Rex? DR? (nano?)

[Dino Dad 81]

Hi,

 

This one is a real kicker for me and I'm eager to hear what you think.

Before studying it, I thought it might be a small T Rex, but the serrations are too fine. I don't believe it can be Nano for a few reasons, base shape being a big one (zero pinch). But it'd be unusual for a DR I think too, mostly for the mesial carina, but not sure. I wonder if much of the oddity is due to it possibly being an anterior tooth...?

 

It's:

• From the hell creek formation
• CH: 16.6mm

 

• CBL: 8.8mm (1.88 ratio)

 

• Mesial serration density: about 6 per MM

 

• Distal serration density: about 4 per MM

 

 

• Serration shape: Hard to tell with the level of wear, but the stumps are perfectly round--not boxy or rectrangular, as I'd expect if chisel

 

• Base cross-section: Oval, no pinch whatsoever

 

• Mesial carina: Here's a tough part--it's very offset to one side and it hard for me to tell whether that means twist or not. Both the distal and mesial carina are fairly extremely to opposite sides (anterior?). So the mesial can look like it has twist, but, from the right sideways view, the two carina are both visible and parallel from top to bottom--they don't seem to converge with a twist at the lower mesial portion.

 

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU!

 

[Phos_01]

Not sure about Trex , shape looks different, base also looks different , I think Nano. Nice tooth tho

But @Troodon and others will tell you what it is

He has made a topic how to identify them also, but I can't find it, still struggling to navigate on this forum. 

[Troodon]

What is the scale in your density photos? Certainly not DR with that shape.  Its a tyrannosaurid.

[Dino Dad 81]

@Troodon each tick mark is 0.5mm. I have some Rex teeth this size that are a little less curved in overall morphology and bit more circular of a base cross section. But at about 4/mm distal and maybe 6/mm mesial, it can't be rex right? Nano with an oddly non-pinched base? Nuts that there's even the start of the root there but no pinch.

[Troodon]

    Here are a couple of much larger Nano teeth that look a bit like yours.  I would expect the density on very small teeth to be much higher than typical and it's not unusual for the mesial density to be greater than distal on Nano teeth.

 

[Dino Dad 81]

Thanks, Frank! Do you think Nano is safer than Tyranno indet, despite the lack of pinch?

Edited April 9, 2022 by Dino Dad 81

[Troodon]

Yes and I do see a pinch on one side and almost flat on the other.   To be safe its indet tyrannosaurid