How to Identify Florida Fossil Shark Teeth: Megalodon, Hastalis, Sand Tiger & More
Florida is one of the best places in the world to find fossil shark teeth. Millions of years ago, much of the state was covered by shallow seas full of sharks, and their teeth are still turning up in rivers, beaches and fossil layers like the ones we dig in Myakka City. Once you've found a few, the next question is always the same: what shark did this come from?
This guide covers the most common fossil shark teeth found in Florida and the simple clues that help you tell them apart.
First, Learn the Parts of a Shark Tooth
- Blade (crown): the shiny, enameled cutting part of the tooth.
- Root: the thicker base that anchored the tooth in the jaw.
- Edges: either smooth or serrated (tiny saw-like bumps).
- Bourlette: a darker band of enamel between the blade and root on some species, especially megalodon.
- Side cusps: small extra points next to the main blade on some species.
Asking three questions gets you most of the way: Is it serrated? What shape is the blade? Does it have side cusps?
Megalodon
The king of Florida fossils. Megalodon teeth are large, broad and triangular, with fine, even serrations along both edges and usually a distinct bourlette between the blade and root. Full-size teeth can be several inches long, but fragments and smaller teeth are common too. If you find a big, serrated triangle with a chevron-shaped band above the root, you may have a meg.
Want a guaranteed megalodon? Our Megalodon Mystery Bucket includes a real megalodon tooth or fragments 1" or larger, and the Platinum Bucket guarantees a megalodon tooth 3" or larger.
Hastalis (Extinct Mako)
Hastalis teeth are broad and blade-like with smooth, unserrated edges and clean, glossy enamel. They're often called the ancestor of the great white, and they're a favorite with collectors because they're easy to recognize once you know the shape. Big, smooth-edged triangle? Think hastalis.
Find your own in our Hastalis Mystery Bucket, or go big with the Premium Hastalis Bucket, which guarantees a hastalis tooth 2" or larger.
Great White
Great white teeth are triangular and serrated like a megalodon's, but usually smaller, with coarser serrations and no bourlette. They're less common than the small species below, so a nice one is a great find.
Sand Tiger
One of the most common Florida finds. Sand tiger teeth are long, narrow and spike-like with smooth edges, often with tiny side cusps at the base. If it looks like a thin fang, it's probably a sand tiger.
Bull Shark
Bull shark upper teeth are broad, triangular and finely serrated, a bit like a small great white. Lower teeth are narrower and more pointed. Bull shark teeth are common in Florida hauls.
Lemon Shark
Lemon shark teeth have a narrow, smooth blade that sits on a wide, flat root, a bit like a thin spike on a shelf. They're another common find in Florida fossil layers.
Tiger Shark
Tiger shark teeth are easy to spot once you've seen one: wide and heavily serrated, with a deep notch on one side that gives them a sideways, cockscomb shape.
Snaggletooth (Hemipristis)
An extinct shark with curved, hooked teeth and big, coarse serrations. They look like tiny curved saws, and they're a prized find.
Why Are Fossil Shark Teeth Different Colors?
Modern shark teeth are white. Fossil teeth take on the colors of the minerals in the sediment they were buried in, so Florida teeth can be black, gray, brown, tan, orange or even blue. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, color can hint at age in some cases but not always, and identifying teeth to the exact species can be genuinely difficult. So don't worry if a tooth stumps you. Many stump the experts too.
Do You Need a Permit to Collect Shark Teeth in Florida?
Fossil shark teeth are exempt from the Florida Fossil Permit, which is required for collecting most other vertebrate fossils on state lands. Always follow posted rules and get permission before collecting on private property.
Practice Makes Perfect
The fastest way to get good at identifying shark teeth is to handle a lot of them. A Relic Reef Mystery Bucket gives you a whole pile of real Florida teeth to sort and identify at home, and our step-by-step guide, What's Inside a Shark Tooth Mystery Bucket, shows you how to sift one.
Or come dig with us in person: book a shark tooth dig in Myakka City, Florida and our crew will help you identify everything you find.