Discovered the world's largest ancient shark tooth about the size of a hand

The tooth, 14.6cm long and weighing nearly 0.5kg, belongs to the megalodon, the extinct giant shark. 

Megalodon shark teeth are about the size of a hand. (Photo: Jessica Rose-Standafer Owens).

Jessica Rose-Standafer Owens and her husband discovered an unusually large gray shark tooth on the sand near the Stono River, South Carolina, Fox News today reported. "I got excited, called my husband to come and take my phone to record because it was unbelievable to find it right on the ground. I've always heard people find ancient shark teeth by digging or Underwater " , Owens shared.

The newly discovered tooth belongs to the ancient shark megalodon. It is 14.6 cm long and weighs 450 grams. Owens and her husband found the tooth after about 10 minutes on the sand. They had been to the area once, but at that time the tide was high so they couldn't get close enough to look closely. Owens is keeping the tooth at home.

South Carolina was once the seabed and famous for its ancient megalodon shark teeth buried in mud. The unofficial record for the length of the megalodon shark tooth in South Carolina is 16.5cm. It was sold at an auction last December. The largest tooth on display at the museum is 16.2cm long.

Megalodon averages over 1.8m high and 15.2m long. This is the shark with the most massive body and also one of the largest predators ever lived in the ocean. They became extinct millions of years ago.