.55" Fossil Shark (Physogaleus) Tooth - Bakersfield, CA

Here is a fossil tooth of a Tiger-like shark (Physogaleus contortus), found at Sharktooth Hill near Bakersfield, CA. These teeth have beautiful coloration which is quite distinct to the location. Quite impressive preservation for teeth that are 15.5 million years old. They've been removed, cleaned and then remounted to this sandstone. There are bone fragments within the sandstone as well.

Sharktooth Hill is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Bakersfield, California. It represents an exposure of the Temblor Formation, a middle-Miocene marine deposit. 15 million years ago the sea levels were substantially higher, and central California was covered by what is known as the Temblor Sea.



Two highly fossiliferous bone beds in the formation were created when fossils originally deposited at the bottom of the sea eroded out of the rocks, were concentrated by ocean currents, and subsequently reburied. Because the fossils in these bone beds are reworked, only isolated teeth and bones are found in these beds.

Today, the original Sharktooth Hill is a National Natural Landmark, but private property surrounding it contains operational pay-to-dig fossil quarries.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Physogaleus contortus
LOCATION
Sharktooth Hill, Bakersfield, CA
FORMATION
Temblor Formation
SIZE
.55" wide
ITEM
#144457
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