Collection of shark jaws and teeth

We are delighted to present to you one of the largest exhibitions in Central Europe, Giants of the Oceans. As a part of the exhibition, we are also showcasing a collection of shark jaws and teeth, lent to us by an engineer, passionate diver, collector, and admirer of the shark world Pavel Janda with his family. We highly value nature conservation and respect the creatures in the collection. Therefore, we would like to underline that all shark teeth and jaws on display originate exclusively from sharks found dead, or specimens that had been caught in coastal shark-control nets.

1) Jaws of a tiger shark (This amazing item belonged to a 4 m specimen)

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) can be found in the seas and oceans of subtropical and tropical zones. On average, the shark grows 3.25 to 4.5 m, very rarely more than 5 m in length. It usually weighs 385 to 635 kg, rarely more than 900 kg. The largest specimen recorded was 5.5 m long and weighed 1,524 kg.

2) Jaws of a bull shark

Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are large and bulky sharks that usually grow to 2.2 m in length and weigh about 95 kg. Females are usually slightly larger than males: 2.4 m in length, and 130 kg in weight. The largest specimen recorded was 4 m long and weighed 315 kg.

3) Jaws of a shortfin mako shark

Shortfin mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) are considered dangerous to humans. Although both genders grow at approximately the same rate, females are generally larger, more robust, and live longer. The shortfin mako shark has an average length of 1.8 to 3.2 m and weighs 60 to 400 kg. The largest individual caught and registered in France was 4.45 m long and weighed over 600 kg.

4) Jaws of a tiger shark

See the description of exhibit 1.

5) Jaws of a great hammerhead

The great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) is the largest species of the hammerhead shark. It can grow up to 6 m long and weigh over 500 kg. However, the average length is 3.5 to 4 m. The largest specimen recorded was 6.1 m long and weighed 580 kg.

6) Jaws of a lemon shark

Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) represents the dangerous family Carcharhinidae, which can be extremely aggressive in protecting their offspring. An average specimen is 2.4-3 m long and weighs up to 90 kg. The largest registered specimen was 3.43 m long, and a weighed 183.7 kg.

7) Jaws of a dusky shark

The dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus) lives in tropical and subtropical zones around the world. Usually, the length reaches 3.2 m, and the weight is 160 to 180 kg. The largest registered specimen was 4.2 m long and weighed 347 kg. Females are larger than males.

8) Jaws of a copper shark

Copper sharks (Carcharhinus brachyurus) are almost 3 m long, with females larger than males. They can be found in temperate zones, but sometimes also in very cold waters. The largest recorded specimen, called Fa was 3.3 m long and weighed 305 kg.

9) Jaws of a whitetip reef shark

Besides the whitetip reef shark, the Carcharhinidae family also includes silvertip shark (length up to 3 m, weight up to 162 kg), bignose shark (length usually 2,5 m, weight up to 168 kg), blacktip reef shark (2 m, 40 kg), and Caribbean reef shark with darker skin and white patches (3 m, 70 kg).

10) Jaws and teeth of a silvertip shark

The silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) is a large species of the Carcharhinidae family. It lives in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is often found around islands and corals. It can grow up to 3 m long, but typically has a length of about 2 m. The maximum weight is 162 kg. Females are larger than males. Below is a collection of teeth, to the right, are the teeth of a great white shark.

11) Fossils and shark teeth

The collection features exhibits from dozens of shark species from around the world.

12) Tooth of a prehistoric shark megalodon

The megalodon was a shark species that lived about 16 to 1.6 million years ago during the Miocene and Pliocene. It is the largest known prehistoric predatory fish. Its length ranged from 30 to 35 m, and its weight from 35 to 45 tonnes (in older estimates even 45 m and 80 tonnes). Our collection includes a copy of the largest measured tooth: 18 cm long.

13) Tooth of a great white shark

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) or the great white, formerly known as a man-eater shark, is mostly found in coastal waters. Its maximum length is 6 m and weight over 3 tonnes. The largest registered specimen was 6.4 m long and weighed 3,324 kg. Our collection includes a copy of the largest found tooth of a great white: 9 cm long.