Theropod Teeth from Niger

[Dino Dad 81]

Hello,

 

I've got 5 teeth from Niger I thought I'd post all at once to get ID input. Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

(1) Labeled Afrovenator. Tiouraren Formation of the Agadez region of Niger:

 

 

 

 

 

Posterior looks to be about 2.75/mm

 

Anterior looks to be about 2.5/mm 

 

 

 

 

(2) Labeled Afrovenator. Tiouraren Formation (Niger)

 

 

 

 

Posterior looks to be about 2.25/mm

 

Anterior looks to be about 1.8/mm

 

 

(3) and (4) Two labeled Eocarcharia. Elrhaz formation, tenere desert, Niger. Is it possible for the anterior denticles to not extend to the bottom on Eocarcharia? On both of these, it looks possible that they were worn away on the bottom portion, but looks a little more to me like they end. Maybe anterior teeth?

 

 

 

 

(3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posterior look to be about 3/mm

 

Anterior look to be about ~~2.5/mm

 

Ending of anterior carina

 

(4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posterior about 3/mm and less perpendicular than the others, I think

 

NO SERRATIONS PRESENT ON ANTERIOR, given the wear facet.

 

(5) Labeled Eocarcharia. Elrhaz formation, tenere desert, Niger. Separated from (3) and (4) because it seems different enough from them to draw attention to to the diff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posterior maybe 3.5/mm

 

Anterior maybe ~~3.5/mm

 

THANK YOU!!

Edited May 22, 2022 by Dino Dad 81

[Guns]

Great collection !

[Troodon]

1-2 appears to be a Meglosaurid most likely Afrovenator

 

3 & 4. Eocarcharia is a Carcharodontosaurid and lateral teeth have the mesial carina extending to base.    These do not look like anterior teeth, base is rectangular, but so little is published one cannot be sure of what those look like.  The ratios and undulations support Eocarcharia carina does not on lateral teeth.

 

5 most likely juvie Eocarcharia but you cannot rule out some other theropod that has yet to be described, a Neovenatoridae or Abelisauridae

 

Suggestions for better photos

- no fingers, use putty to prop teeth

- no calipers they hide the tooth, just tell us the numbers

[Dino Dad 81]

Random question, @Troodon. I’ve had some really annoying experiences with putty getting stuck or embedded in small tooth crevices. Any recommendations for avoiding that? If I had to continue using it, I figured maybe cooling it before use might help.

[Troodon]

I don't press it very hard and the putty used should not be very sticky.  I use loctite blue tak

[Dino Dad 81]

One other question @Troodon:

Does the preservation of #3 and #4 seem to look reasonably elrhaz formation, Tenere desert? Or do you think these teeth look like they may have come from Jurassic and be Afrovenator or similar?

 

Thank you

[Troodon]

Provenance is very important to an ID and getting a specific locality is a must with all Niger teeth,  Niger or Tenere desert is useless .  The preservation of your first tooth is very typical of the Tiouraren Fm but beyond that I have not seen enough material to make an educated, informed call .

 

Getting a good locality is very difficult unless your buying from someone who has purchased a specimen directly from a digger

[Troodon]

I re-read a paper (Sereno et al. 2008)  which indicated that these teeth are not typical of Carcharodontosaurus.  So I'll change my opinion and say this may be Eocarcharia.

"The distal carina extends much further basally than themesial carina, a common condition in theropods that also occurs in Allosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus, and a large carcharodontosaurid tooth from Patagonia (Vickers−Rich et al. 1999). In contrast, both carinae extend basally to the same level in
maxillary teeth of Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus.

[Dino Dad 81]

Hi @Troodon,

I'm rebuilding my database of IDs  and I'm up to this batch. Am I understanding correctly that your last message leans towards 3 and 4 being eocarcharia?

 

Thanks,

 

 

On 5/22/2022 at 8:22 AM, Troodon said:

1-2 appears to be a Meglosaurid most likely Afrovenator

 

3 & 4. Eocarcharia is a Carcharodontosaurid and lateral teeth have the mesial carina extending to base.    These do not look like anterior teeth, base is rectangular, but so little is published one cannot be sure of what those look like.  The ratios and undulations support Eocarcharia carina does not on lateral teeth.

 

5 most likely juvie Eocarcharia but you cannot rule out some other theropod that has yet to be described, a Neovenatoridae or Abelisauridae

 

On 5/25/2022 at 2:53 PM, Troodon said:

I re-read a paper (Sereno et al. 2008)  which indicated that these teeth are not typical of Carcharodontosaurus.  So I'll change my opinion and say this may be Eocarcharia.

"The distal carina extends much further basally than themesial carina, a common condition in theropods that also occurs in Allosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus, and a large carcharodontosaurid tooth from Patagonia (Vickers−Rich et al. 1999). In contrast, both carinae extend basally to the same level in
maxillary teeth of Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus.

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Dino Dad 81

[Troodon]

Yes, all I can say until we see more teeth described