Rock Identifier
Shark Tooth Fossil (Carcharocles megalodon or related shark taxa (Fossilized dentition)) — fossil
fossil

Shark Tooth Fossil

Carcharocles megalodon or related shark taxa (Fossilized dentition)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Mohs hardness around 5-6 after fossilization (apatite/calcite replacement), color ranges from gray to tan and black, vitreous to dull luster, dense crystalline structure.

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Physical properties

Mohs hardness around 5-6 after fossilization (apatite/calcite replacement), color ranges from gray to tan and black, vitreous to dull luster, dense crystalline structure.

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization where organic tooth material is slowly replaced by minerals like silica or apatite over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Prized by fossil collectors, educational displays, and occasionally used in jewelry crafting.

Geological facts

Shark teeth are the most common shark fossils because a single shark can shed tens of thousands of teeth in its lifetime.

Field identification & locations

Identify by the distinct triangular shape, smooth or serrated cutting edges, and characteristic root structure; commonly found in riverbeds, coastal cliffs, and marine sedimentary layers.

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Crinoid Stem Fossil in Matrix

Phylum Echinodermata, Class Crinoidea

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Fossiliferous limestone (likely a crinoidal or shell-fragment limestone) (Bioclastic limestone, composed chiefly of calcite (CaCO₃)) — sedimentary

Fossiliferous limestone (likely a crinoidal or shell-fragment limestone)

Bioclastic limestone, composed chiefly of calcite (CaCO₃)

sedimentary
Porous limestone pebble (Calcite-rich limestone (primarily CaCO₃); exact identification is uncertain from the image) — sedimentary

Porous limestone pebble

Calcite-rich limestone (primarily CaCO₃); exact identification is uncertain from the image

sedimentary
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Weathered fossil bone fragment (identification uncertain)

Fossilized bone; exact taxon and mineral composition cannot be determined from the image

fossil