STILL don't have our first T.Rex tooth yet

[hadrosauridae]

 

I thought this year that my son had found our first T.Rex tooth.  Its both larger and thicker than any of the Nanno teeth we have dug. 

 

 

 

I was 99% sure we had our rex until I just used my (crappy) phone camera to finally get a serration count.  2.8/mm.  Thats clearly in the Nanno count.  

 

 

 

Maybe next year will be our year.

Edited August 18, 2021 by hadrosauridae

[Troodon]

I did a serration study of 30 Nano teeth and 14 smaller Trex teeth in my collection.   The largest Trex tooth in this study was 36 mm .   The distal density range for the Nano teeth was 2.2 to 4.0/mm with an average 2.9/mm.  The distal density range for the Trex teeth was 2.0 to 4.0/mm with an average of 3/mm.  The density on the largest Trex tooth (36mm) was 2/mm and a 29mm one was 2.6/mm.   My conclusion was that serration density is not a characteristic you can definitely use to identify smaller Trex teeth.   One of the better characteristics to consider is the shape of the base.  Other than Premaxillary teeth all Nano teeth are rectangular with a pinch in the middle.  Oval shaped bases typically reflect dentary teeth of Trex and along with its robustness, I believe that's what you have.  

 

So congratulations on you first Trex tooth

[hadrosauridae]

4 hours ago, Troodon said:

........  My conclusion was that serration density is not a characteristic you can definitely use to identify smaller Trex teeth.   One of the better characteristics to consider is the shape of the base.  Other than Premaxillary teeth all Nano teeth are rectangular with a pinch in the middle.  Oval shaped bases typically reflect dentary teeth of Trex and along with its robustness, I believe that's what you have.  

 

So congratulations on you first Trex tooth

 

 

Thank you!

Dang, just when I think I have something figured out, I find out I'm still wrong.  I thought serrations were the key factor between species when comparing these small teeth.  All of our Nano teeth share that pinched profile.  Glad to learn my original thought was correct!

[Jared C]

15 hours ago, hadrosauridae said:

 

 

Thank you!

Dang, just when I think I have something figured out, I find out I'm still wrong.  I thought serrations were the key factor between species when comparing these small teeth.  All of our Nano teeth share that pinched profile.  Glad to learn my original thought was correct!

I imagine your son will be quite excited about the the T. rex diagnosis - if he's anything like I was, that's probably the holy grail. What a cool memory that will be for both of you

[hadrosauridae]

8 minutes ago, Jared C said:

I imagine your son will be quite excited about the the T. rex diagnosis - if he's anything like I was, that's probably the holy grail. What a cool memory that will be for both of you

 

Yes, he'll be happy to hear some outside confirmations!

 

I dont know why, but had in my head that REX was about 2/mm and NANO was about 3/mm.  I must have read some bad info or confused in my memory what I had read.  I really surprised to see Troodon's study has such a tight comparison between the two.

[Phos_01]

Congrats on this tooth find! 

[aplomado]

There is some good evidence that the nanotyrannosaurus is a baby t-rex...

 

 

[hadrosauridae]

24 minutes ago, aplomado said:

There is some good evidence that the nanotyrannosaurus is a baby t-rex...

 

 

 

Sorry, I'm not a Hornerite and I dont believe the morphological differences in any way reflect age.  I realize this put me at odds with about 90% of the paleo world.  so be it.

 

Now get off my lawn you dang kids!

 

 

 

PS- Its Nanotyrannus, NOT Nanotyranosaurus

Edited August 20, 2021 by hadrosauridae