Sawfish Rostral Tooth
Pristis species
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A long, flat, peg-like tooth from the edge of a sawfish's saw.
- Typical size
- 0.5–2.5 in
- How often it turns up
- Uncommon
- Collecting
- Protected, do not collect
- Handling
- Safe to handle
Rostral teeth are not true teeth, so treat fossils under the vertebrate fossil rule: collecting 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. Fresh or pale saw teeth from living sawfish are federally protected — never keep them.
How to tell it apart
- Elongated, flattened peg shape
- Groove along the rear edge
- Broad base without a split root
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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