Sperm whale tooth on stand

Unlike whales, sperm whales are cetaceans with sharp teeth. They are even the largest toothed cetacean! They have a row of 20 to 30 pairs of large conical teeth on their lower jaw, while the upper jaw has cavities (sockets) where the lower teeth fit when the mouth closes.

This tooth, mounted on its black base, is a rare and remarkable piece of natural history, dating from the 19th century. It testifies both to the exceptional morphology of this animal and to the historical interest in curiosities from the marine world.