Fossil Dolphin Tooth

Odontoceti (small toothed whales)

Markings and exact colorations may vary.

A small, simple, cone-shaped fossil tooth with a single long root — no serrations or side points.

Typical size
0.5–1 in
How often it turns up
Uncommon
Collecting
Restricted

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. Teeth from modern dolphins are protected by federal law — never keep them.

Handling
Safe to handle

How to tell it apart

  • Simple cone or peg shape
  • Single long root
  • No serrations or side cusps

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.

Found one?

Photograph it and BeachNut ranks the likely matches with a confidence read, then logs it to your collection with the beach and date.

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Commonly confused with

  • Sperm Whale ToothPhyseteroidea

    Dolphin teeth are small simple cones; sperm whale teeth are large, heavy and mostly root.

More fossils in the field guide

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