fossil_lover_2277 Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 (edited) I found this tooth earlier today in the Cretaceous Black Creek group of eastern North Carolina. It’s extremely worn, but it’s definitely a tooth (update: okay maybe not ), either mosasaur or Deinosuchus rugosus (due to its size). I’m leaning towards mosasaur due to the elliptical shape of its base. Does anyone know which it is? And if it’s mosasaur, what possible genus or species it might belong to? I’m curious to see what the tooth looked like before it got so beat up. Thanks! Edited November 22, 2021 by fossil_lover_2277 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 I think you have half of a spiral coprolite. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 I'm also not seeing a tooth: no enamel remains, if ever there was any, and the material characteristics are all wrong. For, even if the enamel had worn away, you'd expect the smooth dentine too show through, which wouldn't have the putting and twisting folds this specimen has. Instead, I agree the shape and defining characteristics of this piece are much more akin as spiral coprolite, as produced by certain fishes, including sharks. As such, let's see what @GeschWhat has to add to this... 1 'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossil_lover_2277 Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 7 hours ago, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said: I'm also not seeing a tooth: no enamel remains, if ever there was any, and the material characteristics are all wrong. For, even if the enamel had worn away, you'd expect the smooth dentine too show through, which wouldn't have the putting and twisting folds this specimen has. Instead, I agree the shape and defining characteristics of this piece are much more akin as spiral coprolite, as produced by certain fishes, including sharks. As such, let's see what @GeschWhat has to add to this... 8 hours ago, Al Dente said: I think you have half of a spiral coprolite. Thanks...I had no idea. I saw the circular hole at the bottom, along with the somewhat conical shape, thought it was a tooth worn beyond recognition. But this makes a lot of sense, never heard of a spiral coprolite before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 42 minutes ago, fossil_lover_2277 said: never heard of a spiral coprolite before! Have a look at the below thread. It contains some nice illustrations of spiral coprolites, explains their formation and discusses coprolite morphology in general: 1 'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossil_lover_2277 Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 (edited) @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon so it’s likely shark then, or maybe fish. And it’s based on the organism’s intestinal anatomy. Well now I know what shark poop looks like Edited November 22, 2021 by fossil_lover_2277 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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