Kem Kem tooth Crocodile?

[siteseer]

Here's a tooth I bought at the gem show back in the days when Moroccan vertebrate stuff was starting to appear at Tucson and other shows.  I've been meaning to show it to people for years.  It's from the Kem Kem Beds (Cenomanian), Taouz area, Morocco.  It's about 61mm long with cutting edges that appear to be slightly crenulated rather than finely-serrated.  It's oval in cross-section on the root end but the crown becomes blade-like toward the tip so it is somewhat labiolingually compressed.

 

I assume it's a crocodile tooth but thought it might have a small chance at being from a dinosaur.  I'll hit up the "Kem Kem regulars" for comment but am interested what others say as well.

 

  @Troodon @Haravex @LordTrilobite

 

Thanks,

 

Jess

 

Edited December 6, 2022 by siteseer

[Troodon]

Jess nice tooth, not seen one like it.  I don't believe its dinosaurian and would lean to some crocodyliform.   Kaprosuchus saharicus from Niger's equivalent.     Echkar beds has 6 cm pointed teeth but with smooth carinae.  The round base also points to a possible croc.  Hopefully others will shed more light on it.

[LordTrilobite]

Could be croc like Frank said.

Although I will say that it also shows some similarities with some Spinosaurids like Irritator.

[FB003]

Nice tooth Jess!

[FB003]

Is Pterosaur a possibility?

[siteseer]

9 hours ago, Troodon said:

Jess nice tooth, not seen one like it.  I don't believe its dinosaurian and would lean to some crocodyliform.   Kaprosuchus saharicus from Niger's equivalent.     Echkar beds has 6 cm pointed teeth but with smooth carinae.  The round base also points to a possible croc.  Hopefully others will shed more light on it.

 

I see I should have taken a shot of it so you can see how blade-like it is.  I haven't seen another tooth like it either but always thought it was probably an oddball croc from a time when they were rather diverse.  The size would seem to indicate something well known already but it could be from an animal that didn't frequent that environment.

[siteseer]

8 hours ago, LordTrilobite said:

Could be croc like Frank said.

Although I will say that it also shows some similarities with some Spinosaurids like Irritator.

 

Yes, I thought some spinosaur I haven't seen much of could be a possibility.  In my time collecting fossils, I've learned that unknowns are much more likely to be an weathered form of something common rather than some rare exotic something.  I always assume a specimen in question is a rock rather than a dinosaur egg.

[siteseer]

3 hours ago, FB003 said:

Is Pterosaur a possibility?

 

Interesting idea.  If so, it would be a big pterosaur.

[Troodon]

I don't see a blade like crown but the lingual side being a low parabolic shape that flattens out at the carina. I don't see any theropod or Spinosaurid fitting that morphology. 

[siteseer]

Here's another angle at that tooth so you can see how blade-like it is.

[Troodon]

That view  looks more like a Spinosaurid tooth and not croc, a complete opposite of the other photo.  Kind of tooth you need to hold

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Just from looking at the photographs, my first inkling would be to call this spinosaurid.