Venice Sperm Whale Tooth?

[RescueMJ]

I found my first whale tooth yesterday. Only found two cores previously.  Located inland Venice, FL.  This example was sheared in half longitudinally.  Measures 85mm long, 48mm at widest point, 27mm diameter at point D. I find mostly Pleistocene material in this inland location.  I read about only specific identifications are to the Superfamily- Physeteroidea.  

 

Anybody have other input on this tooth? My questions usually are "time period of fossil, better identification".  In this inland area, I have found a half dozen bulla, a baleen whale vertebrae, and what I think is a rib. I appreciate if anyone can give me some more info on this tooth. @Boesse @Shellseeker

 

-Regards

Michael

 

 

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

In anticipation of the arrival of the other, more knowledgeable members you invited, my wager based on what I've picked up on the forum so far would be Scaldicetus sp., based on images in the threads below:

 

 

 

South Carolina Scaldicetus sp. tooth from an online vendor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scaldicetus perpinguis. Figure 17 from Hampe, 2006. Middle/late Miocene hoplocetine sperm whale remains (Odontoceti: Physeteridae) of North Germany with an emended classification of the Hoplocetinae

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I would say that, yes, it's a physeteroid tooth, but more than that, a physeterid, if not actually Scaldicetus sp.. In terms of dating, the whole range from Miocene to Pleistocene would be possible with this species. So if the piece matches the typical conservation at your site, I'd say it's probably Pleistocene...

[RescueMJ]

Thank you for your time. 

[Shellseeker]

3 hours ago, RescueMJ said:

I found my first whale tooth yesterday. Only found two cores previously.  Located inland Venice, FL.  This example was sheared in half longitudinally.  Measures 85mm long, 48mm at widest point, 27mm diameter at point D. I find mostly Pleistocene material in this inland location.  I read about only specific identifications are to the Superfamily- Physeteroidea.  

 

Anybody have other input on this tooth? My questions usually are "time period of fossil, better identification".  In this inland area, I have found a half dozen bulla, a baleen whale vertebrae, and what I think is a rib. I appreciate if anyone can give me some more info on this tooth. @Boesse @Shellseeker

 

-Regards

Michael

 

Michael,  1st let me congratulate you on your 1st Whale tooth and a fantastic one it is... !!!

I love the shot directly down on the enamel because it shows gorgeous clarity in ring growth!!!  Wow... Here is one of my Scaldicetus .sp teeth with similar detail... one of my favorites.  It's age ranges from Miocene to Pleistocene,  but "Scaldicetus as generally recognized appears to be a wastebasket taxon filled with more-or-less unrelated primitive sperm whales.^[4]"

 

A couple of years back,  in a background photo of crabs ,  @RJB had a whale tooth that I lusted for... similar to the Scaldicetus perpinguis that @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon shows above.  Could not find any more info.  Until my friend @jcbshark found this beauty while hunting 10 feet in front of me. This was found in the same areas you hunt,  and I have no clue what it is.  No papers or research docs ever written on anything like this in the state of Florida.  I think yours is different.  Scaldicetus, but not a cousin of perpinguis.

 

So, Miocene to Pleistocene ???  You have to consider the Formation you are finding these fossils.  Is it Tamiami ?  What has happened in the last 25 million years. If you dig down 25-30 feet, you hit bedrock and you find large Shark teeth. The layers might tell us something about the presence and depth of salt water.