Mosasaur teeth are conical fossils from large prehistoric marine reptiles, often found preserved in phosphate-rich sedimentary deposits. They are typically identified by their striated enamel, curved shape, and the presence of a distinct root that may be partially mineralized.
Is this mosasaur tooth?
4-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch mosasaur tooth with a known reference. Mosasaur Tooth sits at Mohs 3-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Name the organismDecide what left the fossil before worrying about the rock. Organism: Mosasaurs (family Mosasauridae). Age: Late Cretaceous.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: dull to vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brown, tan, gray.
Often confused with
Mosasaur Tooth vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside mosasaur tooth
Minerals reported to co-occur with mosasaur tooth. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 3-5
- Density
- 2.5-3.0 g/cm³
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Educational
- Host rock
- marine sedimentary rocks
- Organism
- Mosasaurs (family Mosasauridae)
- Age
- Late Cretaceous
Where rockhounds find mosasaur tooth
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Morocco
- USA (Kansas)
- USA (Alabama)
- Jordan
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: marine sedimentary rocks. If you start seeing phosphate, calcite, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Texas. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find mosasaur tooth on the map
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