Enchodus jaw

[Gareth_]

Hey all

This has popped up on a local auction site, I have a couple of Enchodus fangs and a caudal fin in my collection and this jaw section would be a nice addition - if it passes the scrutiny of the experts! Is it Enchodus? Can you spot any repairs? I would assume based on the very fragile nature of the jawbone this is in the original matrix?

The ad doesn't have much detail - 

I've added the only 2 pics supplied 

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Enchodus partial jaw fossil from Khourigba, Morocco, North Africa.

Upper Cretaceous Period - 90 Million Years Old.

Jaw itself is 5cm in length.

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[Rockwood]

48 minutes ago, Gareth_ said:

if it passes the scrutiny of the experts! Is it Enchodus? Can you spot any repairs? I would assume based on the very fragile nature of the jawbone this is in the original matrix?

You are still waiting for an expert, but a practicing one is going to say this is an authentic Enchodus jaw.

[Fossildude19]

Yup, this is an Enchodus jaw, and I see nothing restored or added. (Not an expert, btw).

[Rockwood]

24 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

(Not an expert, btw).

But you're getting closer. 

[Gareth_]

@Rockwood @Fossildude19 Thank you both

Your "amateur" opinion is still far more expert than mine

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

While the teeth look a bit short and stubby and are probably mostly incomplete, this does look like an authentic Enchodus mandible to me... Here are a couple of Oceans of Kansas specimens to compare to:

 

[Jasperfossils]

On 10/2/2021 at 9:56 AM, Gareth_ said:

Hey all

This has popped up on a local auction site, I have a couple of Enchodus fangs and a caudal fin in my collection and this jaw section would be a nice addition - if it passes the scrutiny of the experts! Is it Enchodus? Can you spot any repairs? I would assume based on the very fragile nature of the jawbone this is in the original matrix?

The ad doesn't have much detail - 

I've added the only 2 pics supplied 

---------------------

Enchodus partial jaw fossil from Khourigba, Morocco, North Africa.

Upper Cretaceous Period - 90 Million Years Old.

Jaw itself is 5cm in length.

--------------------

These are common.

[Gareth_]

@Jasperfossils They aren't common here, an Enchodus jawbone is not something I've seen come up for sale! There will absolutely be better examples than this one but as the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers haha. I wanted another Enchodus fossil that was different to my others

 

@pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Again, thank you! Yeah, the teeth do look worn.... I did buy it because of the reason above and the price was right so as expected, I've taken more pics of it. There are other fossils in the matrix, I'd guess one is a vert. Unsure about the rest

 

 

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

3 hours ago, Gareth_ said:

@pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Again, thank you! Yeah, the teeth do look worn.... I did buy it because of the reason above and the price was right so as expected, I've taken more pics of it. There are other fossils in the matrix, I'd guess one is a vert. Unsure about the rest

 

Looks like there's indeed at least one vertebra in there, I think I can see two already. Then there'll likely be some coprolites - from my experience you're almost always sure to find at least one, though it may be small - the rest probably being other skull elements. But I'm not really a fish guy, so this is just my guess... 

 

Nice collection you've got there, by the way! 

Edited October 16, 2021 by pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon

[lesofprimus]

Great purchase, by all accounts the real deal.... the exact species is Enchodus lybicus from Morocco and I have a similar fossil as well as a jaw bone and a couple teeth.

 

I also have 2 teeth from Alabama of a different species, Enchodus petrosus for comparison....

[Jasperfossils]

On 10/16/2021 at 11:00 AM, Gareth_ said:

@Jasperfossils They aren't common here, an Enchodus jawbone is not something I've seen come up for sale! There will absolutely be better examples than this one but as the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers haha. I wanted another Enchodus fossil that was different to my others

 

@pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Again, thank you! Yeah, the teeth do look worn.... I did buy it because of the reason above and the price was right so as expected, I've taken more pics of it. There are other fossils in the matrix, I'd guess one is a vert. Unsure about the rest

 

 

I have seen a multitude of jaws for sals, both online and in shops.

 

[Gareth_]

@lesofprimus Thanks for your comments. Wow I like your jaw section!

I find Enchodus a fascinating fish, it evolved a jaw full of very sharp teeth with four 6+ cm fangs up front - but to then know this was not the apex predator in its environment!

The best modern equivalent would have to be the Barracuda which is unrelated I know, but with razor sharp teeth they swim at prey with their mouth open to slice whatever is in the way in half.

 

@Jasperfossils I don't doubt you, but here on a small(ish) island at the bottom of the Pacific ocean, high quality and abundant fossils isn't something collectors have the luxury of. Of course anyone can buy internationally but that comes with many risks.

 

 

 

 

(random Barracuda pics from the web)

 

 

[TyBoy]

On 10/17/2021 at 6:19 AM, lesofprimus said:

the exact species is Enchodus lybicus from Morocco and

 These jaws are better identified as Enchodus spp.  since there are three described species in the Ouled Abdoun Basin.   E. libycus, E. bursauxi and E. elegans.  Im not sure how to differentiate between the three