Megalodon shark tooth discovered by 9-year-old girl in Maryland
Young Molly Sampson was wading through the waters on Christmas Day when she came across the tooth of the long-extinct shark species.
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SOLOMONS, Md. – Molly Sampson, a 9-year-old fossil hunter, found the tooth of a Megalodon while combing a Calvert County beach in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay.
Donning camo overalls and a baby blue winter hat, Molly was wading through the water on Christmas morning when she came across the tooth of the long-extinct shark species.
Molly Sampson holding the Megalodon tooth by a Calvert County beach on the Chesapeake Bay.
(Alicia Sampson / SCI + TECH / TMX / FOX Weather)
The Megaladon lived between 2.6 and 23 million years ago, and it was the largest shark and largest fish to have ever existed.
DEEP-SEA EXPLORERS UNEARTH GIANT SHARK TOOTH LIKELY MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD
Megalodon sharks grew about 33.5 feet long on average, but some scientists believe the largest Megaladons grew up to 82 feet long.
![A recreation of a 52-foot-long Megalodon.]()
Image 1 of 2A recreation of a 52-foot-long Megalodon. (Smithsonian Institution)
![Size comparison between a human, Modern Great White Shark and a Giant Megatooth, or Megalodon.]()
Image 2 of 2Size comparison between a human, Modern Great White Shark and a Giant Megatooth, or Megalodon. (Mary Parrish / Smithsonian Institution)
In fact, the name "Megalodon" includes two Greek words that translate to "giant tooth."
WHERE DINOSAUR BONES ARE REVEALED BY THE WEATHER
The tooth young Molly found was the size of her hand.
Molly Sampson holds the Megalodon shark tooth in one hand. In the other hand is a tiny back speck, which is the smallest shark tooth Molly has found on Calvert County beaches.
(Alicia Sampson / SCI + TECH / TMX / FOX Weather)
Molly shared her fossil with the paleontologists at the Calvert Marine Museum in southern Maryland, who confirmed the 9-year-old’s discovery.
"Molly was excited to share her awesome find with our paleontology department last week at the museum," shared the Calvert Marine Museum in a Facebook post on Friday.
Molly with paleontologists at the Calvert Marine Museum, which has an exhibit dedicated to prehistoric finds.
(Alicia Sampson / SCI + TECH / TMX / FOX Weather)
Calvert County beaches in southern Maryland are popular sites for fossil hunters. The beach at Calvert Cliffs State Park, in particular, has been the site of many discoveries.