Dimetrodon Tooth

Taxonomy

Dimetrodon

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: ?
Family: Sphenacodontidae
Genus: Dimetrodon
Species: Dimetrodon cf. limbatus
Author Citation Cope, 1877

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Permian
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Early

Stratigraphy

Wellington Formation

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Height: 3 mm

Location

Jefferson County
Oklahoma
United States

• dimetrodon
• dimetrodon limbatus
• dimetrodon tooth
• p(w)dl2
• pelycosaur
• permian
• ryan formation
• sphenacodont
• synapsid
• synapsida
• waurika
• waurika ok
• wellington fm
• wellington formation

Comments

Identification:
This tooth was found in processed microfossil matrix from Waurika, OK, USA. Reptile remains in general are very uncommon, so if you think you've found many pieces of Dimetrodon teeth, you're likely mistaking many Orthacanth shark cusps. Orthacanth shark enamel is smooth, and the serrations are quite prominent compared to those on Dimetrodon which are finer. Dimetrodon enamel is not smooth, as seen on this one. Dimetrodon crowns are also broader. Shark cusps broken at the foot of the crown also flare out, where reptile teeth do not. Were this crown complete, you would also notice a conical/round depression in the base.

This is unlikely to be from another Sphenacodontid based on the locality, presence of serrations, and enamel ornamentation. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4269

Notes:

This tooth is a post-canine/posterior tooth, which is the tooth position one is more likely to find in micromatrix since they are smaller.