THE SHARKS

Lemon Shark
Negaprion eurybathrodon (Whitley)
 

Age - Miocene  Commonality - Common

The Lemon shark (Negaprion eurybathrodon) is one of the more common Tertiary teeth found in NJ. The teeth have a relatively slender, compressed crown with elongated root lobes. The main cusp of N. eurybathrodon has no serrations. Upper teeth have weak to indistinct serrations on the shoulder, while the lower teeth have an erect robust crown and smooth shoulders. If not worn away by stream action, a shallow nutrient grove is present, . The teeth average less than ½ inch and rarely exceed 3/4 of an inch in vertical length. Regardless of tooth position the main cusp is perpendicular to the root, or at best, very weakly angled. These teeth can easily be confused with the gray shark ( Carcharhinus priscus ), the main difference being the presence of very fine serrations on the main crown of the gray.

The teeth are small with a “nail like” shape.
Monmouth County, NJ
 

Left - A lower tooth with a smooth shoulder.
Right - An upper, with wave like serrations. The serrations on the
upper teeth can vary from fine to wave like.
Labial views.
 

The main crown of the lemon has a smooth edge.

 

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