End Of Season Goodies

[Shellseeker]

With the heavy rains and rising water, most of my hunting friends have hung up their shovels. Yesterday, a frequent companion called and said, while fishing, he had found a patch of gravel that with some extra effort, we could dig.. YES!!!

Not a lot of finds besides small shark teeth, but these 3 were exceptional:

#1

Then I found this big bone, about 14 inches, I did not know what it was, and thought modern because of the excellent details: no nicks, chips, wear. My hunting buddy really likes large bones and told me what he "thinks" it is.. Since he invited me to this spot and I had already found the vert in photo #1, I gave him this bone.

Finally, he found a tooth or more correctly part of a tooth. The 1st photo screams Sloth

But what tooth and what sloth ? This tooth is pointed. I have seen Sloth Caniforms before and they all are flat , not pointy. This tooth can not be un_erupted because of the scratches on photo #2. Is the tooth identifiable to a specific sloth species?

The really great news. My hunting buddy, knowing how much I like sloth, gave me this tooth!!

[JohnJ]

Jack, that was a nice proboscidean vertebral process you found. Good trades.

[Fossil Claw]

Nicw finds

See the chart midway down on this post.

It looks like one of the teeth in the chart.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/37247-giant-armadillo-tooth/

[Fossil Claw]

http://www.thefossilforum.com/uploads/monthly_05_2013/post-42-0-83319100-1367897343.jpg

[ZiggieCie]

WOW great finds, great way to finish the season.

[Shellseeker]

Thanks to all from great comments. The mammoth bone is in fantastic shape. It must have died, scattered and fossilized where it was found.

Fossil_Claw, thanks and I am hoping that Harry comments on the shape of Sloth Caniforms either pointed or flat.

[jcbshark]

Very nice finds Jack, can't believe you're still out there digging! : )

[Shellseeker]

I have been searching for an answer on the Sloth Caniniform. Here is a link on what I thought a caniniform looked like. http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/sloth-caniniform-paramylodon-florida-76380002

Here is a TFF link where Harry gives a lot of information on Sloth teeth, http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/20546-what-type-of-sloth-tooth/includes this quote:

"Sloths are the only xenarthrans with canine-shaped teeth, and in these animals they occlude upper in front of lower, opposite from the pattern in other mammals, making their relationships to true canine teeth uncertain. Therefore, in sloths those teeth are called 'caniniform.'

I am starting to think that caniniforms may come in multiple forms, yet still wonder if this one is diagnostic to a specific type of sloth.

Here are 2 more photos that show the triangular nature of the tooth: