Tiniest Shark Tooth You've Ever Seen? POC Microfossil

[Mikrogeophagus]

Just a quick post. Was picking through some washed gravel I got from Post Oak Creek back in the winter when I stumbled upon this guy. I'm surprised my screens were fine enough to catch him. Taking clear pics was a bit difficult so apologies for blurriness. I'm curious about what sort of shark would have a tooth of this size. Was it just a tiny pup or were there just really small species?

 

The hashmarks are millimeters.

 

I might make a post about my POC micro finds once I finish going through it and identifying stuff. It's a long process, but there are plenty of fun finds to be had. Thanks for reading!

[ClearLake]

That is a great looking tooth, especially considering how small it is.  Good catch!  I found some pretty small ones also in Gainesville , Fl. matrix.  Always neat to find.

[Jared C]

That nutrient groove makes me think it’s a rear Scapanorynchus tooth. Those funny cusp shapes are giving me a tinge of doubt though, can’t remember if there are other less common Cretaceous sharks with a nutrient groove from the Eagle Ford

[Fossildude19]

@MarcoSr  @Al Dente  @sixgill pete  @digit

 

Catshark tooth maybe?

[Al Dente]

The root looks different than most catshark roots, but there is a lot of variation in root shape among the catsharks. I think it looks more like some type of lamniform intermediate or posterior tooth.

[Gizmo]

@sharkdoctor

[digit]

If I'd seen this in younger matrix (Miocene to Pleistocene) I'd suggest that it was catshark (due to the distinct side cusps). I managed to get my hands on a bit of Cretaceous POC matrix and found it fascinating to pick. This was from a time before the changeover from lamniform sharks to carcharhiniform--a fascinating transition of tooth types. Before this switch shark teeth with side cusps were the norm and cuspless teeth with serrations (carcharhiniform) were the oddities. Today we basically have Carcharias taurus with side cusps and not a lot else. It is really wild to pick matrix where almost every tooth has side cusps.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Coco]

Hi,

 

It’s small and I may be wrong, but I find the root very thick and the cusps large for a Scyliorhinus, and I don’t distinguish the folds at the base of the crown that are usually found on the teeth of this shark. Maybe another Scyliorhinidae...

 

Coco

[MarcoSr]

6 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

@MarcoSr  @Al Dente  @sixgill pete  @digit

 

Catshark tooth maybe?

 

6 hours ago, Al Dente said:

The root looks different than most catshark roots, but there is a lot of variation in root shape among the catsharks. I think it looks more like some type of lamniform intermediate or posterior tooth.

 

I agree with Eric that the root doesn't look like a catshark root.  I also think that the tooth is an intermediate or posterior tooth of a sandtiger shark like Carcharias or a goblin shark (Scapanorhynchus).

 

Marco Sr.