sedimentary
Fossil Shark Tooth (embedded in matrix)
Lamniformes (likely Cretalamna or Squalicorax) within phosphatic/calcareous matrix
Hardness (Enamel: 5; Matrix: 3-4); Color: Glossy black tooth in a tan/grey rocky matrix; Luster: Vitreous tooth, dull matrix; Crystal Structure: Apatite (biological phosphate); Specific Gravity: ~3.0
- Color
- Glossy black tooth in a tan/grey rocky matrix
- Luster
- Vitreous tooth, dull matrix
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Physical properties
Hardness (Enamel: 5; Matrix: 3-4); Color: Glossy black tooth in a tan/grey rocky matrix; Luster: Vitreous tooth, dull matrix; Crystal Structure: Apatite (biological phosphate); Specific Gravity: ~3.0
Formation & geological history
Formed through permineralization where hydroxyapatite in teeth is replaced by minerals like fluoride or iron; typically Cretaceous to Paleogene (66 to 45 million years ago) in shallow marine environments.
Uses & applications
Used primarily for educational study, curiosity collecting, and paleontology research; small pieces are sometimes used in wire-wrapped jewelry.
Geological facts
Shark skeletons are cartilaginous and rarely fossilize, but their teeth are incredibly hard and are the most common vertebrate fossils found worldwide. A single shark may lose thousands of teeth in its lifetime.
Field identification & locations
Identify by looking for a glossy, triangular polished surface (the tooth) protruding from a gritty or solidified sand/silt matrix; commonly found in 'bone beds' or coastal deposits in Morocco (Khouribga) or the US Atlantic coast.
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