sedimentary
Fossilized Shark Tooth
Carcharocles sp. or Striatolamia sp. (Phosphate/Carbonate mineralized Hydroxyapatite)
Hardness: 5 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to creamy yellow-brown, Luster: Vitreous to sub-vitreous, Structure: Elongated triangular crown with a root base. Composed largely of calcium phosphate.
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to creamy yellow-brown, Luster: Vitreous to sub-vitreous, Structure: Elongated triangular crown with a root base. Composed largely of calcium phosphate.
Formation & geological history
Formed through permineralization where minerals like calcium and phosphorus in sedimentary rock replaced organic matter. Usually found in marine sedimentary layers from the Eocene to Miocene epochs (approx. 5 to 50 million years ago).
Uses & applications
Primarily for fossil collecting, biological education, and occasionally used in jewelry like wire-wrapped pendants.
Geological facts
Unlike bone, shark teeth are often the only part of the shark to fossilize because the rest of their skeleton is made of cartilage which decomposes quickly. A single shark can lose thousands of teeth in its lifetime.
Field identification & locations
Identify by looking for a hard, smooth enameloid surface and a distinct root. Commonly found in riverbeds, coastal beaches, and phosphate mines in regions once covered by ancient oceans (e.g., Florida, Morocco, South Carolina).
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