Osteology and utilization of white shark teeth, Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) (Elasmobranchii, Lamnidae) at shell mounds of São Paulo.

Abstract

At Brazilian shell mounds, recoveries of sharks and rays teeth are very common, and their value for the shell mound groups is still under discussion. This choice of working with C. carcharias teeth shows the importance of these species to present and past marine ecosystem. 81 teeth of seven shell mounds were analyzed. Among these ones 37.03% were related to burials, and from the totality we concluded that 56.79% were used as adornment and 43.20% as tools. With adequate methodology, we took into account the NMI=11 which has the smallest specimen measuring 2.40m and the biggest one 4.60m. The NMI determination shows that this species was not usual and abundant but representative. In 47.36% of the cases the teeth related to children burials and could be associated to votive or ceremonial elements