Woman finds massive tooth from this prehistoric creature on a Florida beach
Nicole Mercuri, 26, was walking along a Florida beach when she spotted a giant tooth that once belonged to a Megalodon, a massive prehistoric shark that roamed the ocean millions of years ago. She was absolutely "ecstatic" about the rare find.
"There is no way I just found this," Mercuri said in a video she posted to Instagram.
Mercuri, who lives on the west coast of Florida, immediately pulled out her phone and began recording herself when she spotted the tooth and dug it out of the sand.
"I was like so shocked and I just freaked out over it," Mercuri told USA TODAY. "I was just like 'Oh my God, Oh my God!'"
The tooth is 3 inches wide and nearly 5 inches long. While Mercuri did find the tooth in Florida, she did not specify which beach it was found on.
Second Megalodon tooth discovery
Mercuri found her first Megalodon tooth in 2024, but couldn't record her reaction because she didn't have her phone with her.
"It's in the glass case right now," she said. "I still have it with the other one that I found recently."
Mercuri has been hunting for shark teeth for six years. She started off looking for teeth, and then became interested in hunting for shells as well.
"I go to the beach a lot, do a lot of shark tooth hunting in the area, shell hunting," said Mercuri. "I have a lot of fun with that, so that's kind of like my main hobby that I do around in this area."
Her room now looks like the beach because of how many shells she's found, she said.
A post shared by 𝒩𝒾𝓀𝓀𝒾 🌺 (@nikkitheasian)
What were Megalodons? How big were they?
The oldest Megalodon fossils date back to 23 million years ago, according to the Museum of Natural History. The prehistoric shark ruled the seas before it went extinct around 3.6 million years ago.
The sharks don't have skeletons similar to those of other prehistoric creatures, such as a T. rex. Since its "bones" were made of cartilage, its body couldn't preserve itself as well as its teeth. And, while rare, those teeth are massive.
The extinct predator could have been 50 to 60 feet long, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. And, just like its body, its teeth were massive, too.
The shark's teeth, which look like serrated knives shaped like triangles, can be up to 7 inches long, according to the museum.
More discoveries: Archeologists find 1880 shipwreck while searching for a different one
Advice for beginner fossil hunters
Mercuri advises anyone who wants to start hunting for shark teeth and fossils to begin by joining a Facebook group for fossil hunters.
"Talk to people about maybe they can give you like advice for it," Mercuri said. "You know there are beaches, there are places in Florida you can find fossils or any cool shells. You just got to trust in yourself."
Fossil hunters should also plan to travel on their own. They can't just wait for the opportunity to come.
"You've got to do it yourself. That way you can find what you're looking for."
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
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