CMiller Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Out of my collection, these three in particular are the biggest mystery to me. The first one I assumed was a claw of some sort, but I've had a few people tell me that it's a gator tooth. I don't know if the Chesapeake Beach ever had any prehistoric gators, and the fact that I found this on a public beach (tertiary) makes me doubt it. But I've been wrong lots of times and would love to have some clarification. Sorry if these photos are blurry, my digital camera is old. The second one I'm guessing is a porpoise tooth, but the thing that fascinates me is the size. Never in my life had I found one so large! The biggest porpoise tooth I have are usually a centimeter long, this tooth is larger than my biggest shark's teeth. I'm just wondering if there were any possible porpoise with teeth this large... Or if it's something completely different, either way I'd love to know. The third one is most likely a bone of sorts, but I've never seen any shaped like this. The way it branches out at the large end makes me think that it's a tooth, but there's also a big chance that maybe it's a femur. If anybody could give me any clues I'd very much appreciate it. Every single one of these were found on a public beach, on the charts it's classified as Tertiary, it's all sand and pebbles. I apologize again if the photos don't help, I could easily take more if you guys need it. Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hi CMiller- The first one is indeed a croc tooth. Crocs have been hanging around that part of the country for a long long time. Even in this part of the country, where they haven't been for 30 million years, they were common around here before that. (Here is Wyoming). Nice of you to use a penny form my birthyear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 The Tertiary is a period of geologic time that encompasses almost all of the past 65,000,000 years. The most recent portion of those years is the Quaternary, the period that includes the Pleistocene and the Holocene Epochs. We are living now in the Holocene Epoch. Your images appear to represent a crocodilian tooth (as 'jpc' explained), an unknown fragment, and an unidentified bone fragment. Isn't it amazing what you can find on a public beach! http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 No doubt the first one is a croc tooth, and a beautifully colored one at that. Very nice find. The second and third pics appear to be fragments of something, the third definitely bone, but not so sure of the second. Post a few more pics of it by itself and maybe someone can help you identify it. Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goupil Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 No doubt the first one is a croc tooth, and a beautifully colored one at that. Very nice find. The second and third pics appear to be fragments of something, the third definitely bone, but not so sure of the second. Post a few more pics of it by itself and maybe someone can help you identify it. The second bone is perhaps a turtle's bone...Perhaps ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMiller Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 No doubt the first one is a croc tooth, and a beautifully colored one at that. Very nice find. The second and third pics appear to be fragments of something, the third definitely bone, but not so sure of the second. Post a few more pics of it by itself and maybe someone can help you identify it. Can do! Here's a few photos of it with a few similar fossils in my collection along with some at different angles. Sorry if the photos came out a bit blurry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Looking at the pictures you just posted, I believe the second item is a porpoise tooth. Porpoise and dolphin teeth come in many different shapes and sizes. Here is a picture of a few of the couple hundred or so I have. Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.