fossil
Fossilized Shark Tooth (Sand Tiger)
Carcharias sp. (Fossilized Tooth)
Hardness: 5 (Enamelized); Color: Creamy white to tan; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Shape: Slender, needle-like, slightly curved cusplets; Composition: Bio-apatite replaced by minerals.
- Hardness
- 5 (Enamelized)
- Color
- Creamy white to tan
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
Identified More fossil →
Explore Fossilized Shark Tooth (Sand Tiger) in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 5 (Enamelized); Color: Creamy white to tan; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Shape: Slender, needle-like, slightly curved cusplets; Composition: Bio-apatite replaced by minerals.
Formation & geological history
Formed through permineralization where minerals like silica or calcium carbonate replace biological tissue. Most common specimens are from the Neogene or Paleogene periods (approx. 5-60 million years old).
Uses & applications
Primarily for fossil collecting, educational displays, and sometimes used in wire-wrapped jewelry.
Geological facts
Unlike bone, shark teeth fossilize easily because they are made of hard dentin and enamel. A single shark can lose thousands of teeth in its lifetime, leading to their abundance in the fossil record.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its sharp, conical shape and presence of a distinct root line. Frequently found in coastal sedimentary deposits, riverbeds, and phosphate mines in regions like Florida, the Carolinas, and Morocco.
More like this
Other fossil specimens
Sedimentary Outcrop (Sandstone/Shale)
Sedimentary bedrock formation (variable composition)
sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone
Fossiliferous Calcilutite / Biomicrite
sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone
Biogenic Limestone with Brachiopod/Crinoid fragments
sedimentary
Fossilized Crinoid Stem in Limestone
Crinoidea (Class) in Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) matrix
fossil
Fossiliferous Limestone
Limestone with embedded fossil cross-section
sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone with Crinoid stems
Limestone (CaCO3) containing Crinoidea fossils
sedimentary