Odd little micro-chondrichthyan tooth

[digit]

Processing some micro-matrix from a creek here in Florida and I've come across a number of tiny chondrichthyan (assuming shark) teeth that are rather odd and defy my efforts to classify them (not really all that difficult). You can see from this gallery of 9 teeth that they tend to have fairly thick wide roots (when they are not eroded away). The enameled crown is wide at the base and has a single cusp that is curved becoming nearly parallel to the root base. Often, these oddly shaped smaller teeth end up being odd symphyseal (or parasymphyseal) teeth of a more common species since teeth in this position are often quite different from the others surrounding it. That might be the case here or this might be a "normal" tooth from some less common species. You'll notice from the scale that these teeth are all 2-3 mm in various dimensions so they are really micros.

 

I spent some time today photographing this group from a few angles to send out to several places with hopes that someone recognizes this. Anybody here ever encounter something like this while picking micro-matrix? Would love to be able to put an ID to these little oddities.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

 

 

 

[debivort]

I just found a similar tooth in my own batch of Peace River material, so very interested to see what folks think about these teeth.

[jikohr]

Not sure what species they are, but they look like carpet shark (Orectolobiform) to me. Nice finds!

[Troodon]

Crowns look a bit like Rhiniodon but a bit smaller

From elasmo site

[digit]

5 hours ago, jikohr said:

Not sure what species they are, but they look like carpet shark (Orectolobiform) to me. Nice finds!

 

4 hours ago, Troodon said:

Crowns look a bit like Rhiniodon but a bit smaller

 

Whale sharks are indeed the largest of the Orectolobiformes ("wall-to-wall carpet sharks" as I call them). This is an interesting avenue to pursue. The locality does have Giant Manta and Lesser Devil Ray vestigial teeth and this could be a third filter-feeding taxon at the site.

 

Thanks for the new avenue of research--would be wild if it pans out!

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken