DCW Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hey gang, I'd appreciate some help on this one: I have here a tooth from Big Brook, NJ. It's small(about 0.4 in.), but it has very nice color, enamel, and preservation. One of my favorites that Ive collected. I assume it's from some marine vertebrate that predominate the area, but you never know. It has two cutting edges with no visible serrations. It is slightly conical and robust for a small tooth, unlike any shark tooth, with it's point intact. Save for a very tiny abrasion, its enamel (which is a deep, lustrous brown and black) is nearly pristine. Kind of reminds me of some of the dinosaur teeth I see on websites, but this is not typical for Big Brook. Baby mosasaur? Croc tooth? Nothing seems to match, Im at a loss. Thanks in advance, and enjoy the pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 nice tooth! looks therapod-ish to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickNC Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Looks like a mosasaur tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I have to agree with Rick on this. Looks like a mosasaur tooth. 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...
Diplotomodon Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 (edited) Very likely a mosasaur tooth. If it IS a theropod tooth, that's about as rare as you can get for Big Brook. Here's some typical mosasaur material from the brook: http://www.njfossils.net/Mconodon1.jpg Edited March 5, 2011 by Crimsonraptor What a wonderful menagerie! Who would believe that such as register lay buried in the strata? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, has been an intensely interesting though difficult work, having all the excitement and marvelous development of a romance. And yet the volume is only partly read. Many a new page I fancy will yet be opened. -- Edward Hitchcock, 1858 Formerly known on the forum as Crimsonraptor @Diplotomodon on Twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCW Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 Most mosasaur teeth I've com e across have a curve to them. Yet this tooth is straight and triangular. Did the shape change I'm accordance to where the tooth was positioned in the jaw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diplotomodon Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Most mosasaur teeth I've com e across have a curve to them. Yet this tooth is straight and triangular. Did the shape change I'm accordance to where the tooth was positioned in the jaw? The teeth can vary slightly, I think. The only other candidate for owner is a theropod dinosaur, and aside from being rare also have serrations. Nice find, by the way---you don't often get that much enamel to remain on a tooth What a wonderful menagerie! Who would believe that such as register lay buried in the strata? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, has been an intensely interesting though difficult work, having all the excitement and marvelous development of a romance. And yet the volume is only partly read. Many a new page I fancy will yet be opened. -- Edward Hitchcock, 1858 Formerly known on the forum as Crimsonraptor @Diplotomodon on Twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Ahoy Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Therapod teeth also have a curve, though. Looks a lot like teeth from my Halisaurus jaw. I'm not sure if it's typical for some of the other Mosasaur species, but the teeth seem to have a curve, and the straighten at the tip. If this is a knocked-off tip, it would explain the lack of a curve. But that's seriously just a complete guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 But that's seriously just a complete guess It's a good guess, and a well reasoned observation. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diplotomodon Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I guess a tooth tip would make sense. What a wonderful menagerie! Who would believe that such as register lay buried in the strata? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, has been an intensely interesting though difficult work, having all the excitement and marvelous development of a romance. And yet the volume is only partly read. Many a new page I fancy will yet be opened. -- Edward Hitchcock, 1858 Formerly known on the forum as Crimsonraptor @Diplotomodon on Twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-remanié Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 yes mosey tip. really nice enamel though! ---Wie Wasser schleift den Stein, wir steigen und fallen--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 It's a good guess, and a well reasoned observation. Yes a SWAG: Scientific Wild A** Guess. A good one too. Another odd possibility would be a honking-big Xiphactinus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Ahoy Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Yes a SWAG: Scientific Wild A** Guess. A good one too. Another odd possibility would be a honking-big Xiphactinus. I thought fish, too. But I could swear I can make out some very worn serrations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I thought fish, too. But I could swear I can make out some very worn serrations. me too bro...that's why i said therapod-ish. but it's probably a small mos tooth tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-remanié Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 the tooth structure (enamel and dentine) looks reptilian. and some mosasaur teeth can have micro serrations like the ones we think we are seeing on these very nice clear pictures. ---Wie Wasser schleift den Stein, wir steigen und fallen--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCW Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Thanks to all who have posted so far. This tooth is odd. I agree it's enamel looks reptilian as suggested by toothpuller, but I cant for the life of me make out any serrations. Yes, they could have worn off, but the tooth looks like it just fell into the stream after many millions of years packed in sediment. Can it be so highly preserved and yet have the serrations worn completely off? (Maybe I should breakout a stronger loupe.) Mosasaur is an obvious candidate, but I'm not 100% convinced. Ive never seen one quite like this. As for the possibility of it being the tip (which is a plausible explanation): there is a small "hole" in the middle of the base. (see last photo) Wouldn't that signify the beginning of the root or does this run all the way up to the tip? Thanks again, guys. Really interesting, active forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Ahoy Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 The hollow cavity can run a good distance up the tooth. It was actually one of the first features that made me think it's the tip of the tooth, rather than the whole thing. As for the serrations being worn...who knows? Those streams do crazy things! I just got my first complete borodini today, and wouldn't you know it...the fragile thing stayed intact, but is worn completely smooth instead. Blah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njfossilhunter Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Besides possibly being a mossy,,,It maybe a croc too. Sometimes its very hard to tell them apart. Either way a very nice find. TonyThe Brooks Are Like A Box Of Chocolates,,,, You Never Know What You'll Find. I Told You I Don't Have Alzheimer's.....I Have Sometimers. Some Times I Remember And Some Times I Forget.... I Mostly Forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Sometimes you can feel serrations that are hard to see, try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diplotomodon Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Besides possibly being a mossy,,,It maybe a croc too. Sometimes its very hard to tell them apart. Either way a very nice find. Hmmm...perhaps. It just doesn't look right to me, to be a croc tooth. I still think it has a distinct whiff of mosasaur. What a wonderful menagerie! Who would believe that such as register lay buried in the strata? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, has been an intensely interesting though difficult work, having all the excitement and marvelous development of a romance. And yet the volume is only partly read. Many a new page I fancy will yet be opened. -- Edward Hitchcock, 1858 Formerly known on the forum as Crimsonraptor @Diplotomodon on Twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Ogilvie Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I'm pretty sure you have the tip of a sawfish tooth (ischyrhiza). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CStewart Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 (edited) Take a look at these found by Foshunter in Texas http://www.thefossilforum.com/uploads/1304773229/gallery_3940_931_458917.jpg Edited December 18, 2013 by CStewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 (edited) Sorry, Ray. There might be some debate over what reptile it is, but I seriously doubt it's Ischyrhiza. Wrong texture, unlikely color, and way too big. Edited December 18, 2013 by Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCW Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 Sorry, Ray. There might be some debate over what reptile it is, but I seriously doubt it's Ischyrhiza. Wrong texture, unlikely color, and way too big. I agree. This would have to be a huge sawfish to have the size of this tooth. I have found many saw fish teeth and none resemble this one. I really have the urge to bring it to the state museum in trenton. Anyone have any experience getting in contact with an expert? And hey, thanks for reviving an old thread and getting me back to the forum after a short hiatus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Track down David Parris at the New Jersey State Museum. Great guy and he will definitely respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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