TedK Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 I found this item on a public beach about 35 years ago. I would love to know what it may have belonged to. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have more photos if you would like to see them. Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Ted While some folks may be able to ID your tooth from this view, I'd like to see the occlusal view (grinding surface) as well. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitbat Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 I'd like to see the occlusal surface as well but I'd venture to say that if it is actually a fossil then it is one of the Bison species. It could also be a cow tooth. -Joe Illigitimati non carborundum Fruitbat's PDF Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedK Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 Here are two additional views, as requested. Hope this helps. Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitbat Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I'd say that what you've got there is Bison sp. lower third molar. -Joe 2 Illigitimati non carborundum Fruitbat's PDF Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedK Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 If it is a bison species, that is very interesting. I found it in southern Ontario, on a Lake Erie beach. I don't imagine there were bison in that area for a long, long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitbat Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 It could easily be late Pleistocene or Holocene. The range of Bison bison would have extended that far north. You didn't mention earlier where the fossil was collected and I'm not all that familiar with what a moose tooth looks like but I'd still lean heavily toward Bison. Still, I'll do some checking into what a moose tooth might look like. -Joe 2 Illigitimati non carborundum Fruitbat's PDF Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 It could easily be late Pleistocene or Holocene. The range of Bison bison would have extended that far north. You didn't mention earlier where the fossil was collected and I'm not all that familiar with what a moose tooth looks like but I'd still lean heavily toward Bison. Still, I'll do some checking into what a moose tooth might look like.-Joe Moose is a deer, a Cervid. Without trying to open these very large images, this tooth certainly looks Bovid. I think "cow" is the most likely origin for this tooth. Bison are known from western provinces, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The muskox, Ovibos moschatus, is known from Ontario, but these are rare finds anywhere. -----Harry Pristis 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitbat Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I agree that the tooth is 'bovid' rather than 'cervid', though selenodont teeth can superficially resemble each other. As for cow vs. bison, there is at least one Holocene record of Bison (tentatively identified as Bison priscus) - the steppe bison) in Ontario {see McAndrews, J.H., 1982. Archaeology 37:41-51}. Still...I do refer back to my original proviso: I'd like to see the occlusal surface as well but I'd venture to say that if it is actually a fossil then it is one of the Bison species. It could also be a cow tooth. I wasn't initially aware that the specimen came from Ontario or I would have leaned far more heavily to it being a "cow tooth" -Joe 2 Illigitimati non carborundum Fruitbat's PDF Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Yes, Joe, you had it right. 2 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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