Sloth tooth, bone, or vertebra? Peace River, Florida

[Meganeura]

So I found this today… I originally saw the hollow end and thought sloth tooth. But the side where the chewing surface would be is devoid of the enamel ring. However I’ve certainly seen sloth teeth that are worn down enough that the enamel is missing. However it looks like there’s enamel on the broken/hollow/supposed root end - a very thin layer though.

 

The hollow end also has growth rings like a shark vertebra, and with the indent down the side, also points to vert. But it’s only on one side, not the other, which is smooth. That same indent also seems to rule out rib bone, as far as my experience with said rib bones go. So… anyone have any ideas? @Shellseeker @digit @Brandy Cole @Harry Pristis

 

Broken/hollow end:

 

 

“Chewing surface”:

 

Sides:

 

Growth rings:

 

Enamel?

[Brandy Cole]

I initially thought it was part of a small, worn vert centrum, but the photo of 'rings' made me second guess that.  Not sure what you have there!

[Meganeura]

2 minutes ago, Brandy Cole said:

I initially thought it was part of a small, worn vert centrum, but the photo of 'rings' made me second guess that.  Not sure what you have there!

Yeah I was thinking the same originally but I just… don’t know. It’s such a weird fossil!

[Brandy Cole]

Here are some pretty good comparison pictures that make me lean toward the sloth tooth camp.

 

http://www.fossil-treasures-of-florida.com/sloth-tooth-sloth015.html

[Meganeura]

1 minute ago, Brandy Cole said:

Here are some pretty good comparison pictures that make me lean toward the sloth tooth camp.

 

http://www.fossil-treasures-of-florida.com/sloth-tooth-sloth015.html

Yeah - the hollow end, the depression on the other end have me leaning sloth. The problem is there’s no enamel band that I can see on the “chewing surface”, and the other end kinda-sorta may have a very thin enamel band? But I’m not sure…

[Brandy Cole]

Shape looks similar, but yeah, the texture looks pretty rough by comparison.

[Mahnmut]

I join the sloth tooth camp, attributing the rough texture to mechanical weathering.

Edited May 23, 2023 by Mahnmut
spelling

[Meganeura]

@PrehistoricFlorida Nate, I know you’ve found some funky sloth teeth - what’s your take on this?

[PrehistoricFlorida]

On 5/23/2023 at 5:18 AM, Meganeura said:

@PrehistoricFlorida Nate, I know you’ve found some funky sloth teeth - what’s your take on this?

 

Many times it's a lot easier to say what something isn't, than what it is - it's definitely not a sloth tooth. As to what it is, I couldn't say definitively, appears to be a nondiagnostic shard of bone. 

[Meganeura]

1 hour ago, PrehistoricFlorida said:

 

Many times it's a lot easier to say what something isn't, than what it is - it's definitely not a sloth tooth. As to what it is, I couldn't say definitively, appears to be a nondiagnostic shard of bone. 

Thanks Nate! Bone was honestly my first guess - but the weird internal patterning and the notch threw me off.