Identification of Some Rarer Theropod Teeth

[Troodon]

Not very much is published on rare teeth.  I'm trying to compile some information so that collectors have something to look at.  Might not get them all the answers but its a start.   Any discrepancies seen in this info please let me know.  If you see anything published that can add to those listed please let me know.

 

Species included in this topic

_{Neovenator salerii}

_{Eotyrannus lengi}

Megalosaurus bucklandi

Proceratosaurus bradleyi

_{Acrocanthosaurus atokensis}

_{Deinonychus antirrhopus (Page 2)}

_{Duriavenator hesperis (Page 2)}

_{Coelophysis bauri (Pg 2 - Link to Triassic)}

Daemonosasurus chauliodus (Pg2 - Link to Triassic)

Tawa hallae    (Pg 2 - Link to Triassic)

Majungasaurus crenatissimus (Pg 3)

 

 

 

        

 

_{Neovenator salerii}

 

Formation: Wessex Formation

Location: Typically Isle of Wight

 

Characteristics:  

• Some lateral crowns show transverse and/or marginal undulations adjacent to the distal and/or mesial carinae
• Interdenticular sulci between distal denticles may be present
• Enamel Surface Texture : "ent" in illustration
• Mesial crowns have their mesial carina twisting strongly toward lingual side
• A flattened surface and or depression adjacent to the distal carina on the lingual side : "cos" in illustration
• Mesial carina not reaching the base on most lateral crowns
• Mesial denticles are shorter and distal ones

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study) (3 isolated lateral teeth)

• DSDI: 0.833 to 1.03  (Avg 0.96)
• Distal Density:  14.5 to 18 / 5mm (Avg 15.8 / 5mm)
• Mesial Density: 15 / 5mm (Avg 15 / 5mm)
• Ratio's: CHR  1.5 to 2.2 (Avg 1.8), CBR 0.54 to 0.57 (Avg 0.55)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

_{Eotyrannus lengi}

 

Formation: Wessex Formation

Location:  Isle of Wight

 

Characteristics: 

• Slightly twisted mesial carina not extending to the root
• Distal denticles elongated in lateral teeth
• DSDI should be > 1.2
• Transverse undulations: absent
• Interdenticular sulci may be present

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study) (One isolated Pre-max tooth)

• DSDI: 1.06
• Distal Density:  14.1 / 5mm
• Mesial Density: 15 / 5mm 
• Ratio's: CHR:  2.6, CBR: 1.2

 

Measurements: (From @paulyb135 personal collection) (Isolated Lateral tooth)

• DSDI: 1.47
• Distal Density:  3.4 / 1 m
• Mesial Density: 5 / 1mm 

• Ratio's: CHR:  2.5, CBR: 0.8 

 

 

Lateral Tooth 

 

Premaxillary Tooth (part of holotype)

 

 

 

        

 

 

Megalosaurus bucklandi

 

Formation: Tayton Limestone

Location: Stonefield Slate Beds, Oxfordshire, Gloucesters

 

Other Occurrences:

Chipping Norton Limestone Formation

Sharp's Hill Formation

 

Characteristics:

• Transverse undulations can be well visible and numerous 
• Interdental sulci can be present on both carinae 
• Mesial denticles larger than Distal denticles (DSDI <.08) in some lateral distal teeth
• Mesial carina does not reach the cervix in most lateral crowns (Can extend 55 to 65% of crown height)
• Bilobate denticles can be present in mesial carina (see illustration)
• The mesial carina on mesial teeth is central located not twisted lingually and the distal carina is also centrally positioned weakly offset labially

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study) (10 teeth, 8 isolated, 1 dentary, 1 maxillary)

• DSDI: 0.8 to 1.03  (Avg 0.9 )
• Distal Density:  8.75 to 20 / 5mm (Avg 13 / 5mm)
• Mesial Density: 8.5 to 20 / 5mm (Avg 12.1 / 5mm)
• Ratio's: CHR  1.6 to 2.5 (Avg 2.1), CBR 0.39 to 0.68 (Avg 0.55)

 

Bilobate denticles in Mesial carina 

 

Sixth right dentary tooth of Megalosaurus bucklandi Mantell, 1827 (OUMNH J13505), crown (B1 ), mesial (B2 ) and distal (B3 ) denticles in labial views, enamel texture 

 

Holotype Tooth 

 

 

 

 

        

 

 

Proceratosaurus bradleyi

 

Formation: White Limestone,, Great Oolite

Location: Gloucestershire, UK

 

Other Occurrences:

Not aware of others

 

Characteristics:

• Very Fine Serrations on both Carina  
• A basal constriction between crown & root is present in some premaxillary teeth   (see photo)
• Mesial denticles smaller than Distal denticles 
• Teeth are relatively small, holotype (considered late juvenile/subadult) see CH measuremets
• The premaxillary teeth are asymmetrical in cross section, with the mesial carina being displaced lingually
• The maxillary teeth are transversely flattened, strongly recurved, and have serrated mesial and distal carinae (see photo)
• In both the premaxillary and fully erupted maxillary teeth, the anterior carina does not extend all the way to the base of the crown, but ends at approximately half the height
• Individual denticles are chisel-shaped, rounded, and perpendicular to the long axis
• Basel ridges are seen on some Premaxillary and dentary teeth (see photo)

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study) (9 teeth, 4 maxillary, 5 dentary, )

• DSDI:   1 to 1.5  (Avg 1.28 )
• Distal Density:  22 to 26 / 5mm (Avg 25.5 / 5mm)
• Mesial Density: 30 to 37.5 / 5mm (Avg 34 / 5mm)
• Ratio's: CHR  1.8 to 2 (Avg 1.9), CBR 0.5 to 0.8 (Avg 0.6)
• Crown Height (CH)  Premaxillary teeth (5.3 to 6.7 mm), Maxillary teeth (4 to 12.7 mm), Dentary (4.2 to 11 mm)

 

Reference is 4 good source of information 

 

Basal constriction Premaxillary tooth

 

 

Ridges seen on some Premaxillary and Dentary Teeth

 

Maxillary Teeth

 

 

Anterior Dentary Teeth

 

 

         

 

 

 

_{Acrocanthosaurus atokensis}

 

Formation: Antler Formation, Trinity Group

Location:  McCurtain County, Oklahoma (Study Group)

 

Other Occurrences:

Twin Mountains Formation (Trinity Group), Texas

Arundel Formation, Maryland

Cloverly Formation, Wyoming

Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah*

* Acrocanthosaurus sp.. tooth morphology not described. Please note it illegal to sell/purchase these teeth if found on State or Park land

 

 

Characteristics: 

• Apical denticulation (Contiguous keels with denticles continuing over the tip) (Lipka paper)
• Distal denticles perpendicular to axis
• Mesial denticles inclined to axis
• Transverse and marginal undulations can be present
• Mesial carina does not reach the base in most crowns
• Interdenticular sulci not evident
• Braided enamel (Not sure if its on all or some crowns)

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study)

Premaxillary teeth (4)

• DSDI:  1.3 to 1.5 / 5mm   (Avg 1.45 / 5mm)
• Distal Density:  11.5 to 13.3 / 5mm (Avg 12.5 / 5mm) 
• Mesial Density: 17 to 19 / 5mm (Midline Avg 18 / 5mm)  (Apically Avg: 13.3 / 5 mm)
• Ratio's: CHR: 2.2 to 2.6 (Avg 2.4), CBR: 0.58 to 1 (Avg  0.76)

 

Maxillary teeth (11)

• DSDI:  .73 to 1.2 / 5mm   (Avg 0.97 / 5mm)
• Distal Density:  11.5 to 15 / 5mm (Midline Avg 13.7 / 5mm) (Apically Avg: 11.7 / 5 mm)
• Mesial Density: 17 to 19 / 5mm (Midline Avg 18 / 5mm)  (Apically Avg: 13.3 / 5 mm)
• Ratio's: CHR: 2.0 to 2.6 (Avg 2.3), CBR: 0.5 to 0.67 (Avg 0.58)

 

Dentary teeth (17)

• DSDI:  0.83 to 1.0 / 5mm   (Avg 0.95 / 5mm) (only 6 teeth)
• Distal Density:  12.5 to 16 / 5mm (Midline Avg 14.3 / 5mm) (Apically Avg: 12.7 / 5 mm)
• Mesial Density: 11.8 to 16.2 / 5mm (Midline Avg 11.7 / 5mm)  (Apically Avg: 13.4 / 5 mm)
• Ratio's: CHR: 1.3 to 2.8 (Avg 2.1), CBR: 0.48 to 0.9 (Avg 0.61)

 

 

Maxillary Jaw (#1 to 4) showing :

tun: transverse undulations

mun: marginal undulations

dca: displaced carina

Scale: 1 cm

 

Maxillary tooth (#6) with mun and tun

Scale: 1 cm

 

Braided enamel texture on isolated tooth

 

 

Believe these are distal denticles

Scale: 1 mm

 

 

 

Reference Material:

(1)Hendrickx et al : Dental features in theropods 2019

https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2019/2806-dental-features-in-theropods

 

(2)Hendrick et al : Taxonomic identification of isolated theropod teeth: The case of the shed tooth crown associated with Aerosteon

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667118303860?via%3Dihub

 

(3)Hendrick et al. : The Dentition of Megalosaurid Theropods

https://bioone.org/journals/acta-palaeontologica-polonica/volume-60/issue-3/app.00056.2013/The-Dentition-of-Megalosaurid-Theropods/10.4202/app.00056.2013.full

 

(4)Oliver Rauhut et al

Cranial osteology and phylogenetic position of the theropod dinosaur Proceratosaurus bradleyi (Woodward, 1910) from the Middle Jurassic of England   2008

 

(5)Thomas Lipka

The affinities of the enigmatic theropods of the Arundel Clay Facies

 

[BellamyBlake]

Informative as always, thank you for your work!

[Troodon]

_{Deinonychus antirrhopus}

 

Formation: Cloverly Formation

Location:  Carbon County, Montana (Study Group)

 

Other Occurrences:

Antler Formation, Oklahoma

Arundel Formation, Maryland

Cloverly Formation, Wyoming

Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah*

*  Please note it illegal to sell/purchase these teeth if found on State or Park land

 

Characteristics: 

• Small crowns 18.8 mm largest in study (Avg 13 mm)
• Very large difference in  serration density between Mesial and Distal Carina (DSDI 1.8 Avg)
• Mesial Carina on Mesial teeth reaching the base in most crowns
• Mesial Carina on Lateral teeth not reaching the base in most crowns
• Serrations may not be present on Mesial edge
• Transverse undulations can be present
• Interdenticular sulci may be present

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study)  Teeth (16)

• DSDI:  1.4 to 2.0 / 5mm   (Avg 1.79 / 5mm)
• Distal Density:  13.5 to 19.1 / 5mm (Avg 16.7 / 5mm) 
• Mesial Density:  27 to 35 / 5mm (Avg: 30.1 / 5 mm)
• Ratio's: CHR: 1.3 to 2.2 (Avg 1.68), CBR: 0.35 to .6 (Avg  0.49)

 

 

 

 

From Peabody Bulletin 30  Osteology of Deinonychus antirrhops , John Otrom 

 

Dentary or Maxillary Tooth (A)  Posterior Premaxillary Tooth (B)

 

Intermediate Premaxillary Tooth (C),   Anterior premaxillary Tooth (D)

 

Maxillary Tooth serrations

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

Duriavenator hesperis

 

Formation: Upper Inferior Oolite

Location: Greenhill, Sherborne, Dorset

 

Other Occurrences:

None known

 

Characteristics:

• Transverse undulations absent on study maxillary teeth, present on dentary teeth
• Interdental sulci are rare in Mesial Denticles and short if present but can well developed on Distal side
• The basal extent of the Mesial carina is variable and at 1/5th of the crown at Mx6
• Bilobate denticles can be present in mesial carina (see illustration)
• The mesial carina on mesial teeth is central located not twisted lingually and the distal carina is also centrally positioned weakly offset labially

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study) (4 teeth, 2 dentary, 2 maxillary)

• DSDI:  Maxillary (Avg 1.1), Dentary (Avg 0.86)
• Distal Density:  Maxillary (Avg 11.8 / 5mm), Dentary (Avg 11.3 / 5mm )
• Mesial Density:  Maxillary (Avg 12.5 / 5mm), Dentary (Avg 9.6 / 5mm ) 
• Ratio's: CHR  Maxillary (Avg 2.0), Dentary (Avg 1.6), CBR  Maxillary (Avg 0.45), Dentary (Avg 0.48)
• CBR on a Premax2  0.62

 

 

 

Sixth Maxillary tooth : A2- mesial, A3-Distal

 

 

 

    

 

 

Updated Triassic Teeth from New Mexico

_{Coelophysis bauri}

Daemonosasurus chauliodus

Tawa hallae

 

Link:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/83060-identification-of-teeth-from-triassic-dinosaurs-of-new-mexico/

 

 

 

Reference Sources same as page 1 unless noted

 

 

 

 

[IsaacTheFossilMan]

Thank you very very much for your hard work, @Troodon, it's highly appreciated!

[Troodon]

Majungasaurus crenatissimus 

 

Formation: Maevarano

Location: Berivotra Village, Madagascar

 

Other Occurrences:

None known

 

Characteristics:

• Transverse undulations can be present
• Interdental sulci can be present
• Mesial carina reaching the cervix(base) in most teeth
• Profile of lateral teeth is that the distal edge is perpendicular to base (see illustration)

 

Measurements:  (From Hendrickx 2019 study) (23 teeth, 15 dentary, 4 maxillary, 4 premaxillary)

• DSDI:  Premaxillary (Avg 0.9) Maxillary (Avg 1.04), Dentary (Avg 1.0)
• Distal Density:  Premaxillary (Avg 8.1 / 5mm), Maxillary (Avg 9.8 / 5mm), Dentary (Avg 9.8 / 5mm )
• Mesial Density:  Premaxillary (Avg 7.3 / 5mm), Maxillary (Avg 12.5 / 5mm), Dentary (Avg 9.8 / 5mm ) 
• Ratio's: CHR  Premaxillary (1.8), Maxillary (Avg 1.84), Dentary (Avg 1.756), 
• Ratio's: CBR  Premaxillary (Avg 0.72),  (Maxillary (Avg 0.49), Dentary (Avg 0.6)

 

First Two Premaxillary teeth

 

 

 

Mesial dentition

 

 

S shaped cross-section on first few mesial premaxillary/dentary teeth

 

Mesial Denticles of 2nd Dentary Tooth

 

 

Distal side: Irregularly textured enamel surface and interdenticular sulci of the sixth right maxillary tooth 

 

 

Crown curvature

Maxillary Dentition

 

Dentary Dentition

 

 

Reference:

Same as the initial post

also:

Dental Morphology and variation in Majungasaurus Crenatissimus (theropoda:Abelisauridae) from the late cretaceous of Madagascar

Joshua B Smith 2010

 

[Runner64]

@Troodon thank you tremendously, this will be an incredible resource. Are you ok if I add to this following the same format? Or, I could PM you some characteristics I’ve found in the past from papers.

[Troodon]

1 minute ago, Runner64 said:

@Troodon thank you tremendously, this will be an incredible resource. Are you ok if I add to this following the same format? Or, I could PM you some characteristics I’ve found in the past.

 

Well I am reluctant to add rare teeth that collectors have identified themselves unless they are supported by published document that contains specific data and the assignment is very clear and obvious.   If you have rare any that fit the bill PM 

[Runner64]

33 minutes ago, Troodon said:

 

Well I am reluctant to add rare teeth that collectors have identified themselves unless they are supported by published document that contains specific data and the assignment is very clear and obvious.   If you have rare any that fit the bill PM 

Yep completely understandable!  I will send you a message over the next couple days with some papers.

[Troodon]

added 

_{Acrocanthosaurus atokensis}

 

[Troodon]

Added Deinonychus antirrhopus on pg 2

[Troodon]

Added

_{Duriavenator hesperis} 

_{Coelophysis bauri} 

Daemonosasurus chauliodus 

Tawa hallae   

[Brad84]

Thank you for posting this. So much information! 

[zekky]

Uh your information on Cedar Mountain is completely innacurate. None of that formation is present in Grand Staircase Escalante NM. There is private land with CM formation, not a lot but it's there.  

[Troodon]

23 hours ago, zekky said:

Uh your information on Cedar Mountain is completely innacurate. None of that formation is present in Grand Staircase Escalante NM. There is private land with CM formation, not a lot but it's there.  

 

Thank you,  although not pertinent to the objective of this topic, which is identification of teeth, my source is this figure 1 from a student at Utah State University 2016 publication.  It clearly shows, in purple, that outcrops are in the National Monument.  You are welcome to challenge the author or those that approved the paper including Ken Carpenter.

I do not know if there is private land in the CMF.  Everyone I've spoken to says emphatically NO and they indicate that how diggers get around items that are sold.  I just know that it's illegal to collect or sell specimens from the park or state land.  Those approached to purchase items from CMF should be very wary of the provenance and avoid them.

 

 

Roger Miller , Utah State University  2016,  The Lower Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation of Eastern Utah