Fallon Deatherage-Bradley
News Editor
After travelling the U.S. for the last five years and seen by nearly 500,000 people, the Buzzsaw Sharks of the Idaho Wicked and Weird exhibit made its way back home to the Idaho Museum of Natural History, located in the bottom floor of the PSUB.
The exhibit provides an opportunity for people to observe and learn about the Helicoprion shark, one that lived 270 million years ago when it swam in oceans that once covered Southeast Idaho. At the time, it was the largest predator alive at an estimated 25-feet long.
“This is Idaho’s most spectacular monster,” said Leif Tapanila, museum director. “We’re so proud to bring this exhibit back where it all began.”
Although Helicoprion remains are found in Asia, the Ural Mountains of Eastern Europe and other parts of North America, more than 50 percent of all Helicoprion remains were discovered in Idaho with several items being found by local mining operations. With more than 85 Helicoprion items, the Idaho Museum of Natural History has the largest collection of these unique creatures.
Helicoprion is nicknamed the “buzzsaw shark” because its line of its sharp teeth that spiral form a shape similar to a modern day buzzsaw. These preserved spirals of teeth are known as tooth whorls.
The bodies of Helicoprion’s were made of cartilage which then decayed, leaving only the tooth whorls remaining. Because of this, it was difficult for scientists to determine the placement of the tooth whorl on the bodies of the Helicoprions.
In 2013, using CT scans, ISU researchers determined the teeth whorls made up the lower jaw and that as new teeth grew, they pushed the older teeth into the spiral shape.
With these discoveries, sculptor Gary Staab and artist Ray Troll created visual representations of the Helicoprions for the exhibit. The exhibit also features children’s activities, a documentary and an interactive Helicoprion jaw in addition to the Helicoprion fossils, the newest of which was added to the museum’s collection in June.
The tooth whorl was discovered during phosphate mining operations by Monsanto in Soda Springs. The tooth whorl was over eight inches in diameter, about the same size as the width of a sheet of notebook paper.
“Idaho is the best place on the planet to find these amazing fossils,” Tapanila said. “We’re very grateful to our partners in the region for sharing their discoveries so we can make them available to the public for many years to come.”
The Idaho Museum of Natural History is open from Tuesday through Sunday and is free to ISU students with Bengal ID. The Buzzsaw Sharks of Idaho Wicked and Weird exhibit will run until summer 2019.
