARE: Cretalamna appendiculata Shark Tooth Fossil – Cretaceous – Gault Clay – Folkestone, Kent, UK

Description

RARE Cretalamna appendiculata Shark Tooth Fossil – Cretaceous – Gault Clay – Folkestone, Kent, UK

Offered here is an authentic fossil tooth from the extinct mackerel shark Cretalamna appendiculata, a basal member of the Lamniformes order that includes modern great white and mako sharks. This fossil originates from the Gault Clay Formation near Folkestone, Kent, a classic and globally important Lower Cretaceous marine site in the UK.

Fossil Type: Shark Tooth

Species: Cretalamna appendiculata

Order: Lamniformes

Family: Otodontidae

Class: Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fishes)

Geological Stage: Albian Stage, Lower Cretaceous (approx. 113–100 million years ago)

Formation: Gault Clay

Location: Folkestone, Kent, England, UK

Depositional Environment: Deeper marine clay, low energy, nutrient-rich shelf basin supporting a variety of marine vertebrates and invertebrates

Morphology Features:

This tooth of Cretalamna appendiculata exhibits the classic triangular crown with smooth cutting edges and robust root lobes. It lacks serrations, typical of the species, and has small lateral cusplets adjacent to the main cusp. These features indicate an efficient predator adapted to swift capture and processing of bony fish and soft-bodied cephalopods.

Notable:

Cretalamna is significant in evolutionary history as a precursor to giant predatory sharks such as Otodus and ultimately Carcharocles megalodon. Fossils of Cretalamna appendiculata are rare in British formations and especially prized when from well-documented localities like Folkestone.

Condition: Cleaned and preserved with minimal wear. Displays full crown and partial root.

Scale Reference: Scale Rule Squares / Cube = 1cm. See photo for full sizing.

Important Note:

All of our Fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens & come with a Certificate of Authenticity.

A superb collector’s fossil from one of Britain’s most iconic Cretaceous marine formations. Ideal for shark tooth enthusiasts, palaeontology collectors, and UK geological history enthusiasts alike.