Broad, serrated high-cusped upper teeth; narrower and more finely serrated lowers.
Isolated teeth overlap with many Carcharhinus species and often support only a genus-level identification.
01
IDENTIFICATION TRAITS
What to inspect.
- Crown shape
- Broad triangle or Narrow dagger
- Cutting edge
- Fine serrations or Coarse serrations
- Side cusplets
- No side cusplets
- Root
- Wide / nearly flat root or Two distinct root lobes
- Reference height
- roughly 8–32 mm, depending on age and jaw position
- Time
- Living; fossil teeth also occur
02
WHY IT LOOKS THIS WAY
Form follows feeding.
Front teeth are more upright and symmetrical. Teeth become smaller and more oblique toward the jaw corners.
03
LOOKALIKES
Do not stop at the first match.
LivingBull sharkBroad, heavily serrated upper tooth or a narrower lower tooth with finer serrations.Compare profile →LivingOceanic whitetipBroad serrated upper tooth paired with a more pointed lower tooth serrated mainly near its tip.Compare profile →LivingGreat hammerheadTriangular, strongly serrated crown that becomes increasingly oblique toward the jaw corners.Compare profile →
PRIMARY / AUTHORITATIVE REFERENCE
Open source ↗Florida Museum
Use the source alongside collection locality and geologic age. A photograph alone cannot establish provenance.
HAVE A TOOTH TO CHECK?
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