Common teeth you find from the Carolinas to Florida

 Hemipristis serra - Snaggletooth Shark

This species lived from the late Oligocene into the early Pleistocene. They are commonly called Snaggeltooth Sharks due to the large serrations on the teeth. Species of Hemipristis are extant today, however, they are only found in tropical waters, and are much smaller than this fossil species. This fossil species are also found worldwide.

Identification: Upper

Also called an "Angy," this shark is the predecessor to the megalodon  shark.   These shark teeth come from the Oligocene age Ashley formation and,  more commonly,  the Chandler Bridge formation in the Charleston/Summerville SC area. They can also be found in Florida and many other locations.

The key to differentiating these teeth from megalodon

Carcharhinus sharks, or the Gray Sharks, are a genera of Requiem shark.   With over 30 living species, they are very common and have a nearly  global distribution. They feed on a variety of prey, from fish,  other sharks and rays, and more.  

Because there are so many living (and extinct) species, and the teeth  look similar, identification to an individual species i

Tiger sharks are found in tropical and temperate waters across the  globe, including the Pacific. They are large sharks with an unmistakable  appearance as they have very short and blunt snouts. They also have a  unique color pattern. At birth, Tiger sharks have dark spots along their  dorsal surface, which fuse into vertical bars or stripes at maturity.  These unique

These teeth are similar to G. aduncus but have more of a grasping shape to them instead of a cutting shape. This indicates it had more of a fish diet  than G. aduncus. P. contortus is an Oligocene to Miocene species.

Identification: The defining characteristic of these  teeth are their twisted crowns. Unlike G. aduncus, the crowns have VERY  fine s

Lemon Shark teeth can be easily confused with Carcharhinus sp. lowers,  however they have smooth to very week serrated enameloid shoulders,  where Carcharhinus sp. have serrated enameloid shoulders.  

Identification: Crown has a smooth edge, shoulder is weakly serrated, root and blade are at almost a 90 degree angle.
Similar Fossils: Carcharhinus shark lower teeth.  

Growing as long as 10 feet in length, Sand Tigers are found in temperate  waters worldwide along the coast, including the Eastern United States.   They look mean in the water as they usually swim with their mouths  partially open, showing rows of long and pointy teeth. These small teeth  are ideal for grasping onto bony fish, which is their food source.  

Sand Ti

GW teeth come from the various Pliocene and Pleistocene formations.  Unfortunately, Great White shark teeth are very thin and are commonly found broken.

These are larger teeth that can sometimes reach sizes that are over 3 inches. Upper and lower teeth are very different. Upper teeth are broad, triangular, and flat.  Lower teeth have thicker roots, lar

   The Megalodon, scientifically known as Carcharocles megalodon,  is one of the largest and most well-known prehistoric sharks. It lived  approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago and could reach lengths of up  to 60 feet or more. Megalodon is famous for its massive teeth, which  could be over 7 inches long, and its powerful jaws, allowing it to pr

Hammerhead Shark Teeth

Hammerhead shark teeth have smooth cutting edges, and have a distinct notch on the root. This is often referred to as a hammerhead notch. Their distal enameled shoulder is another distinguishing characteristic. This shoulder is convex and often not serrated. Larger Sphyrna teeth can have week serrations on the shoulder. Hammerhead teeth also have a deep nutrient  groove.. A

These teeth are uncommon in South Central Florida, little more common in SC. Thresher sharks were and are more of an open ocean shark. This pic is typical of Thresher teeth that you may find. The 2nd and 4th teeth were found in the Bone Valley Formation in Fl.

 Carcharodon hastalis 

 These are typical of extinct White Sharks found in Fl and SC. Identified by their long crown with no serrations with pointed root lobes and a thick root center.  Lateral teeth are more compressed and sometimes have small cusps.  Similar Fossils: Smaller Shortfin Mako teeth can look like larger  lateral Sand Tiger teeth and also small Cosmopolitodus hastalis teeth. 

SMALL MEGALODON TEETH

These are examples of small Megalodon teeth, with the smallest on here possibly being a neonatal tooth. As you can see, very small megs come in all shapes and sizes. Unlike other teeth, they are very robust and thick for their size.