Short Antique Sperm Whale Tooth. Likely from an older adult due to the wear and tear as well as the shape, since young whales have smoother, more curved teeth. 

Size: 3 x 6 x 2 in. 

The toothed whales (also called odontocetes, systematic name Odontoceti) are a parvorder of cetaceans that includes dolphins, porpoises, and all other whales with teeth, such as beaked whales and the sperm whales. Seventy-three species of toothed whales are known to still exist, with many more now extinct or likely nearly so. They are one of two living groups of cetaceans, the other being the baleen whales (Mysticeti), which have comb-like baleen instead of teeth. The two groups are thought to have diverged around 34 million years ago. Toothed whales range in size from just over four feet to over sixty feet in length, and from just over one hundred pounds to over one hundred tons. Several species of odontocetes exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that there are size or other morphological differences between females and males. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Some can travel at up to thirty knots. They have well-developed hearing that is perfectly adapted for both air and water, so much so that some can survive even if they are blind in old age. Most are adapted for diving to great depths, and almost all have a layer of fat (blubber) under the skin to keep warm in cold water. Once hunted for their products, including spermaceti and their strong teeth, cetaceans are now protected by international law. Small odontocetes, mainly dolphins and orcas, are kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks, although they rarely thrive under these conditions. Some species are very intelligent, and many have been saved through preservation in aquatic preserves, theme parks, and other conservation efforts, demonstrating remarkably human emotions including depression, fear, anger, compassion, and even self-recognition/self-awareness. Toothed whales in particular have featured in legend, literature, and modern film, as in the great white sperm whale of Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. The collection of fossils, scrimshawed bones, and whale-watching are still popular activities among collectors and tourists around the world.