Torvosaurus

[BellamyBlake]

I have here a theropod tooth tip from the Morrison Formation of Moffat County, Colorado. It's 1/2". The claim is that it's Torvosaurus based on the serrations. Is that a definitive way to identify this as Torvosaurus as opposed to another theropod?

 

@Troodon

 

Thank you,

Bellamy

[Troodon]

Yes on some Torvosaurus teeth.  You first need to start with a complete tooth and determine if its a meglosaurid tooth by looking how far the mesial carina travels down the edge.   The shape of the tooth and density of the serrations are also key characteristics.  Identification of tips can be very problematic but on larger teeth we can examine the info we have and see what it tells us. 

Can you provide me a serration count on both the mesial and distal edge 5 mm wide, start as low as you can .  How wide is the tooth where the serrations end.    You 1/2 " tooth does it include the matrix or just the crown.

 

[BellamyBlake]

22 minutes ago, Troodon said:

Yes on some Torvosaurus teeth.  You first need to start with a complete tooth and determine if its a meglosaurid tooth by looking how far the mesial carina travels down the edge.   The shape of the tooth and density of the serrations are also key characteristics.  Identification of tips can be very problematic but on larger teeth we can examine the info we have and see what it tells us. 

Can you provide me a serration count on both the mesial and distal edge 5 mm wide, start as low as you can .  How wide is the tooth where the serrations end.    You 1/2 " tooth does it include the matrix or just the crown.

 

The tooth has been sold, but I thank you for the help. I think this could prove to be a useful learning experience for future ones because I would like one. If you don't mind, I'd like to play this out anyway.

 

Here's the information you requested. It's 0.47" of tooth, not including the matrix. And it's 6.9 mm wide where the serrations end.

[Troodon]

Was hoping for numbers that were less dense < 2.  So its possible but not definitive to say its a Torvo.

[BellamyBlake]

1 hour ago, Troodon said:

Was hoping for numbers that were less dense < 2.  So its possible but not definitive to say its a Torvo.

Thank you as always. Like I say this one was sold before an ID was possible. I'm now more familiar with how to do this in the future. And to be frank, I doubt I would've been satisfied with a tip haha

[Kurufossils]

@BellamyBlake

Heres some reference of a tip of mine.

[BellamyBlake]

11 minutes ago, Kurufossils said:

@BellamyBlake

Heres some reference of a tip of mine.

That's a very attractive tooth, thanks for the reference