Greens Mill Run crocodile or mosasaur tooth??

[fossil_lover_2277]

I found this tooth in Greens Mill Run in Greenville, NC. I’m leaning towards croc due to the size of the dental cavity relative to the size of the tooth, but perhaps it is a mosasaur. It has one carina on the anterior side of the tooth, none on the posterior side. Also, if it is croc, is there a way to identify whether it’s Cretaceous or Pliocene? Or if either croc or mosasaur, perhaps genus ID? Thanks!!!

Edited October 15, 2021 by Lando_Calrissian_4tw

[Agent_Zigzag]

Greetings!

 

This one appears to me, at least, is not a typical crocodilian tooth. 

 

I would say double check the geological map of the region and then determine what sedimentary layer rocks you found this fossil. 

[fossil_lover_2277]

6 hours ago, Agent_Zigzag said:

Greetings!

 

This one appears to me, at least, is not a typical crocodilian tooth. 

 

I would say double check the geological map of the region and then determine what sedimentary layer rocks you found this fossil. 

So the creek it comes out of, Greens Mill Run, cuts through Pliocene and Cretaceous deposits. Majority of fossils in the creek are found in gravel beds (so ex-situ), as was this one, so it can’t be narrowed down further than those three periods/epochs, unless someone can tell by the type of tooth that it comes from, for example, the Cretaceous (i.e. someone identifies it to be Deinosuchus or mosasaurian).

Edited October 15, 2021 by Lando_Calrissian_4tw

[Agent_Zigzag]

1 hour ago, Lando_Calrissian_4tw said:

So the creek it comes out of, Greens Mill Run, cuts through Miocene, Pliocene, and Cretaceous deposits. Majority of fossils in the creek are found in gravel beds (so ex-situ), as was this one, so it can’t be narrowed down further than those three periods/epochs, unless someone can tell by the type of tooth that it comes from, for example, the Cretaceous (i.e. someone identifies it to be Deinosuchus or mosasaurian).

The only thing I can say is it is definitely not typical crocodilian......I guess it would be something from upper Cretaceous. 

[sixgill pete]

5 hours ago, Lando_Calrissian_4tw said:

So the creek it comes out of, Greens Mill Run, cuts through Miocene, Pliocene, and Cretaceous deposits. Majority of fossils in the creek are found in gravel beds (so ex-situ), as was this one, so it can’t be narrowed down further than those three periods/epochs, unless someone can tell by the type of tooth that it comes from, for example, the Cretaceous (i.e. someone identifies it to be Deinosuchus or mosasaurian).

No Miocene in GMR. To the best of my knowledge there are no Miocene surface deposits in North Carolina. 

 

GMR has Cretaceous, Pliocene and Pleistocene. Also some reworked Paleocene possibly as I have seen some teeth that could be very worn reworked Otodus.

[fossil_lover_2277]

22 minutes ago, sixgill pete said:

No Miocene in GMR. To the best of my knowledge there are no Miocene surface deposits in North Carolina. 

 

GMR has Cretaceous, Pliocene and Pleistocene. Also some reworked Paleocene possibly as I have seen some teeth that could be very worn reworked Otodus.

Thanks, my mistake. Saw on a website it said Miocene too (literally showed a “Miocene outcrop” there lol), but that’s wrong then. Haven’t looked at any actual map of the strata GMR cuts through myself

Edited October 15, 2021 by Lando_Calrissian_4tw

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Looks like a mosasaur tooth to me, l possibly mosasaurine. The tooth looks rather too recurved to be crocodile, which would, moreover, have two carinae (see here) - presuming enough is left of the tooth to establish this. Other telltale signs are the depression visible next to the carina in the first photograph - which is something commonly found in mosasaurs, but not in crocodiles - and, I think I see, a labiolingual curvature, based on which I believe this to be mosasaurine (rather than russellosaurine)...

[fossil_lover_2277]

Hey, thank you @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon. It definitely does not have two carinae. And you’re right, I can definitely even feel the depression. And yes, the tooth has that sort of curve or I guess “lean” in towards the tongue from the lips (I’m assuming that’s what labiolingual curvature means), it’s not completely planar from its anterior to posterior. That’s awesome to know so much about it, for a while I just was happy to have a big chunk of tooth! Thanks ha

Edited October 16, 2021 by Lando_Calrissian_4tw