Sacaco dentition



The Sacaco dentition refers to an articulated dentition identified as C. carcharias from the upper Pisco Formation of Sacaco, Peru.

Dentition
Of particular note were the upper A3's -- they were distally directed. This specimen presented two possibilities, neither of which supported the arguments of the "Carcharodon" megalodon advocates. If it was Carcharodon carcharias, then the direction of the Upper A3 is not important. If it's not, then it was from the species referred to as Isurus hastalis or escheri — with teeth that are otherwise indistinguishable from C. carcharias — serrations and all. If this were the case, they should properly be referred to as Carcharodon hastalis and/or C. escheri. The list of possible genera expanded in 1999 when talk surfaced of the resurrection of Glikman's Cosmopolitodus for the "broad-toothed" makos.

Photographic conditions were not the best, being in a deep glass case in a poorly lit room. However, the below photo's provide some detail of this great specimen.

The Dentition