Shark, Fish And Other Micros From Eastern South Dakota Matrix

[gdarone]

I received a box of unsifted matrix from a quarry in South Dakota (Carlisle Formation? Grant County? Late Cretaceous?) from tj102569 back in late January. Large chunks, smaller chunks, even dirt and fine grit.

I picked out a few visible fossils by hand, then used the vinegar method to release the rest from their calcified tombs.

Here are my best photos of the representative fossils of each species I think I've been able to identify. Please let me know if you think I've got something wrong.

1) 2)

(1 & 2) Cretalamna appendiculata - mackerel shark

3) 4)

(3 & 4) Cretoxyrhina mantelli - ginsu shark

5) 6)

(5 & 6) Scapanorhynchus raphiodon - goblin shark

7)

(7) Squalicorax curvatus - crow shark

8)

(8) Squalicorax falcatus - crow shark

9) 10)

(9 & 10) Ptychodus sp. - crusher shark

11)

(11) Ptychotrygon triangularis - sawfish

12)

(12) Enchodus ferox - saber-toothed herring

13)

(13) Gastropod sp.

14)

(14) Unknown vertebrae (shark or fish?)

15)

(15) Unknown tooth. The serrations would make me think one of the crow shark varieties, but the shape is inconsistent with those, I think. Any ideas?

I had a lot of fun with this box of matrix. I will definitely keep my eyes open for other member sales/trades of matrix in the future.

[KansasFossilHunter]

Very cool! I think your Ptychodus are P. mammillaris.

[MarcoSr]

Really nice specimens. On the ids, 11) does not look like a Ptychotrygon oral or rostral tooth. Can you take some additional pictures of that specimen? Also I see a lot of Cretolamna appendiculata from the Paleocene of MD. The cusplets of your specimens (1 & 2) especially and the crown shapes don't seem to match what I see. Also I haven't seen a C.appendiculata with a single cusplet on just one side before. So I think your teeth may be something different. Let's see what others say on these.

Marco Sr.

[jcbshark]

Nice finds you have there!

[gdarone]

MarcoSr, here are 4 different views of the #11 tooth, scanned at 2400ppi.

Thanks

[Al Dente]

MarcoSr, here are 4 different views of the #11 tooth, scanned at 2400ppi.

Thanks

tooth 4 angles.jpg

It looks like a reptile tooth, possibly crocodile.

[obsessed1]

Nice teeth! I am with Marco in that 1 & 2 don't match what I'm used to seeing here in Maryland. Is Archaeolamna kopingensis reported as found from that location?

[MarcoSr]

It looks like a reptile tooth, possibly crocodile.

MarcoSr, here are 4 different views of the #11 tooth, scanned at 2400ppi.

Thanks

tooth 4 angles.jpg

Great pictures. I agree with Al Dente. Definitely not a Ptychotrygon. Below are a P. triangularis rostral tooth from the Turonian of Kansas and an oral tooth from the Coniacian of Texas for comparison.

Marco Sr.

Edited February 15, 2014 by MarcoSr

[gdarone]

I can see the difference now. Thanks! So probably a reptile (crocodile?) tooth. MarcoSr, did you get a box of matrix from tj102569 also? What formation/location timeperiod did you think it was?

Does anyone have any guesses for (15)?

[siteseer]

Yes, 1 and 2 are Archaeolamna if not A. kopongensis. Those are lateral-posterior positions. In Cretolamna these teeth would be noticeably less-curved with a low, broad-based crown. Archaeolamna has rather deep-hooked crowns like that and the mesial cusplet is not always present as in #2. I don't have a tooth like that but have read about them (see Siverson, 1992). For notes and figures of Cretalamna, see Shimada (2007). Also, Siverson has completed an article on Cretaceous Cretalamna and it might be released this year.

Jess

Siverson, M. 1992

Biology, Dental Morphology and Taxonomy of Lamniform Sharks from the Campanian of the Kristianstad Basin, Sweden. Paleontology. Vol. 35 (3): 519-554.

Shimada, K. 2007.

Skeletal and Dental Anatomy of Lamniform Shark, Cretalamna appendiculata, from Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk of Kansas. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27(3): 584-602.

Edit: I just noticed that I omitted the word "cusplet" on line 2 after "mesial" in the original post - fixed it.

.

Nice teeth! I am with Marco in that 1 & 2 don't match what I'm used to seeing here in Maryland. Is Archaeolamna kopingensis reported as found from that location?

Edited February 16, 2014 by siteseer

[MarcoSr]

I can see the difference now. Thanks! So probably a reptile (crocodile?) tooth. MarcoSr, did you get a box of matrix from tj102569 also? What formation/location timeperiod did you think it was?

Does anyone have any guesses for (15)?

I would definitely say reptile but can't say for sure beyond that. From the species that I found I believe that the matrix is Turonian but it also contains some Cenomanian reworked species. I have a good number of Squalicorax anterior teeth that have the shape/serrations like 15. So I would say it is Squalicorax. A tooth from my matrix:

Marco Sr.

[siteseer]

Gdarone,

I agree with Al Dente that it is a reptile tooth. It might be early for a mosasaur, depending one what formation/member the rock is determined to be, but it has that shape. Maybe one of the Niobrara or Texas collectors will add a comment.

Around the mid-90's I received some shark teeth said to be from a quarry in Grant County, SD and they have a very similar preservation. No formation was listed on the tag but my friend thought they could be Cenomanian age. Another label says "Carlile Formation," which would be younger than that. If that #11 tooth is a mosasaur that would likely make the rock at least early Turonian-age. I don't know much South Dakota geology but early-middle Turonian rock would be marine and maybe Greenhorn Formation. I think the rock is at least middle Turonian especially if that #11 tooth is a mosasaur because mosasaur remains are better-known from that time..

I agree with Marco Sr. that the #15 specimen is a Squalicorax crown piece and I think it is S. falcatus based on the size. The presence of Squaliocorax falcatus indicates an age of at least middle Turonian as well. That other Squalicorax tooth could be S. volgensis, which can be unserrated or serrated according to Cicimurri (2004). I have read that these two species together are found in middle Turonian-age rocks. In South Dakota that could (would most likely?) mean that the rock belongs to one of the members of the Carlile Shale. That's cobbled-together reasoning but I think these teeth are from the Carlile, and I could be right for the wrong reason, or just wrong for more than one reason,,but it's somewhere to start.

If you find a well-preserved ammonite, and someone can identify it, that would nail down the age. I would try contacting someone at the School of Mines in Rapid City, SD but it would help to know the name of the quarry.

Jess

Edit: Here's the reference cited:

Cicimurri, D.J. 2004.
Late Cretaceous Chondrichthyans from the Carlile Shale (Middle Turonian to Early Coniacian) of the Black Hills Region, South Dakota and Wyoming. The Mountain Geologist. 41(1):1-16.

I can see the difference now. Thanks! So probably a reptile (crocodile?) tooth. MarcoSr, did you get a box of matrix from tj102569 also? What formation/location timeperiod did you think it was?

Does anyone have any guesses for (15)?

Edited February 16, 2014 by siteseer

[MarcoSr]

That other Squalicorax tooth could be S. volgensis, which can be unserrated or serrated according to Cicimurri (2004).

Jess

Edit: Here's the reference cited:

Cicimurri, D.J. 2004.

Late Cretaceous Chondrichthyans from the Carlile Shale (Middle Turonian to Early Coniacian) of the Black Hills Region, South Dakota and Wyoming. The Mountain Geologist. 41(1):1-16.

Jess

I was searching for an id for the other Squalicorax. From the picture the tooth looked unserrated or at best very lightly serrated in a few areas. I'm not familiar with S. volgensis so thank you for the reference.

Marco Sr.

[gdarone]

Thanks so much for the great insights!

[siteseer]

Marco Sr. and Gdarone,

I mentioned volgensis without checking out that name first. This morning, I had the nagging feeling that it was discussed recently and then I checked elasmo.com which directed me to Siverson et al. (2007). That article put names to some Pawpaw Formation that had been considered volgensis or Squalicorax sp. or S. curvatus. It concluded that:

1. Pawpaw "volgensis" was actually a mixture of two species (priscoserratus and pawpawensis).

2. Squalicorax sp..is also a mixture of those species; volgensis had started to be used for that apparent form in recent years.

3. Pending the study of a larger sample, S. curvatus proposed to be a nomen dubium - an invalid name - because the type material is insufficient (only two teeth) and does not appear to exhibit any characters that clearly distinguish it from other species.

4. S. volgensis may still be a valid name but only for teeth from the type locality in Russia - larger sample needed to confirm that.

In the Pawpaw S. pawpawensis was the most common Squalicorax species (317 teeth in the sample compared to only 24 priscoserratus and one S. aff. baharijensis tooth). The quick way to ID pawpawensis is to see a narrowing, somewhat straight cuso with unserrated or weakly-serrated cutting edges and a broad neck. S. priscoserratus has a somewhat narrower crown toward the tip and a somewhat straight but more often weakly-convex cusp that weakly curves out toward the tip (similar to Physogaleus contortus). The cutting edges have small but distinct serrations that start to disappear toward the tip and the tooth has a narrow neck. S. aff. bajarijensis has a more convex mesial edge on a cusp that curves distally, a broad neck, and well-developed serrations. Only lateral teeth are figured but I would assume that the anteriors have a more convex mesial edge on a cusp that looks broader than in the other two species with which it occurs.

Jess

Siverson, M., S. Lindgren, and L.S. Kelley. 2007.

Anacoracid sharks from the Albian (Lower Cretaceous) Pawpaw Shale of Texas. Palaeontology. Vol. 50 (4): 939-950.

.

Jess

I was searching for an id for the other Squalicorax. From the picture the tooth looked unserrated or at best very lightly serrated in a few areas. I'm not familiar with S. volgensis so thank you for the reference.

Marco Sr.

[gdarone]

It looks like I have a lot of relabeling to do for my specimens! I love it!

I think it's time to start using my university library e-journal wealth. For all the years I spent doing research in a chemistry laboratory, it hadn't occurred to me to check the paleontology journals when identifying my fossils. Silly me.

Thanks!

[tj102569]

I am glad you had fun. My son and I also had a blast with it... Will have more matrix later in the spring from a different location....close to the bad lands... but legal to dig... I think.... lol

[jgcox]

I am anticipating my box to arrive soon!!

[vnord]

 

 

I've got two boxes of that rock, loaded with

sharks teeth and other fossils, from the same

location.  East of Milbank SD. cool stuff.   A fossil every half inch.

 Good luck into getting

into those private properties.

 

There's a spot just across into MN, a gravel

pit, where sharks teeth are found in

a calcite cemented SS.  And chalk boulders,

with fish scales.  Some where in my sites.

 

When I was in college, I visited a near by

quarry, where sharks teeth were found

in uncemented gravels, also. 

 

My fossils seem different to what are

shown? 

 

Cheers Vern

[vnord]

I reached the limit to uploading,so no more photos.

[MarcoSr]

8 hours ago, vnord said:

 

I've got two boxes of that rock, loaded with

sharks teeth and other fossils, from the same

location.  East of Milbank SD. cool stuff.   A fossil every half inch.

Good luck into getting

into those private properties

 

Vern

 

PM sent.

 

Marco Sr.

[ynot]

11 hours ago, vnord said:

I reached the limit to uploading,so no more photos.

The limit is a per post limit.

You can add more pictures in the replies.

If it still says You are over the limit, try refreshing the page.

Welcome to TFF!

 

PS Nice pieces in the picture You posted!

[vnord]

 I'm sharing about a year of research on an unrelated topic, reports of coarse gold and silver. 

I searched old newspapers, with an eye toward big gold and silver nuggets, and big golds coming from

hard rock mines. 

 

I'd like to share a photo of this above mentioned rock.  And the concentration of sharks teeth. 

I think the teeth were deposited in lots of shale, and when the water receded, it washed away the fine material. 

There seems to be a shark's tooth every inch. 

I showed this rock to a local well driller and he was very surprised and interested.