Rock Identifier
Fossilized Shark Tooth (Fragment) in Matrix (Elasmobranchii (subclass)) — fossil
fossil

Fossilized Shark Tooth (Fragment) in Matrix

Elasmobranchii (subclass)

Color: Off-white to tan matrix with an ivory-colored tooth fragment. Hardness: Tooth (5 on Mohs scale), Matrix (varies, usually 3-4). Luster: Dull/earthy matrix with slightly vitreous tooth enamel. Structure: Biological apatite replaced by minerals.

Hardness
Tooth (5 on Mohs scale), Matrix (varies, usually 3-4)
Color
Off-white to tan matrix with an ivory-colored tooth fragment
Luster
Dull/earthy matrix with slightly vitreous tooth enamel
Identified More fossil →
Explore Fossilized Shark Tooth (Fragment) in Matrix in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App StoreGoogle Play

Physical properties

Color: Off-white to tan matrix with an ivory-colored tooth fragment. Hardness: Tooth (5 on Mohs scale), Matrix (varies, usually 3-4). Luster: Dull/earthy matrix with slightly vitreous tooth enamel. Structure: Biological apatite replaced by minerals.

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization in marine sedimentary environments. Thousands of shark teeth are shed over a shark's lifetime and settle in ocean floor silt, eventually fossilizing over millions of years (likely Cenozoic or Cretaceous).

Uses & applications

Educational specimens, hobbyist collecting, and small-scale jewelry components.

Geological facts

Sharks do not have bones; their skeletons are cartilage, which rarely fossilizes. The teeth are often the only part of the shark that survives as a fossil due to their high mineral content.

Field identification & locations

Identified by the distinct contrast between the smooth, pointed tooth enamel and the grainy surrounding sedimentary matrix. Found in coastal regions, riverbeds, and limestone quarries globally.

More like this

Other fossil specimens

Sedimentary Outcrop (Sandstone/Shale) (Sedimentary bedrock formation (variable composition)) — sedimentary

Sedimentary Outcrop (Sandstone/Shale)

Sedimentary bedrock formation (variable composition)

sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone (Fossiliferous Calcilutite / Biomicrite) — sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone

Fossiliferous Calcilutite / Biomicrite

sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone (Biogenic Limestone with Brachiopod/Crinoid fragments) — sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone

Biogenic Limestone with Brachiopod/Crinoid fragments

sedimentary
Fossilized Crinoid Stem in Limestone (Crinoidea (Class) in Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) matrix) — fossil

Fossilized Crinoid Stem in Limestone

Crinoidea (Class) in Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) matrix

fossil
Fossiliferous Limestone (Limestone with embedded fossil cross-section) — sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone

Limestone with embedded fossil cross-section

sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone with Crinoid stems (Limestone (CaCO3) containing Crinoidea fossils) — sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone with Crinoid stems

Limestone (CaCO3) containing Crinoidea fossils

sedimentary