Jump to content

Unique Shark Tooth


hokietech96

Recommended Posts

Hi.  Found this crazy shaped tooth this morning going through Lee Creek matrix under a micrscope.  Never saw anything like it before.  Hopefully someone has seen this before.  Looks to be slightly over 2MM.  Thank you in advance for any feedback. 

 

 

5efa3428d2693_MonJun2914-25-03.jpg.3c4fd92bd423a0a6a603b5f18b5eddae.jpg5efa3429223f5_MonJun2914-25-31.jpg.485e268a1b83fa8e2a495d6a54dd168b.jpg5efa34295cd71_MonJun2914-25-58.jpg.e927a5ee44665a7b523f1907d530c1c4.jpg5efa3429aadee_MonJun2914-26-24.jpg.5f8cb4e3bd15bbd107c2f832b2b52f0c.jpg

  • I found this Informative 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

It looks like a heavily worn Carcharhinus symphyseal tooth.

Thanks! It's unfortunate that most of what I am finding is so worn.  With a tooth so small how do I get the dirt (light grey stuff) off the tooth?  I assume I have to soak it in something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Al Dente. I have one or two of those. They’re pretty cool! I don’t have much of an idea as most if the stuff I find is already river worn and washed clean.

  • I found this Informative 1

On The Hunt For The Trophy Otodus!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To me something just doesn't look right with that specimen.  Are you sure you don't have phosphate stuck to a broken cusplet or the broken tip of a tooth?  The black in your picture just doesn't look like a shark tooth root to me, shape or texture.  I've seen a great many symphyseal/parasymphyseal teeth, both fossil and extant, and your specimen's features (especially the black root?????) just doesn't match anything that I've seen before.  The overall size and features of the specimen don't match other shark tooth positions that I'm familiar with either.

 

Marco Sr.

  • I found this Informative 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

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MarcoSr said:

To me something just doesn't look right with that specimen.  Are you sure you don't have phosphate stuck to a broken cusplet or the broken tip of a tooth?  The black in your picture just doesn't look like a shark tooth root to me, shape or texture.  I've seen a great many symphyseal/parasymphyseal teeth, both fossil and extant, and your specimen's features (especially the black root?????) just doesn't match anything that I've seen before.  The overall size and features of the specimen don't match other shark tooth positions that I'm familiar with either.

 

Marco Sr.

Interesting. How would I know if it’s phosphate?  I will look at it again under the microscope to see if i notice anything. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, hokietech96 said:

Interesting. How would I know if it’s phosphate?  I will look at it again under the microscope to see if i notice anything. 

 

Phosphate that I typically see in formation matrix is black and pebble-like and can be smooth or porous.  Phosphate is what they mine at the Lee Creek Mine.  Also  shark teeth are phosphatic fossils.  Your specimen in the below picture especially doesn't look right to me:

 

 

5efa34295cd71_MonJun2914-25-58.jpg.e927a5ee44665a7b523f1907d530c1c4.jpg.36636272b53b3be67df8d9ef0078a419.jpg

 

 

Marco Sr.

"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

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, MarcoSr said:

 

Phosphate that I typically see in formation matrix is black and pebble-like and can be smooth or porous.  Phosphate is what they mine at the Lee Creek Mine.  Also  shark teeth are phosphatic fossils.  Your specimen in the below picture especially doesn't look right to me:

 

 

5efa34295cd71_MonJun2914-25-58.jpg.e927a5ee44665a7b523f1907d530c1c4.jpg.36636272b53b3be67df8d9ef0078a419.jpg

 

 

Marco Sr.

So interesting.  Thank you for the education.  Should I leave it as is or do I try to scrape off the phospate? Is there a test I can do?  I am assuming leave as is because it rather cool looking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, hokietech96 said:

So interesting.  Thank you for the education.  Should I leave it as is or do I try to scrape off the phospate? Is there a test I can do?  I am assuming leave as is because it rather cool looking

 

If it really is phosphate, your specimen could be encased in it and you won't be able to scrape it off.  I would just leave it as is because your specimen also could just be a heavily worn tooth as Eric stated above where the wear has really altered the appearance .  In any case, the features just don't match anything that I'm familiar with.  

 

Marco Sr.

  • I found this Informative 1

"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

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/30/2020 at 4:30 PM, MarcoSr said:

 

If it really is phosphate, your specimen could be encased in it and you won't be able to scrape it off.  I would just leave it as is because your specimen also could just be a heavily worn tooth as Eric stated above where the wear has really altered the appearance .  In any case, the features just don't match anything that I'm familiar with.  

 

Marco Sr.

I am thinking I found another tooth this morning similiar to the other phosphate tooth....

5efdea906eb88_ThuJul0209-18-05.jpg.adf826fbf22117a535867de42d3a2448.jpg5efdea9164102_ThuJul0209-18-44.jpg.f04b7b68a88c27290a6f662dc2e27142.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, hokietech96 said:

I am thinking I found another tooth this morning similiar to the other phosphate tooth....

I think it is another Carcharhinus symphyseal. You find a lot of them when you search the fine material.

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

I think it is another Carcharhinus symphyseal. You find a lot of them when you search the fine material.

Thanks for your help.  Seems the smaller teeth you look for the more unique they get!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Teeth in the symphysis of Carcharhinus species sharks are extremely varied in features.  Also the number of teeth rows and type of teeth in the symphysis can vary both within a species itself and between different species.  This new tooth definitely looks like a tooth from the symphysis of a Carcharhinus species shark.  Below are the teeth in the upper and lower symphysis of an extant  Carcharhinus falciformis (Silky Shark) and an extant  Carcharhinus obscurus (Dusky Shark).  I use the terminology from Compagno 1988 in the naming of these teeth in the symphysis.

 

Carcharhinus falciformis (Silky Shark)

upper jaw symphysis (two rows of symphyseal teeth with one row of medial teeth in-between)

 

 

5efe38fa999e1_Carcharhinusfalciformis(SilkyShark)1upperjawsymphysisSMSLabialview.thumb.jpg.db9013baccdc2861e8d64fba403d6564.jpg

 

 

lower jaw symphysis (two rows of alternate teeth)

 

 

5efe38f77be57_Carcharhinusfalciformis(SilkyShark)1lowerjawsymphysisalalLingualview.thumb.jpg.d0ec8ea50be51e7608851cf71807b622.jpg

 

 

Carcharhinus obscurus (Dusky Shark)

upper jaw symphysis (two rows of symphyseal teeth with one row of medial teeth in-between)

 

 

5efe3a7c6bded_Carcharhinusobscurus(DuskyShark)1upperjawsymphysisSMSlingualview2.thumb.jpg.cd1ac2027f42026020087f327e93d8b1.jpg

 

 

lower jaw symphysis (one row of medial teeth)

 

 

5efe3a78db40d_Carcharhinusobscurus(DuskyShark)1lowerjawsymphysismedialteethlingualview.thumb.jpg.20626ef273753b9cbed72a8b66b21973.jpg

 

 

Marco Sr.

  • I found this Informative 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

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was wondering if the first tooth could be a worn and partly encased whale shark tooth.  I think the second one could be a Carcharhinus symphyseal though I've never seen one of that shape.  They do come in different shapes and a little wear can make one look like that.

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, siteseer said:

I was wondering if the first tooth could be a worn and partly encased whale shark tooth.  I think the second one could be a Carcharhinus symphyseal though I've never seen one of that shape.  They do come in different shapes and a little wear can make one look like that.

 

Jess

 

An encased whale shark tooth also crossed my mind from some of the picture views with the crown features but the below view doesn't seem to fit a whale shark tooth.

 

image.png.7132e7488839bafeca2e0ef58a1c558d.png

 

 

 

Marco Sr.

  • I found this Informative 1

"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

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...