Pennsylvanian Fish tooth

[Collector9658]

I found this tooth and part of it that snapped off along some spoil piles. There is no root, and I believe it is the labial view of the tooth surface exposed. The stone comes from the Deer Creek Formation, Ervine Creek Member. I believe it is a Petalodont, possibly Harpacodus?

[erose]

Take a look at the genus Peripristis.  Harpacodus is just little different.  Look at the more bulbous cusps of a Harpacodus versus these smoother cusps on Peripristis. They are both Petalodonts.

[Collector9658]

12 minutes ago, erose said:

Take a look at the genus Peripristis.  Harpacodus is just little different.  Look at the more bulbous cusps of a Harpacodus versus these smoother cusps on Peripristis. They are both Petalodonts.

I agree the Harpacodus is more bulbous. I have found Peripristis at the same location that lack any of the fine serration/bubbling at the end of the cusplets. Could that be a trait in different species or preservation?

[deutscheben]

1 hour ago, Collector9658 said:

I agree the Harpacodus is more bulbous. I have found Peripristis at the same location that lack any of the fine serration/bubbling at the end of the cusplets. Could that be a trait in different species or preservation?

Those serrations are typical for the Peripristis I have seen from Illinois- generally they are more visible on the lingual (inner) side of the tooth. For Peripristis, the labial side should be more convex and the lingual side more concave, I can’t tell from your picture which way this  one curves.

 

Also, that is a gorgeous find! That banded coloring is stunning.

Edited October 15, 2022 by deutscheben
Added note about labial vs lingual determination

[Collector9658]

3 hours ago, deutscheben said:

Those serrations are typical for the Peripristis I have seen from Illinois- generally they are more visible on the lingual (inner) side of the tooth. For Peripristis, the labial side should be more convex and the lingual side more concave, I can’t tell from your picture which way this  one curves.

 

Also, that is a gorgeous find! That banded coloring is stunning.

Thank you for the information! It is the lingual side of the tooth exposed here indeed, not the labial like I had thought. I found another cool looking Petalodont tooth that's much more complete not long ago that also has the serrations around the border like this, so it also must be the lingual side exposed. It seems like every tooth I find at this area is different from the next.