Fish and cetacean jaws for ID

[Fin Lover]

I found two fossilized jaw segments yesterday that I need help IDing, please.

 

I believe the first is either barracuda or wahoo, but I've done a little research and am still not sure how to tell them apart.  My guess is wahoo, based on the tooth thickness increasing as it gets closer to the root, but some descriptions I've seen of wahoo teeth describe them as "needle-like", which these are not.  Jaw section is 50mm long.  Tooth goes from about 1 mm thick at the point to about 5mm at the base.  Found in an area that is heavily Oligocene but with a small amount of Miocene (coming from an overlying Pleistocene lag deposit).

 

Jaw #2 I believe is cetacean... something like an echoventator.  I previously found a similar one in the same creek, but the spacing between those teeth were greater (both have the double-root teeth).  This creek is also Oligocene with some Miocene from overlying lag deposits.  62mm long and 32mm tall.

Wet to show the double-root tooth sockets better:

New jaw on left, other from same location on right:

 

I hate to @ people if I don't have to but, from reading old posts, I think @Al Dente and @MarcoSr can probably ID wahoo vs. barracuda.

 

Thanks so much!

Edited May 24, 2023 by Fin Lover

[Meganeura]

Seeing the top down view for the first jaw - I think wahoo is the more likely candidate over cuda - cuda don’t expand out that much for the… I guess they’re considered posterior teeth? 
 

Modern wahoo:

Edited May 24, 2023 by Meganeura

[Fin Lover]

Thanks @Meganeura.  Yes, because the teeth get thicker as you move towards the base (jaw) I am also leaning towards wahoo.  But, I've seen some pictures in old posts where wahoo teeth looked more peg-like instead of the triangle or teardrop shape.  Maybe they were more worn than this one.

[Fin Lover]

@Boesse, I hate to bother you, but seeing others get IDs makes me more curious on mine.   Are you able to ID the two odontocete jaw frags I've found?  Jaw #2 in the post above and the jaw below (also mentioned in the post above):

 

Also, I know I have only found a couple odontocete jaw frags and a handful of odontocete teeth so far, but if you ever see anything I've found on the forum that would be of interest to you scientifically,  please let me know! 

[Fin Lover]

@Boesse, are you able to ID these?  I am trying to rectify the fact that I have not labeled my finds in the past.  Both found in same creek in Summerville.

 

Jaw#1: (62mm long, 32mm tall)

 

Jaw #2:

 

Side by side:

 

Thank you so much!

[Boesse]

OK: the dark brown one with the more regularly spaced tooth sockets is probably from a waipatiid-grade dolphin. The tan one with the wide spaces and more clearly double rooted teeth possesses 'embrasure pits' for the opposing teeth, clearly identifying that specimen as a xenorophid - and a small one at that, likely Albertocetus or Echovenator.

[Fin Lover]

Awesome, thank you so much @Boesse!

[Shellseeker]

42 minutes ago, Fin Lover said:

Awesome, thank you so much @Boesse!

Congratulations !!! I love Florida fossils but I am seeing the attractions of your hunting grounds. Jack

[Fin Lover]

@Shellseeker, I enjoy the angustidens and the odontocete fossils, but it sure would be nice to find megs like you do. Although, I don't envy you having to get in deep, dark water with gators.  I avoid the rivers here that have gators. 

[Shellseeker]

12 hours ago, Fin Lover said:

@Shellseeker, I enjoy the angustidens and the odontocete fossils, but it sure would be nice to find megs like you do. Although, I don't envy you having to get in deep, dark water with gators.  I avoid the rivers here that have gators. 

I understand the feeling. You are the sensible one.  I am playing a game of risk _ reward.  I depend on numerous unknown locals who want their kids to swim in the Peace River and disapprove of large gators.  AND the fact that there have been few attacks and no fatalities in the Peace River despite heavy hunting.

However,  when I get into those deep dark waters, I am acutely alert and slightly nervous, even though I have taken every precaution I can think of....always a friend close by, a sharp tip surveyors pole anchoring my sieve in the current, a 6 inch titanium blade strapped to my right hip. The guys I hunt with actually think I am overly paranoiac.. 

Sightings are rare. This taken above Heard Bridge on New Years Day, 2018. Even though I know that gator was half frozen trying to get some sun, I did not hunt there that day... nervous