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 tables as a field guide—precise ID comes down to shape + serrations + proportions.
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 | Great White | Mako | Bull | Tiger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Megalodon — very broad triangle; uniform serrations; thick bilobed root; dark bourlette. |
Great White — broad crown with coarse serrations; stout bilobed root. |
Mako — tall, narrow blade with smooth edges (no serrations). |
Bull — sturdy triangle; fine–moderate serrations; robust root. |
Tiger — curved blade; heavy serrations; basal notch + cuplets. |
| Lemon | Sand Tiger | Great Hammerhead | Nurse | Snaggletooth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lemon — broad crown; smooth/faint edges; subtle shoulder notch. |
Sand Tiger — long needle-like cusp; cusplets; no serrations. |
Great Hammerhead — narrow triangle; smooth to very fine serrations. |
Nurse — pavement / |
Snaggletooth — sickle curve; strong mesial serrations; hooked profile. |
- Megalodon — very broad triangle; uniform serrations; thick bilobed root; dark bourlette.
- Great White — broad crown; coarse serrations; stout bilobed root.
- Mako — tall, narrow; smooth cutting edges; slim root.
- Bull — compact, sturdy triangle; fine–moderate serrations.
- Tiger — curved blade; heavy/irregular serrations; basal notch + cuplets.
- Lemon — broad crown; smooth to very faint edges; slight shoulders.
- Sand Tiger — long central cusp with small cusplets; no serrations.
- Great Hammerhead — narrow triangular anteriors; smooth to very fine serrations.
- Nurse — low, broad crushing plates (not pointed).
- Snaggletooth (Hemipristis) — sickle curve with strong mesial serrations; sinuous distal edge.