sixgill pete Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Marco and I have been trying to hash out an ID for this tooth I posted in hunting trips for the last few days. It was found in some matrix I took from the Martin Marietta Belgrade Quarry. It is located in eastern North Carolina in Jones and Onslow Counties. Belgrade Formation, late Oligocene. The tooth is 3.89mm on the slant. The tooth is not serrated, it has no indication at all of a nutrient groove. This rules out Carcharhinus and Rhizoprionodon. It should also rule out Sphyrna, however just this morning I did find a couple of pics of Oligocene Belgrade Sphyrna teeth not showing a nutrient groove. Any and all opinions are appreciated. First 3 pics I posted in the hunting trips forum 2 more I took yesterday 6 more I took this morning 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...
Al Dente Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I think it's Rhizoprionodon. It looks like there is some root erosion. This reminds me of Alopias teeth from Lee Creek. I had been told there are two species that can be differentiated by a nutrient groove. One had it the other didn't. The problem is, all the pristine teeth found within the mine seemed to have the groove and most of the ones found in reject material where there is a lot of abrasion lacked the groove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 There is also a type of Physogaleus that has some similarities to this tooth. Here is a link:http://ward-sharkteeth.page.tl/Physogaleus-hemmooriensis.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 Eric, there is some root erosion on this tooth. With that said, I still can see no evidence of a nutrient groove. My first instinct on this tooth was Rhizoprionodon, Marco also gave that probability. I will admit there is a similarity between it and the Physogaleus you linked to also. Lets see if we get any more opinions on this. But I have a feeling it is going to end up labeled as Udet. or ?Rhizoprionodon 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...
MarcoSr Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I think it's Rhizoprionodon. It looks like there is some root erosion. This reminds me of Alopias teeth from Lee Creek. I had been told there are two species that can be differentiated by a nutrient groove. One had it the other didn't. The problem is, all the pristine teeth found within the mine seemed to have the groove and most of the ones found in reject material where there is a lot of abrasion lacked the groove. Eric I noticed the same thing with the Alopias. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 I meant to add this picture earlier but forgot. Here is the tooth in question with some other teeth I pulled off the internet. The tooth in the upper left is Physogaleus hemmooriensis from the 2006 paper by Reinecke and Hoedemakers. The tooth in the upper right is a modern Rhizoprionodon acutus from the J-elasmo website. The tooth in the middle left is Sphyrna sp. from Bill Heim's report of the Belgrade Formation teeth on the elasmo website. I reversed the image. This shows how confusing these teeth can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I agree with Eric that the id of a specimen can be very difficult with lots of possibilities. After reading in Cappetta's 2012 handbook that some species of Carcharhinus lacked serrations in the Oligocene, that could add another possibility. But the lack of a nutrient groove seems to rule most genera out, unless the groove is worn away. The Sphyrna sp. that Eric shows does not seem to show a nutrient groove either. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 I am now leaning towards the Sphrna sp. after looking at the perspective of Eric's picture. But yes, the confusing part is with me on these smaller Belgrade teeth frequently. 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...
sixgill pete Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 Let me add another possibility to this list Scoliodon terranova. Found this on Plate 7 teeth 1 a & b and 2 a & b From the case paper on the Trent (River Bend) Formation. 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...
Al Dente Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Let me add another possibility to this list Scoliodon terranova. Found this on Plate 7 teeth 1 a & b and 2 a & b From the case paper on the Trent (River Bend) Formation. I was looking at my River Bend teeth last night and noticed the resemblance. I think some of the teeth in the Belgrade Formation could be reworked from the River Bend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 This tooth came from a bucket of matrix that was comprised of shelly material and the sandy soil that some of the Belgrade exhibits. It could very well be reworked from the River Bend. It really does resemble the Scoliodon more than any of the other teeth. 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...
Al Dente Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Here are some of my Scoliodon from the River Bend Formation. There might be one or two that aren't Scoliodon in the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Thanks for the extra picture Eric, it really does help. 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...
sixgill pete Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 This tooth here is eerily similar. 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...
Paleoc Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Rhizoprionodon terraenovae upper and lower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleoc Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Scoliodon laticaudus upper and lower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleoc Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Sphyrna lewini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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