Common Shark Teeth Species Found at Venice Beach, Florida

Common Shark Teeth Species Found at Venice Beach, Florida

Venice Beach is famed as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World” thanks to ancient Miocene–Pleistocene deposits that still feed teeth onto today’s shore. Most beach finds are small, shiny-black triangles; rarer large fossils (like megalodon) erode from deeper layers. Use the quick notes and tables below as a field guide; precise ID always comes down to shape + serrations + proportions.

Tips: Hunt at low tide after storms, especially at Caspersen Beach and south of the Venice Jetty. Small teeth (<1″) dominate the surf line; larger teeth turn up offshore on fossil ledges. No permit is needed to collect shark teeth on public beaches—always respect local rules and private property.

Megalodon Mako Lemon Bull Tiger
Megalodon tooth sketch — broad triangular crown with coarse serrations

Megalodon — broad triangular crown with coarse serrations.

 Mako tooth sketch — narrow, smooth-edged blade without serrations

Mako — narrow, smooth edges (no serrations).

 Lemon shark tooth sketch — broad, fairly symmetrical triangle with very fine serrations

Lemon — broad, fairly symmetrical triangle with very fine serrations.

 Bull shark tooth sketch — sturdy, broad triangle with fine serrations

Bull — sturdy triangular crown with fine serrations.

 Tiger shark tooth sketch — slanted triangle with coarse, irregular serrations

Tiger — slanted triangle with coarse/irregular serrations.
Sand Tiger Snaggletooth Dusky Blacktip Whitetip
Sand tiger tooth sketch — long slender central cusp with small cusplets

Sand Tiger — long, slender central cusp with small cusplets; no serrations.

 Snaggletooth (Hemipristis) sketch — asymmetrical blade with coarse serrations

Snaggletooth (Hemipristis) — asymmetrical, one edge coarsely serrated; hooked vibe.

 Dusky shark tooth sketch — slimmer triangle with fine serrations

Dusky — slimmer triangular crown with fine serrations.

 Blacktip shark tooth sketch — small triangle with fine, regular serrations

Blacktip — small triangular crown with fine, regular serrations.

 Whitetip shark tooth sketch — triangular crown with fine serrations

Whitetip — triangular crown with fine serrations (not smooth).
  • Megalodon — broad triangular crown, coarse serrations.
  • Mako — narrow blade, smooth edges (no serrations).
  • Bull — sturdy triangular tooth with fine serrations.
  • Tiger — triangular with irregular/coarse serrations.
  • Sand Tiger — long central cusp with small cusplets; no serrations.
  • Snaggletooth (Hemipristis) — asymmetrical, one edge coarse, one smoother; “hooked” silhouette.
  • Dusky — slimmer triangular crown with fine serrations (can resemble Bull).
  • Blacktip — small triangle with fine, regular serrations; between Mako and Bull in breadth.
  • Whitetip — triangular crown with fine serrations; crown slightly broader than Blacktip.
  • Lemon — broad, fairly symmetrical triangle with very fine serrations.
Back to blog