Megalodon tooth discovered by father and son in New Jersey

A father and son discovered a rare prehistoric Megalodon tooth while vacationing in Sea Isle City, New Jersey. Michael Bowers, 42, and his 11-year-old son, Bo, found the fossil wedged in a crevice of a jetty.

Experts from the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center confirmed the find as an authentic fossil of the Otodus megalodon, a massive shark species that went extinct over 3.6 million years ago. The tooth measures approximately 4.5 inches (about 10 centimeters) in length and features a large break on the edge.

While Megalodon teeth are occasionally found along the shore, scientists noted that a specimen of this size is particularly uncommon. Researchers suggest the tooth may have been unearthed and transported to the area by sand moved during a recent beach replenishment project conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in July. Finding such fossils in New Jersey is rare, with the New Jersey State Museum noting fewer than five Megalodon teeth have been recorded in the state.