The whale sharks have a fossil record extending back into the Paleogene. The teeth of the modern species' design can be traced to the Oligocene (Chandler Bridge Formation) of South Carolina. During the Miocene, they are represented in the Loupian fauna of France (Cappetta, 1970) and Lee Creek (Pungo River Frm) of North Carolina. These teeth are also present in the Yorktown (Pliocene) of the later and Kent (1994) includes them in the Miocene & Pliocene (Calvert & Yorktown Frms) of Maryland and Virginia. Purdy et al (2001) noted these teeth from Pungo River (units 1 & 2) sediments but elected to identify the teeth to genus only.