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Upper Triassic Tooth Identification (Pterosaur?)


FossilRobert

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I recently purchased a small lot of Bull Canyon Formation, New Mexico teeth, most of which were Phytosaurid. Then i noticed this tooth and how eerily similar it is too Pterosaur teeth from Morocco. 

 

From what i've read, there have been documented Eudimorphodon fossils collected from the Chinle Group, however i cannot find pictures for comparison. The closest teeth i can find from New Mexico are Preondactylus and Peteinosaurus teeth that have been put up for sale on multiple websites, though the information provided with them is unhelpful.

 

I've included a photo of the "front", "back" and a side profile of the tooth. If clearer photos are needed to assist with identification, i can get some taken and uploaded.

IMG-2569.JPG

IMG-2568.JPG

IMG-2567.JPG

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Most of what is identified from the Bull Canyon Fm from online sellers is very suspect because little has been described or published as you are finding.  I attached a faunal list of what is known.  Your tooth does have some similarities to KK Pterosaur teeth but those are cretaceous not Triassic and we see very little of what Archosauriform teeth look like in this fauna. 

 

You mention Eudimorphodon fossils I included an illustration of its teeth.  Its definitely not your tooth.

 

Screenshot_20200316-123840.thumb.jpg.d16647655609882fa9035e4a078d8c7f.jpg

 

Heckerts & Lucas 2015 Paper on Triassic Vertebrate Paleontology in New Mexico

https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Heckert_Andrew_triassic.pdf

 

20200316_125327.jpg

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Thank you for the information you've provided, Troodon.

 

I've been scanning around looking for other teeth collected from the Bull Canyon Formation and haven't come across anything close enough to come to a conclusion on this specimen. I had considered the possibility that a KK Siroccopteryx tooth somehow managed to get into the box, however the preservation color is all wrong.

 

The search continues! 

 

 

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My guess would be phytosaur given its size.  Checkout the variety of tooth morphologies in this photo I found online.  

Screenshot_20200316-140916_Drive.thumb.jpg.a967cf749681a4dec61be85c86f624f6.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I have the same problem with a tooth the seller declared as a raptor tooth:

 

I think the tooth looks similar to yours. Perhaps now I can re-label my indeterminate tooth...

 

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