Description
- Shark Skin Denticle
- Cretaceous Age
- Hell Creek Formation
- Garfield County, Montana
- Tiny Specimen measures approx. 1/16″ and will come in a 1.25″ Gem Jar with Label
Unlike most other fish in the ocean, shark skin is made of dermal denticles, or “skin teeth.” Despite their slick appearance, you can see under a microscope that sharks are almost completely covered in these denticles, also known as placoid scales. The shape and positioning of these shark scales give them two evolutionary advantages.
The thinner, ridged dermal denticles allowed for drag reduction, which means some sharks can cut through water faster and easier than other fish. Second, thicker, less-ridged denticles can protect sharks from being easily scratched by hard surfaces or other animals and even make it harder for parasites to stick onto their skin.
