antibeautycum Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Okay, so this came from Hungary, from miocene (badenian) deposit. (attached picture)Scale = 1cmAny idea what this could be?Thank you!Márton Link to post Share on other sites
fossilized6s Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 It looks like a tooth fragment from a herbivore of some kind. Link to post Share on other sites
antibeautycum Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 what kind of herbivore could have been living at a miocene coral reef with teeth like this? Link to post Share on other sites
Auspex Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 You may be on the right track with otolith. Member Coco may be able to add to this, as may member MarcoSr. Link to post Share on other sites
MarcoSr Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Really nice pictures! This specimen has damage but it is difficult to determine how much. The size would be OK for an Otolith although a lot of species are smaller. All the Otoliths that I have are fairly flat and look two dimensional. This specimen looks three dimensional and has patterns and a rim feature that I don't normally see on an Otolith. Attached are a few Otoliths from the Eocene of Texas to illustrate what I mean. I'm not really sure what it is. I would say not an Otolith based upon what I have seen but I am curious what TFF member Coco thinks. Marco Sr. Link to post Share on other sites
RichW9090 Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I'm pretty sure it is not a mammal tooth fragment. Link to post Share on other sites
fossilized6s Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I was thinking it was a Manatee or varient. It was just a thought.... Link to post Share on other sites
RichW9090 Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) Now you've got me doubting myself, Fossilized6s. I can, if I twist me head just right and squint me eyes, see enamel crests and dentin....... Edited July 19, 2014 by RichW9090 Link to post Share on other sites
Auspex Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 The internal structure (revealed at the break) looks like organic aragonite-calcite crystallization; this, plus the odd, flowing morphology is what suggested otolith to me. It is more three dimensional than the few I've seen, though. Link to post Share on other sites
Coco Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hi, Thanks Auspex and Marco for having drawn my attention on this subject As Marco said, it is difficult to pronounce. I suppose that the 3 pics come from the same specimen. It is a little broken and I don't know its real shape. There is a thing which saddens me : the small parallel lines on the rounded off shape, I have never seen it on current or fossil otoliths. How much measures the thickness ? You can have a look on a post I have written specialy on recent otoliths, the link is in my signature. Coco Link to post Share on other sites
antibeautycum Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Actually becuse of the outer layer looks like this is some kind of tooth (seems to be dentition there), instead of otolith - for me :/I saw a few different type of otoliths, but this is very strange to be one...The idea of manatee tooth looks like friendly, but then where is the root of the tooth? :S Link to post Share on other sites
RichW9090 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 It might could be a deciduous tooth, and therefore the roots would have been reabsorbed..... Link to post Share on other sites
antibeautycum Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 It could be But if this is a tooth and not an otolith (as I thought), which animal group could it belong to? Link to post Share on other sites
RichW9090 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 It would be a mammal, and give the age, a worn ungulate tooth. But by no means am I suggesting that it is. I still think an otolith is the most likely. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now