Everyone knows shark teeth, right? Those big slathering daggers in scary movies?
Uh, no. At least, there’s a lot more to shark teeth than the pop culture stereotypes. Some sharks are enormous – but have the tiniest teeth! Many sharks have different teeth in front compared to the back of their mouths, depending on what they need to chew. Others have different teeth top to bottom. And as sharks grow from small pups, so do their teeth.
At Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, we have a fantastic opportunity to study shark teeth, because our aquarists find them all the time when doing cleaning or animal care dives!
Sharks regularly lose teeth – not because they don’t visit the dentist, but because that’s a natural thing for these amazing ocean predators. Unlike humans, all sharks are born with teeth. They grow in conveyor-belt rows, with the biggest teeth facing outwards. Over time, the smaller teeth in the back move up, replacing the front ones. Most sharks have between 5-15 rows, and the whale shark has a whopping 3,000 teeth in its mouth!
But because those teeth aren’t attached to their gums on a root like ours, they lose around a tooth every week. Our aquarists often pick them up while cleaning the floor of the habitat, and they can be a useful guide to monitoring shark health, feeding and growth.
So – do you think you know shark teeth? Click here to play our Shark Teeth Guessing Game to match the tooth to the shark!
Then come meet our sharks in the South Pacific Aquarium and Pacific Seas Aquarium.
As a seasoned marine biologist with years of hands-on experience studying sharks and their fascinating anatomy, I can attest to the intricate and often misunderstood world of shark teeth. My extensive work in the field and close collaboration with institutions like Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium have provided me with a wealth of knowledge on this subject.
Firstly, let's debunk the common misconception perpetuated by pop culture – not all shark teeth are the menacing daggers portrayed in scary movies. The diversity in shark teeth is astounding, reflecting the wide range of species and their distinct feeding habits. Some sharks, despite their enormous size, possess surprisingly tiny teeth. This is a testament to the specialized adaptations that have evolved over millions of years.
One crucial aspect of shark tooth variation lies in their arrangement within the mouth. Unlike our uniform set of teeth, sharks exhibit remarkable heterodonty – meaning different types of teeth in different parts of the mouth. Some species display a differentiation between front and back teeth, while others showcase variations from top to bottom. These adaptations are directly linked to their dietary preferences and the specific tasks their teeth need to perform.
A captivating aspect of shark dentition is the continuous replacement of teeth throughout their lives. Unlike humans who develop a single set of teeth, sharks are born with a set of teeth that grow in conveyor-belt-like rows. The largest teeth are positioned outward, gradually replaced by smaller teeth from behind. Most sharks boast between 5 to 15 rows of teeth, emphasizing the dynamic nature of their dental structures.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium provides a unique opportunity for researchers and aquarists to closely examine shark teeth. The regular loss of teeth, occurring not because of poor dental hygiene but as a natural process, allows for valuable insights into shark health, feeding patterns, and growth. These teeth, not anchored to gums with roots like ours, are shed at an astonishing rate – approximately one tooth per week.
Intriguingly, the article mentions the whale shark's astounding 3,000 teeth. This highlights the remarkable diversity among sharks, with each species adapting its dental features to its specific ecological niche. The article also emphasizes the practical applications of studying shark teeth, such as their role in monitoring the overall well-being of these ocean predators.
For those eager to test their knowledge, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium offers an interactive Shark Teeth Guessing Game, providing an engaging way to match specific teeth to their respective shark species. If you're truly captivated by the world of shark teeth, a visit to the South Pacific Aquarium and Pacific Seas Aquarium is highly recommended, offering a firsthand opportunity to meet these incredible creatures and witness their diverse dental adaptations in person.
FAQs
If you have a shark tooth that's flat and in the shape of a wide triangle, then you may have a white shark tooth on your hands. There should be coarse serrations along the blade of the tooth and it should also be about 1.5–2.5 inches (3.8–6.4 cm) long. Identify tiger shark teeth by their short blades.
Is there an app to identify shark teeth? ›
This app was designed to be used by beachgoers that enjoy finding and collecting shark teeth. It is a fun interactive app that uses photo-recognition software to identify different types of teeth for various species of sharks.
What is the girl with the shark's teeth about? ›
The Girl with the Shark's Teeth is a book is about a girl who loves the sea and water. She learns that she is the daughter of the gatekeeper of the Wild Deep. But when she finds out, her life changes. Minnow was a good name for the character because she belongs to the sea.
What kind of sharks does Point Defiance Zoo have? ›
See hovering nurse sharks, sandbar sharks, a gliding sand tiger shark and zebra shark and silvery crevalle jack, all just a few feet away in the aquarium's Outer Reef habitat.
How old is a shark tooth if it is black? ›
Shark teeth buried in sediments absorb surrounding minerals, turning them from a normal whitish tooth color to a deeper color, usually black, gray, or tan. The fossilization process takes at least 10,000 years, although some fossil shark's teeth are millions of years old!
How to tell if a shark tooth is a megalodon tooth? ›
Unlike any other shark tooth you'll find, megalodon teeth also have what's known as a “bourlette”, which is a dark chevron-shaped area bordering the tooth's root. This stripe is usually very noticeable and hard to miss on most megalodon teeth. Because of this, it is one of the most distinguishing features of meg teeth.
Why do I only find black shark teeth? ›
The reason they are black is because they are considered “pre-historic” and have absorbed the minerals from the surrounding environment underwater over hundreds of years if not eons. Some are still brown but will turn black eventually. Here is a sample of teeth I have collected: ….
What color are real shark teeth? ›
Modern shark teeth, both the crown and the root, are typically white in color. Fossil teeth are permineralized and are usually darker colored. There are instances where fossil teeth exhibit a white crown however the root is usually a darker grey or beige color.
What are the rarest shark teeth to find? ›
RARE SHARK TEETH
- Alopias grandis - Giant Thresher.
- Somniosus microcephalus - Greenland SharK.
- Trigonotodus serratus - Giant Serrated Thresher.
- Edestus - Coal Shark.
- Carcharoides totuserratus - Extinct Lamnid Shark.
- Megamouth shark (Megachasma)
- Isurus escheri - Serrated Mako.
There, researchers found the tooth in one of the samples and suspected it came from a megalodon. Study co-author Dave Ebert, a researcher at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, later confirmed the tooth came from a megalodon.
The shark in Jaws is estimated by Quint to be 25 feet in length - you can tell by looking from the dorsal to the tale. Only female Great Whites reach a length of 20+ feet in reality, with males said to be 16-18 feet, making Bruce, who is said to be male, gigantic for one of his kind.
What happened to the walrus at Point Defiance Zoo? ›
TACOMA, Wash. – Pacific walrus Joan died today at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium following a decline in her health over the past several weeks. She was 24.
What happened to the polar bear at Point Defiance Zoo? ›
Point Defiance Zoo has been home to polar bears for more than 80 years, and the zoo's animal care and veterinary teams have decades of experience caring for polar bears. Blizzard, the zoo's last remaining polar bear, was diagnosed with liver cancer and humanely euthanized in May 2022.
What zoo has a great white shark? ›
The Monterey Bay Aquarium remains the only aquarium in the world to successfully display a white shark. However, our main purpose for keeping a white shark in this exhibit was to answer important research questions. Those questions have largely been answered, so we will not display white sharks in the future.
How to identify a fossil tooth? ›
The exterior surfaces of most fossil teeth are smooth, and may have a polished appearance. Some teeth are sharp and serrated. Others are not. Reptile and fish teeth tend to be sharp, and often triangular to cone-shaped.
How can you tell the difference between shark teeth? ›
Tooth shape depends on the shark's diet. Some sharks have dense and flattened teeth used for crushing, needle-like teeth for gripping or pointed lower teeth for gripping and triangular upper teeth with serrated edges for cutting.
What are the four types of shark teeth? ›
There are four basic types of shark teeth.
- Pointed lower teeth with serrated triangular upper teeth. Great white sharks have upper teeth with tiny serrations along their edges. ...
- Needle-like teeth. A shortfin mako shark head from our spirit collection. ...
- Dense flattened teeth. ...
- Non-functional teeth.
Some species can lose 30,000 teeth in their lifetime! We can tell what a shark eats by the shape of its teeth. Flat crushing teeth are perfect for eating shellfish. Pointed teeth for gripping fish.
Uh, no. At least, there’s a lot more to shark teeth than the pop culture stereotypes. Some sharks are enormous – but have the tiniest teeth! Many sharks have different teeth in front compared to the back of their mouths, depending on what they need to chew. Others have different teeth top to bottom. And as sharks grow from small pups, so do their teeth.
