How old are megalodon teeth in Florida?

The short version: The shark teeth found in Gainesville creeks are true fossils as that term is used by paleontologists. Most are about 9-10 million years old, and there are a few places where even older specimens, from 18-20 million years old, are found in local creeks.

Are there megalodon teeth in Florida?

You can try the shorelines of inlets and streams where they enter the Gulf along the west coast of Florida, especially around the Peace River. According to fossil guides, Florida has several great spots to find megalodon teeth, such as the Peace River basin in DeSoto, Polk and Hardy counties.

Where are megalodon teeth found in Florida?

The Gulf beaches in and around Venice, Florida, hold a bountiful cache of fossilized shark teeth. Shark teeth collectors say the best places to look for the fossils are any beach accesses south of the Venice Jetty, including Casey Key and Manasota Key.

How old are beach shark teeth?

Fossilized shark teeth abound and can range in age from 10,000 years old to an astonishing 75 million years old.

How old are Venice Florida shark teeth?

History. So, how did all these shark teeth make their way to the beaches of Venice Beach, FL? It dates back ten million years ago when the state of Florida was submerged underwater and the area was filled with sharks. Over time as water diminished, the prehistoric sharks died off, leaving their fossilized teeth behind.

I Found $100,000 In Megalodon Shark Teeth In Florida (My Collection)

Which beach in Florida has the most shark teeth?

Venice FL is known as the shark's tooth capitol of the world and Caspersen Beach is the place to find the most of them. Most of the other beaches in the area have had the sand wash away and then be replenished with sand from another beach. Caspersen is still the original beach with fossil teeth.

Where can I dig for megalodon teeth?

River beds, ocean shores and generally any shallow water areas along the coast make excellent places to begin your search. You can find megalodon teeth by digging and sifting through the sediment with a small shovel and a sifting screen. Get into the water with the bucket, shovel and sifting screen.

Are megalodon teeth worth money?

Megalodon shark teeth can be valuable depending on their size. Fossil website FossilEra allows people to buy and sell megalodon teeth, and while some examples can go for a few hundred dollars, others, such as a serrated 6.21-inch tooth, are valued at nearly $3,000.

How old are fossilized shark teeth in Florida?

We turned to Richard Hulbert, Florida Museum's vertebrate paleontology collection manager, for a concise answer. Most fossil shark teeth in local creeks are about 9-10 million years old, and there are a few places where even older specimens are found.

Where are most megalodon teeth found?

Megalodons lived in most of the world's oceans, and teeth are found in marine coastal deposits around the world. In the United States, they are mostly found along the southeastern Atlantic coast in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Maryland.

How old are the fossils found in Florida?

Florida's surface fossil record goes all the way back to the Eocene epoch, approximately 50 million years ago. During that time the ocean covered the entire state. Sea level has risen and fallen many times since then and multitudes of land dwelling animals and sea life lived and died here.

What rivers in Florida have shark teeth?

On the Peace River, flowing from Central Florida to the Charlotte Harbor area, you are almost guaranteed to find shark teeth. Start your search during periods of low water and sift around exposed sandbars. Often, they'll be right on top.

Are there fossils in Florida?

Florida is well-known as an excellent location to find fossils. There are a wealth of sites for both vertebrate and invertebrate fossils from the last 44 million years of earth history at or near (within 50 ft) the surface. Most of these localities are of marine origin and span the length and width of the state.

Can you find shark teeth in the Florida Keys?

There are a few different types of shark's teeth that you can find on any given Siesta Key beach. You will more than likely find teeth that once belonged to a Great White. You can also find teeth from a Sand Shark or even a Hammerhead Shark!

Where can I find fossils in Florida?

How do you identify shark teeth in Florida?

To identify shark teeth, look for dark, glossy, triangle-shaped objects that are about 1/2 to 2 inches long. If you find a serrated tooth with a blade that's the same length as the roots, you might be looking at a tiger shark tooth.

Can you keep shark teeth in Florida?

1: You're allowed to collect and keep fossil shark teeth.

While most vertebrate fossils and fossil sites in Florida are legally protected, there is such an abundance of shark teeth, they are specifically exempt from the usual fossil permit requirements.

Can you find megalodon teeth in rivers?

Exposed by the tide and the wind, you can put your hands on shark teeth by minimal digging. What is this? In creeks and rivers, the low tide helps with this process of eroding and exposing sedimentary layers. Besides being superficial, these teeth are exceptionally abundant there.

Can you find shark teeth in the Gulf?

Most of the best beaches for teeth hunting actually face the gulf coast on the western side of the island. This includes Bean Point on the northern tip of the island, Coquina Beach and Manatee Beach. One very common area to find sharks' teeth is Coquina Public Beach (2650 Gulf Dr. S, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217).

How big is the biggest megalodon tooth ever found?

Worlds Largest Megalodon Teeth

The tooth above is the worlds largest verified megalodon tooth. The tooth was measured by Paleontologist Craig Sundell and has a slant height of 7.48 inches. The tooth was found broken and glued back together. It was found in the desert of Ocucaje, Peru.

Are megalodon teeth hard to find?

Many of those sites did and still do produce Megalodon shark teeth regularly. I found that Meg teeth aren't rare, there actually can be many of them in some locations, it was really just a matter of finding a specific site, which could sometimes be as small as a 6ft diameter circle.

How deep are megalodon teeth?

So, how big did a megalodon get? Some Megalodon shark teeth found have over a 7 inch slant height. Fossil teeth are more commonly between 3 and 5 inches. With that said, no one is sure what the body of the megalodon shark looked like.

Why do shark teeth turn black?

A tooth will fall out of a shark's mouth and is buried in the ocean floor. This will naturally preserve the tooth, keeping it safe from oxygen and bacteria that can lead to decomposition. The dark colors of a shark tooth fossil come from absorbing minerals found in the ground around them.