Kem Kem mystery tooth

[BirdsAreDinosaurs]

Hi all. I recently bought this interesting little tooth from @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon. When he first bought it, it was labeled as a Deltadromeus agilis premax tooth. What Deltadromeus' teeth look like, no one knows, but I see why someone would ID this as a premax theropod tooth because of its triangular base and the mesial carina that looks quite theropodian. But to my knowledge, theropod premax teeth have their two carinae located on/towards the distal side, and there is no carina on the midline of the mesial side.

 

What do you think? Is this a premax theropod tooth? Is it even dinosaurian, or could it be something else entirely (perhaps a pterosaur or other reptile)?

 

 

[BirdsAreDinosaurs]

By the way, this tooth reminds me of another mystery tooth that I poster a while ago. Based on poor images, people suggested it was a damaged abelisaurid tooth, but now I doubt that.

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by BirdsAreDinosaurs

[Norki]

Is this not just a regular theropod tooth with the distal edge broken off? I think one of the biggest tells is that the base is incomplete. In fact, you can see part of the hollow inside of the tooth in cross section on the flat distal side.

Edited November 24, 2022 by Norki

[BirdsAreDinosaurs]

1 minute ago, Norki said:

Is this not just a regular theropod tooth with the distal edge broken off?

No, don't think so, it clearly has enamel on the distal edge.

[Norki]

Sorry, I was editing my post while you were quoting it, see my addition above.

 

PS - Sometimes the dentine inside theropod teeth can look a bit like enamel. But I don't doubt that it looks convincing. Puzzling in any case.

Edited November 24, 2022 by Norki

[BirdsAreDinosaurs]

4 minutes ago, Norki said:

Sorry, I was editing my post while you were quoting it, see my addition above.

 

PS - Sometimes the dentine inside theropod teeth can look a bit like enamel. But I don't doubt that it looks convincing. Puzzling in any case.

 

Thanks! I do believe it sure looks like the surface structure of enamel and it also appears to be part of the enamel layer that covers the rest of the tooth. But I could be wrong.

[Paleoworld-101]

I agree this is a broken theropod tooth. Possibly a fragment from those indeterminate abelisaurid teeth that come out of the Kem Kem. 

[DatFossilBoy]

I agree what the comment above says

[Troodon]

Agree with the others partial theropod tooth

[BirdsAreDinosaurs]

Thanks all! Bummer! The distal surface did look a lot like the enamel on the rest of the tooth to me and I had never seen dentine so similar in colour and appearance to the enamel. Well, another lesson learned.