Triceratops prorsus Tooth

Taxonomy

Triceratops

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Ornithischia
Family: Ceratopsidae
Genus: Triceratops
Species: Triceratops prorsus
Author Citation Marsh, 1889

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Cretaceous
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Late
International Age: Maastrichtian

Stratigraphy

Hell Creek Formation

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Height: 3.5 cm

Location

Harding County
South Dakota
United States

• south dakota
• sd
• triceratops tooth
• hell creek
• dinosaur
• ceratopsidae
• dinosaur tooth
• ceratopsian
• triceratops prorsus
• triceratops
• hell creek formation
• c(hc)tp1

Comments

Identification:

On the ranch where this tooth was found, only T. prorsus skulls have been found in the 30+ years the company has operated there, lending a very probable, precise identification for this Ceratopsian tooth. (T. prorsus was one of the last dinosaurs, younger than T. horridus. The two species are also stratigraphically separated in the Hell Creek Fm.^[2], so it makes sense that one may only find one species in a particular deposit.) For most Ceratopsid teeth (from the Hell Creek Fm., for example), only association with an identifiable skull can allow for identification beyond Ceratopsidae indet. 

Notes:

This tooth is partially rooted with noticeable feeding wear on the crown (the flattened surface). It has some minor repair. The second image shows a close view of the enamel, which has good preservation. 

Relevant Literature:

1. MARSH, OTHNIEL C., 1889. Notice of gigantic horned Dinosauria from the Cretaceous. The American Journal of Science, Series 3 38: 173-175.

2. SCANNELLA, J. B.; FOWLER, D. W., 2009. Anagenesis in Triceratops: evidence from a newly resolved stratigraphic framework for the Hell Creek Formation. 9th North American Paleontological Convention Abstracts. Cincinnati Museum Center Scientific Contributions 3. pp. 148–149.