Identifying fossil teeth of sharks needs to mind certain attributes. Typical fossil shark tooth shows deep rich color. It can be deep gray or black especially if it is rich in phosphate.
When deal with oxide of iron appear brown and red hues. Modern teeth of sharks are entirely different. For instance nonfossil tooth of Carcharodon have white crown and root.
How to Identify Fossil Shark Teeth
Even so roots of nonfossil shark teeth are made up of osteodentine. You can check also the place of find: tooth from brook 50 miles of the nearest sea certainly is fossil.
The shape plays big role in identification. Triangular shape with dented edge commonly signals fossil shark tooth. Almost all shark teeth have well dented edges if you observe them closely.
Some iconic species stand out by means of its special facet. They own complex dented and cut crown together with broad submerged root. Even those dents have own little teeth.
Identify teeth sometimes are challenging because many species like one another. For instance fossil teeth of Striatolamna and Odontaspis are hardly separate. P. Orientalis seem to be short-lived evolution and dead finish and some considers it the earliest member of gene Carcharodon.
Different sharks have different teeth. In bottom jaw of cow shark stands unique tooth in the center. It forms little rectangle with points in fan shape.
Fossil teeth of cow sharks measure between 0.42 and 1.09 inches. Records about teeth of alive family as Hexanchidae (cow sharks) date of in front around 208, 187 million years. Teeth help to identify species as the requiem shark.
In miocene Maryland appear teeth of mammals reptiles and fishes together with those of sharks. Are guides for miocene shark teeth from Calvert Cliffs of Maryland that describes other fossil sharks and megalodon. Alike guides valide for miocene and pliocene teeth from coastal North Carolina and Aurora.