Rock Identifier
Fossilized Shark Tooth (Elasmobranchii (fossilized matrix/root section)) — fossil
fossil

Fossilized Shark Tooth

Elasmobranchii (fossilized matrix/root section)

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale (calcium phosphate / apatite); Color: dark brown, grey, to black with light beige areas; Luster: vitreous to earthy; Structure: porous root structure with dense enameloid crown portion.

Hardness
5 on Mohs scale (calcium phosphate / apatite)
Color
dark brown, grey, to black with light beige areas
Luster
vitreous to earthy
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Physical properties

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale (calcium phosphate / apatite); Color: dark brown, grey, to black with light beige areas; Luster: vitreous to earthy; Structure: porous root structure with dense enameloid crown portion.

Formation & geological history

Formed during the Cenozoic or Mesozoic era when ancient ocean deposits buried shark teeth, undergoing permineralization where minerals like phosphate, iron, and silica replaced the organic tooth structure over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Popular for educational collections, jewelry making, lapidary art, and scientific study of prehistoric marine ecosystems.

Geological facts

Sharks shed thousands of teeth during their lifetime, making fossil shark teeth one of the most abundant marine fossils found along coastal and river deposits worldwide.

Field identification & locations

Identified by the distinct shape containing a root base and enamelized blade/crown area, often dark due to iron or phosphate absorption during fossilization. Commonly found in coastal beaches and riverbeds, such as in Florida, the Carolinas, and Morocco.

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