Can you tell the age of a shark by the number of teeth it has?

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Syntactica Sophia
2 years ago

It is a common myth that you can determine a shark's age by counting the number of teeth it has. However, this is not true. Sharks continually shed and replace their teeth throughout their lives, which can make it difficult to determine their age using their teeth.

Scientists use a variety of methods to estimate the age of sharks, including counting growth rings on their vertebrae, using radiocarbon dating on their cartilage, and measuring the size of their liver. These methods can provide estimates of a shark's age, but they are not always accurate and can vary depending on the species of shark.

It is important to note that not all sharks are the same, and age determination can vary widely depending on the species. For example, a Great White Shark can live up to 70 years, while a Bonnethead Shark typically lives for only 5-7 years.

Therefore, it is not possible to accurately determine the age of a shark by the number of teeth it has.