THE SHARKS

.

The Common Thresher
Alopias latidens (Leriche)

Age - Miocene  Commonality - Very uncommon

The common thresher Alopias latidens is a rare find in NJ. Alopias latiden is indistinguishable from today’s modern day threshers ( Alopias vulpinus ). These teeth average a little less than 1/2 inch, reaching a maximum of about 3/4's of an inch in size. The crown is triangular with a smooth cutting edge that extends onto the shoulder of the root where just a hint of vestigial cusplets may be present. The roots have a wide “U” shape with no nutrient groove. The basal root margin is concave.
 


 

The wide triangular crown is one of the distinguishing characteristics
of Alopias latidens.
Beaufort County, NC—Scale 1/2 inch

 


 

This is the only specimen from Monmouth County, NJ I've found.
 


 

Left lingual view—Right labial view
Beaufort County, NC
 

Return to top of page

Home Site Map Sharks