“The new specimen is as long or longer than any skull of Tyrannosaurus rex, which has always been referred to as the largest known terrestrial carnivore.” -Philip J. Currie

Fossils from Carcharodontosaurus were first discovered in 1924, when two teeth were found in Algeria. Other fossils were uncovered in the region but ended up destroyed due to fighting from World War II. In 1995, parts of a new skull were uncovered in Morocco, which put estimates to the creature’s head at almost 5 feet long. Housed in this massive skull were powerful jaws of serrated teeth measuring up to 8 inches in length. These teeth helped Carcharodontosaurus tear and shred its meals while it was on the hunt, and the size of its maw allowed it to easily grab and trap prey.

The huge teeth are also what give Carcharodontosaurus its mouthful of a name. The species was named after the discovery of the teeth, which resembled that of the great white shark, a member of the genus Carcharodon. Carcharodon sharks, in turn, take their names from the Greek for “jagged teeth,” karcharos and odōn.

Ancestors of Carcharodontosaurus are believed to have radiated out from Africa in the early Cretaceous period before becoming isolated around 90 million years ago. The cousins to Carcharodontosaurus encompass a wide variety of dinosaurs, from the comparably smaller Allosaurus, to the semi-aquatic Spinosaurus, and the massive Giganotosaurus, all of which were dangerous predators in their own right.

Giganotosaurus in particular shared quite a close relation with Carcharodontosaurus, with a similar shape, size, and diet. The two were primarily separated by the ocean between Africa and South America.

We have a great selection of these incredible fossil Carcharodontosaurus teeth. These are not replicas, but real fossils direct from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco.