Miocene_Mason Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Hello Everyone! I found this tooth a while back at a Ypresian, Eocene site (Nanjemoy Formation, Woodstock Member.) It puzzled me for a while, I assumed it was a weird Otodus or something until someone IDed it as a Cretalamna at a local fossil club. Apparently they have their last gasps in Maryland’s Ypresian. However, I was then informed by some people familiar with the roughly contemporaneous London Clay that it looks more similar to Parotodus pavlovi. That species is not yet described from the formation, and despite reaching out to a few collectors who have collected this formation extensively, I cannot find anyone else with one. What say you all? Scale in CM “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 If I found that tooth in the NJ Cretaceous it would be Archaeolamna kopingensis (although it still looks different of course). Is it possible that the tooth could have gotten reworked out of a Cretaceous layer? “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 2 minutes ago, The Jersey Devil said: If I found that tooth in the NJ Cretaceous it would be Archaeolamna kopingensis (although it still looks different of course). Is it possible that the tooth could have gotten reworked out of a Cretaceous layer? Actually the crown looks more like Cretalamna and the root like Archaeolamna 1 “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted December 9, 2019 Author Share Posted December 9, 2019 Just now, The Jersey Devil said: If I found that tooth in the NJ Cretaceous it would be Archaeolamna kopingensis. Is it possible that the tooth could have gotten reworked out of a Cretaceous layer? Theoretically possible but it doesn’t look worn enough to be reworked, and I believe this formation overlays the Paleocene Aquia Formation at this spot. 1 “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted December 9, 2019 Author Share Posted December 9, 2019 Next to a late Oligocene Parotodus from SC “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 Mason I don’t know if this helps, but below are three Parotodus sp. teeth (24 mm, 25 mm and 20 mm) from the Eocene Ypresian from the C1 Couche of Khouribga Morocco to compare your tooth to. Truthfully I don’t know what specific tooth features of these teeth support a Parotodus ID (cusplet size/shape ?). However I received them from Pierre Zennaro (a true shark tooth collector/researcher legend from the Moroccan phosphate mines) so I have confidence in his ID. I haven’t seen an Eocene Parotodus before from MD/VA or anywhere else in the US so I can’t post any pictures from the US. I would recommend reaching out to Dr. David Ward for ID help for your tooth. Marco Sr. 2 "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 Here is an earlier thread with considerable discussion of these early Parotodus on page two: 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted December 12, 2019 Author Share Posted December 12, 2019 6 hours ago, MarcoSr said: Mason I don’t know if this helps, but below are three Parotodus sp. teeth (24 mm, 25 mm and 20 mm) from the Eocene Ypresian from the C1 Couche of Khouribga Morocco to compare your tooth to. Truthfully I don’t know what specific tooth features of these teeth support a Parotodus ID (cusplet size/shape ?). However I received them from Pierre Zennaro (a true shark tooth collector/researcher legend from the Moroccan phosphate mines) so I have confidence in his ID. I haven’t seen an Eocene Parotodus before from MD/VA or anywhere else in the US so I can’t post any pictures from the US. I would recommend reaching out to Dr. David Ward for ID help for your tooth. They very much do! Thanks for the comparative pictures. They seem pretty Otodus-like, except the labial side is perhaps a bit more protruding and the cusps are more rounded. The blades a bit compressed as well. The proposition that this is new from the area excites me. I’ll probably get it into the CMM collections in the hopes someday it can get described. I sent Dr. Ward a message a few days ago, to which he has yet to respond. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted December 12, 2019 Author Share Posted December 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Harry Pristis said: Here is an earlier thread with considerable discussion of these early Parotodus on page two: Thanks, I’ll give that a read! “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 On 12/9/2019 at 2:19 PM, WhodamanHD said: Theoretically possible but it doesn’t look worn enough to be reworked, and I believe this formation overlays the Paleocene Aquia Formation at this spot. That tooth is very worn and could have been reworked. In any case I think you have to side to the conservative and say it's most likely an Otodus rather than run with the hope that it's something that hasn't been found there before. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now