central texas tooth

[Jared C]

Here's a tooth that I found in a nice slab that had plenty of other easy to ID species - I'm having a hard time with this one though.

I'm afraid to prep it further for now - the matrix is very hard, making my hand picks barely usable, while the tooth itself is very delicate.

 

I see no carinae, but the tooth seems a bit long for a mosasaur. I also see no strong striations in the enamel that would indicate pliosaur. My best guess at the moment is Xiphactinus? What do ya'll think?

 

Found in the Eagle Ford formation in central texas. I suspect on the Bouldin Flags member (at least I hope so! I've been trying to find the Bouldin Flags forever!)

 

Scale is inches (the ruler is covered in marks so I shifted it to a clearer portion)

 

[Fossildude19]

Not sure you can definitively get beyond "ichthyodectid tooth".

 

@Ptychodus04

[Ptychodus04]

It looks “Ichtyhodectidy” to me as well, and it’s the right size for Xiphactinus. There’s no way to positively identify isolated Ichtyhodectid teeth since they are all generally the same. I have found a handful of verifiable Xiphactinus fossils (jaws and associated post-cranial material) in the basal Britton Formation (very low Eagle Ford Group) up here in Dallas, so it’s possible.

 

I would label it Ichtyhodectidae indet. cf. Xiphactinus audax.

 

I can hit it with some abrasive and glue up the crack for you when you come pick up your mosasaur. That won’t take long.

[Jared C]

3 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

It looks “Ichtyhodectidy” to me as well, and it’s the right size for Xiphactinus. There’s no way to positively identify isolated Ichtyhodectid teeth since they are all generally the same. I have found a handful of verifiable Xiphactinus fossils (jaws and associated post-cranial material) in the basal Britton Formation (very low Eagle Ford Group) up here in Dallas, so it’s possible.

 

I would label it Ichtyhodectidae indet. cf. Xiphactinus audax.

 

I can hit it with some abrasive and glue up the crack for you when you come pick up your mosasaur. That won’t take long.

I appreciate that Kris - it'll be soon now - my last final is going to be this Monday, so It'll probably be the weekend following 

[Ptychodus04]

16 minutes ago, Jared C said:

I appreciate that Kris - it'll be soon now - my last final is going to be this Monday, so It'll probably be the weekend following 

No rush.