sedimentary
Fossilized Shark Tooth
Carcharhinus sp. (likely Bull or Requiem shark family)
Hardness: 5 (Enamel is Mohs 5); Color: Gray cusp with tan/beige root; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Biological apatite replaced by minerals; Shape: Triangular with wide root
- Hardness
- 5 (Enamel is Mohs 5)
- Color
- Gray cusp with tan/beige root
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
Identified More sedimentary →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 5 (Enamel is Mohs 5); Color: Gray cusp with tan/beige root; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Biological apatite replaced by minerals; Shape: Triangular with wide root
Formation & geological history
Formed through permineralization where minerals like calcium phosphate and silica replace organic material over millions of years, typically found in marine sedimentary layers from the Miocene or Pliocene epochs.
Uses & applications
Primarily for fossil collecting, educational displays, and occasionally used in wire-wrapped jewelry or curios.
Geological facts
Sharks can lose tens of thousands of teeth in a lifetime. Unlike bone, shark teeth fossilize easily because of their high mineral content in the enamel.
Field identification & locations
Identify by the distinct V-shaped root and shiny enamel cusp. Often found at beach tide lines or in phosphate mines in regions like Florida, North Carolina, or Morocco.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Chert Breccia
Brecciated Chert (Microcrystalline Silica)
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite (primarily SiO2)
sedimentary
Sandstone Grain
Clastic Sedimentary Rock Grain (SiO2 dominated)
sedimentary
Shale or Slaty Mudstone
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite
sedimentary