What is THIS?

[Kauai]

I have no idea if this is a shark tooth or not, but I didn't know what else it might be. When I was walking on Fort Myers Beach, Florida recently (it was low tide, and I was about a foot or 2 up from the water), I found this weird thing. It probably washed up during high tide, especially because it stormed multiple times while I was on the beach, including a few hours before I was out there. My dad thinks it's a shark tooth, but to me it looks more like a claw from something. The only thing is, I can't find anything it could be from. I looked up hawks and eagles and different birds like that, and they're all black. And I don't think it's from a dog or anything like that, because it has an extra nubby-thing at the top. I can't think of anything else to look up. When I looked up shark teeth, the only things I found that it might even be were a Mako and Sand shark. We did see what we think was a tiger shark between the beach and the sand bar on that same day, if that makes any difference. I don't think it's a tiger shark tooth, though, from what I've seen. Any thoughts would be appreciated! I'd sure like to know what it is!

Thanks,
Kauai

s

 

[agilis]

Looks like something vertebral.

 

[Wookie]

A cat claw, maybe a dog claw, but most likely a cat. Size might help determine what kind of cat....

 

[Kauai]

A cat claw, maybe a dog claw, but most likely a cat. Size might help determine what kind of cat....

It's about an inch long. How would it end up in the Gulf of Mexico?

 

[Wookie]

Ummmm. Florida Panther died in the everglades and the body washed out to sea?

 

[Leslie Sapp]

Try posting it here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/venice-fossil-divers/262453-i-d-your-fossils.html

 

[Kauai]

Will do. Thanks!

 

[Leslie Sapp]

I think it's a claw core, but I'm not sure. There's a bunch of fossil material both in the Gulf and in the Caloosahatchee River in Ft Myers.
Check out the Venice Fossil Hunters Forum for some examples of what they find just up the coast from you.

 

[Woodman82]

Did you ever get a good answer? I found the exact same tooth/claw in about 18' of water about 100 yds off Venice Beach (Florida) last week.

 

[tphelps]

In addition to diving, I also collect shark teeth (fossilized mostly, any modern sharks have to pass a back ground check). I haven't seen anything like this before and I have a couple dozen main species (like 300 teeth). The enamel and curvature looks wrong for a shark. My guess is a claw or an eroded shell.