Mako with cusps in the root?

[wellwellwell]

Hello fine people! I’m not quite sure who gets the credit for finding this tooth, I saw it from the canoe but was just next to my friends hand when I saw it, they won the coin toss, but I guess I still want to make a fuss about it.  It’s real pretty and very sharp, like it must have just fallen out of the clay, but I haven’t seen a Mako with cusp like formations in the root.  I know there is tremendous diversity in these type of teeth but I’m curious if this is indicative of a specific species variation, or some kind of pathology, or maybe all the others I find are worn off.  Just curious if this seems like something that others have noticed perhaps tying this tooth to a specific age.  Found on the nottoway in southern Virginia. 

Thanks for your time!

[digit]

Hard to see from the photos as the light is a bit shadowy in the important parts. A photo showing the hooked bits on the root would help us understand what is going on here.

 

Generally, when we refer to side cusps on a tooth, they are enameled and part of the cutting surface. The corners of this root do look really odd and I cannot recall seeing makos that were anything but smoothly rounded on the corners of the root. We'll see if anybody else chimes in with stories of seeing similar pointy roots.

 

Really nice tooth. You need to keep a double-headed coin in your pocket for future coin tosses to improve your chances.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[wellwellwell]

Thanks Ken, 

Here are a couple more photos, a cloud offered an opportunity for more diffused light.  Maybe it’s just a funky tooth...

Thanks for the response, 

Jesse

[digit]

1 hour ago, wellwellwell said:

Maybe it’s just a funky tooth...

Best band name I've heard all week.

 

Looks to be either some odd pathological shape in the root material or some odd wear. Still a really nice tooth.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Past Hunter]

I have one that has a similar looking cusp. 

[wellwellwell]

Thanks for your responses, the tooth looks very similar, my inclination is that perhaps this is a more common feature to some teeth or some tooth positions that is easily broken or worn away.  Sometimes these teeth are so crisp and sharp coming out of the clay...

thanks for your thoughts on this.

Jesse

[digit]

There you are then--your pointy-rooted tooth is not unique in its unusual root. I can't say that I've ever seen other makos with points like these (beyond the two pictured here in this topic). I'd still consider referring to these features as "points" on the root and veer away from the term "cusps" or "cusplets" as that is used to describe the sharp points of the enameled blade. It would likely confuse the matter to refer to these pointy corners of the root using the same term.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken