Sand Tiger Shark Tooth (Fossilized)
Phylum: Chordata; Class: Chondrichthyes; Order: Lamniformes; Family: Odontaspididae; Genus: Carcharias; Species: taurus · Odontaspididae (Sand Tiger Shark family) · Fossilized Shark Tooth (Biological remain, not a mollusk shell); Shape: Elongated, bifurcated root, slender crown
Species
Carcharias taurus
Shell Type
Fossilized Shark Tooth (Biological remain, not a mollusk shell); Shape: Elongated, bifurcated root, slender crown
Family
Odontaspididae (Sand Tiger Shark family)
Size
Approximately 0.75 - 1 inch in length; this is a small-to-average size for a fossilized lateral tooth from this species.
Color & Pattern
Uniform charcoal black to dark gray with a matte to semi-glossy finish; the dark coloration is result of mineralization/fossilization in an anaerobic (oxygen-poor) phosphate-rich environment.
Rarity
Common; fossil sand tiger teeth are one of the most frequently encountered vertebrate fossils found by beachcombers in phosphate-rich coastal areas.
Habitat
The living species occupies coastal sandy bays and shallow reefs; as a fossil, it is found in Neogene marine sediment layers exposed by coastal erosion.
Geographic Range
Globally distributed; commonly found in the Atlantic coastal plain of the United States, particularly beaches in North Carolina, Florida, and Maryland.
Description
A classic fossil shark tooth featuring a distinct 'Y' shape. The specimen consists of a slender, slightly recurved crown (the blade) and a robust, two-lobed root. The mineralization has turned the original dental tissue into a durable, stone-like black material. It lacks the sharp lateral cusplets often seen in pristine specimens, likely due to river or ocean tumbling.
Key Features
Slender, needle-like crown shape; Deeply U-shaped or Y-shaped root; Lack of serrations on the cutting edges; Presence of a nutritive pore in the center of the root.
Collector Value
Minimal monetary value ($1-$5) due to high frequency and worn condition, but high educational and sentimental value for coastal beachcombers.
Condition Notes
Worn / Beach-tumbled; the tip of the crown is blunt and the diagnostic lateral cusplets have been eroded away by wave action. Grade: Fair/Good (for educational collecting).
Interesting Facts
Sand tiger sharks are 'polyphyodonts,' meaning they lose and replace thousands of teeth throughout their lifetime, which explains why so many are found fossilized. Unlike many sharks, they can gulp air into their stomachs to maintain neutral buoyancy.
Ecological Role
Apex predator (historic/fossil); the living species controls populations of bony fish and smaller rays. Their fossils provide critical data for paleoecological reconstructions of ancient marine coastlines.
Similar Species
Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris) teeth are similar but have a broader, flatter root; Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina) teeth are more extremely elongated and narrow.
Beach Finding Tips
Look in the 'shell line' or 'black sand' patches during low tide. Focus on areas where smaller gravel and phosphate pebbles accumulate. Sifting through tideline debris with a fine mesh screen is the most effective method.