Dire Wolf Tooth
Aenocyon dirus
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A large, blade-like fossil carnivore tooth from the Ice Age dire wolf.
- Typical size
- 0.5–1.5 in
- How often it turns up
- Very rare
- Collecting
- Restricted
- Handling
- Safe to handle
A vertebrate fossil that is not a shark or ray tooth: collecting it on Florida state land or water, including beaches below the high-tide line, requires a Florida Museum Fossil Permit, and significant finds must be reported. Collecting is banned in Florida state parks and national seashores. A dire wolf tooth is a significant find — report it.
How to tell it apart
- Tall shearing blade with a smaller front cusp
- Two roots
- Larger and heavier than a modern coyote or grey wolf tooth
Where to find these in Florida
Beaches rated very good or excellent for fossils. Each page shows today’s score, the best window and access details.
- Caspersen Beach · Venice
- Englewood Beach (Chadwick Park) · Englewood
- Stump Pass Beach State Park · Englewood
- Turner Beach · Captiva
- Turtle Beach · Siesta Key
Found one?
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More fossils in the field guide
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