fossil
Fossilized Shark Tooth (Anterior/Lateral)
Otodus megalodon or Carcharodon carcharias (fossilized)
Hardness: 5 (enamel), Color: dark brown to black (permineralized), Luster: dull to vitreous, Structure: serrated edge (worn), triangular shape, root base present
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5 (enamel), Color: dark brown to black (permineralized), Luster: dull to vitreous, Structure: serrated edge (worn), triangular shape, root base present
Formation & geological history
Formed through permineralization where minerals like phosphate or silica replace organic structure over millions of years; common in Miocine and Pliocene deposits (5-20 million years old)
Uses & applications
Highly collectible, used in educational displays, often wrapped for jewelry, and studied in paleo-oceanography
Geological facts
Shark teeth are the most common shark fossils because sharks shed thousands of teeth throughout their lives, and the enamel is hard enough to survive burial before fossilization
Field identification & locations
Found in coastal regions or riverbeds with phosphate deposits (e.g. Florida, South Carolina, Morocco). Identify by the triangular shape and distinct boundary between the root and crown material
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