fossil

Fossilized Shark Tooth

Elasmobranchii gen. indet.

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale (apatite composition). Color: Dark gray to black due to permineralization. Luster: Sub-vitreous to dull. Shape: Triangular with porous root structure and enameloid crown.

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale (apatite composition)
Color: Dark gray to black due to permineralization
Luster: Sub-vitreous to dull

Identified July 22, 2026More fossil →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale (apatite composition). Color: Dark gray to black due to permineralization. Luster: Sub-vitreous to dull. Shape: Triangular with porous root structure and enameloid crown.

Formation & geological history

Formed when shark teeth were buried in marine sediments during the Cenozoic or Mesozoic eras. Bone and dentin minerals were replaced by calcium phosphate and iron/manganese minerals during fossilization over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Popular collector's item, educational display piece, and used in jewelry such as wire-wrapped pendants or necklaces.

Geological facts

Sharks lose thousands of teeth in their lifetimes as continuous replacement rows move forward. Black coloration usually indicates the tooth was fossilized in an oxygen-poor, iron- or manganese-rich marine environment.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its distinctive triangular wedge shape, enameloid outer surface, and porous, root-like base structure. Commonly found in coastal beach deposits, riverbeds, and phosphate mines in regions like Florida, the Carolinas, and Morocco.