Can Anybody Help Me Find Some Dinosaur Teeth?

[Bahariasaurus]

Hey everybody,

BEFORE YOU JUDGE - this topic isn't as amateurish as I've made it sound with my hilariously vague title.

I'm conducting a bit of research about dinosaur dentition in comparison with bird beaks and the evolutionary relationship between the two for the Natural History Museum - however, before I'm assured access to their collections I'd rather like a few dinosaur teeth in hand to conduct some tests, measurements etc on. I have a nice Bahariasaurus tooth, a raptor of some description and I think I'm getting a Triceratops one for my birthday - but I need a reasonable cross section for this to be a scientific discussion, e.g. a tyrannosaur tooth, some much smaller, perhaps insect-eating dinosaur teeth and maybe even an Iguanodon tooth if they're about (as they were one of the only chewing dinosaurs). I'm not so much trying to collect these as I am trying to study them. As long as most aspects of dinosaur diet are reflected then I'll have a good basis for my discussion - so flesh slicing, bone crushing, fish eating, insect eating, plant stripping, leaf/stem cutting, chewing perhaps and any other areas I've missed out.

My question to you guys - are there any websites with a pretty good selection at not a terrible price about which I might have missed? I'm not terribly adept at finding such sites and the sooner I can get my hands on some good specimens the better.

Thanks in advance!

Robbie

[Troodon]

Fossilera, Indiana9fossils and Natural Canvas all have a selection of Dinosaur teeth. Not sure you will find an Iguanodon tooth.

Edit: Another one is Extinctions.com.

Good luck with your research.

Edited September 10, 2015 by Troodon

[Runner64]

Several things, I don't believe the dinosaur tooth Bahariasaurus can be labeled that since no known teeth from this dinosaur have been found. Don't worry, I made the same mistake when I started collecting.

Also, an iguanodon tooth would be very difficult and expensive to acquire. This dinosaur is from the UK where dinosaur fossils rarely come from. Maybe a hadrosaur tooth from North America? It would be a lot cheaper and a lot easier to get one.

[Runner64]

Fossilera, Indiana9fossils and Natural Canvas all have a selection of Dinosaur teeth. Not sure you will find an Iguanodon tooth.

Was going to say the exact same thing.

[Bahariasaurus]

Thanks for the info guys - excellent, ok, I'll start there! And yes, if no Iguanadon fossils are forthcoming then I'll ask the museum (they're sure to have one) or examine photos, I guess.

That's a surprise about the tooth but no real tragedy - don't suppose anybody can help me identify it then? I'll attach a picture.

Edited September 10, 2015 by Bahariasaurus

[Runner64]

It's a very worn down carchardontosaurus.

[Auspex]

Are you looking to compare teeth-to-beaks from before their divergence?

[Runner64]

Actually it's not that worn down, my bad. It is Carch though.

[LordTrilobite]

I think the tip is reconstructed. the colour and texture looks like a classic example of a clump of matrix pasted on to increase the length of a broken tooth. Of course, it could just be surface matrix on there. Rergardless, the tooth could do with some cleaning I think.

And yeah, looks like Carcharodontosaurus.

[Bahariasaurus]

Thanks Runner64! I supposed it must be carch considering it's from the same location as the supposed Bahariasaurus, but nice to have the confirmation. I also liked that you clarified it wasn't that worn down if it were it would be less useful for my study!

And Auspex, it's sort of a pilot study to show that I can be trusted to undertake this sort of research - I'll be comparing different forms of dinosaur dentition and how each is adapted well to its function, then find its equivalent in today's birds and talk about similarities in digestion, eating style etc. and comment on any obvious comparisons between beaks and teeth/mouthparts. Such things as elongated snouts of fish eaters such as Baryonx and Spinosaurs, similar to principally fish-eating birds like cranes, stuff like that. However there is a good chance I'll also mention divergent forms as well as extinct forms of birds with pseudo-teeth.

Robbie

[Runner64]

No problem just trying to help. However, if you're going to study the teeth, you might want a cleaner and more detailed specimen. The tip on yours is worn away and most of the serrations are gone along with part of the enamel.

http://www.ukfossilsforsale.com/carcharodontosaurus-tooth-224-p.asp

This is a good and cheap example of a carchardontosaurus tooth in good condition. It's from the UK so there won't be expensive and long shipping. 95% of the serrations are there and all the enamel is there. It also has a pretty good tip.

Hope this helps you!

[Auspex]

...I'll be comparing different forms of dinosaur dentition and how each is adapted well to its function, then find its equivalent in today's birds and talk about similarities in digestion, eating style etc. and comment on any obvious comparisons between beaks and teeth/mouthparts. Such things as elongated snouts of fish eaters such as Baryonx and Spinosaurs, similar to principally fish-eating birds like cranes, stuff like that. However there is a good chance I'll also mention divergent forms as well as extinct forms of birds with pseudo-teeth.

Robbie

That's a meaty subject, and should keep you busy. I am a huge fan of paleoecology!

[Ridgehiker]

Just a note on research. The concept of a 'good' specimen.

When we were out collecting fossils for their scientific potential, we do not cherry pick. Complete or a fragment and everything in between is collected. Everything is a 'good' specimen. If this isn't done then there is a collecting bias and incorrect assumptions will be made.

So...a sliver of tooth is as important as a whole tooth...lousy looking specimens as well as display quality. The specimen that has least value is one without specific collecting information and, of course, the one that has been altered in some way.

There are all types of potential biases. Dino's had different tooth structures, diets, habitats, etc. Some preserve better than others. In upland areas we find a lot of T. Rex teeth....in lower transition zones between the Bearpaw and land, lots of Dromaeosaur teeth. In some deposits tyrannosaur teeth are broken horizontally into ' lego bricks'...in others as curved slices along the axis. It's a lot easier to see (and thus collect) curved slices than bricks.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Ridgehiker

[Down under fossil hunter]

Just a note on research. The concept of a 'good' specimen.

When we were out collecting fossils for their scientific potential, we do not cherry pick. Complete or a fragment and everything in between is collected. Everything is a 'good' specimen. If this isn't done then there is a collecting bias and incorrect assumptions will be made.

So...a sliver of tooth is as important as a whole tooth...lousy looking specimens as well as display quality. The specimen that has least value is one without specific collecting information and, of course, the one that has been altered in some way.

There are all types of potential biases. Dino's had different tooth structures, diets, habitats, etc. Some preserve better than others. In upland areas we find a lot of T. Rex teeth....in lower transition zones between the Bearpaw and land, lots of Dromaeosaur teeth. In some deposits tyrannosaur teeth are broken horizontally into ' lego bricks'...in others as curved slices along the axis. It's a lot easier to see (and thus collect) curved slices than bricks.

Really valid point, in your search for completeness you may unknowingly apply a bias to your study.

Also Kem Kem fossils are very well known for repair and restoration and even complete fabrication and forgery. If i were a betting man I would put money on your Carch tooth having a completely fabricated tip which has been covered in matrix, unfortunately it is all to common.

As Canadawest suggests perhaps focussing on teeth that lack aesthetic appeal will give you a better cross section at an affordable price?

Otherwise museums should be void of bias for the most part.

Just my thoughts, good luck!

[jpc]

And my thoughts... Sounds like a fun project, but is there a known insectivorous dinosaur? Also, cranes feed mainly on land and eat a lot of vegetable matter. Herons, on the other hamd, are much more piscivorous.

[Bahariasaurus]

Haha thank you jpc I did actually mean a heron, don't know how I got the two birds mixed up. It certainly wasn't a crane which ate all the fish in my pond...

And thank you for the discussion everybody - lucky save with the reconstructed tip, if I had used that in my study and someone noticed it it could have discredited the entire thing. It was pretty inexpensive so I'm not too upset. And yes, I think the best thing to do would be to stock up on less aesthetically appealing but cheaper specimens, and perhaps a few casts, too, if the museum doesn't grant me immediate access to their collections - as long as the proportions are correct then I can use them for a comparative study. The important thing for me was that I'd have the items in hand to show I'd performed the tests and measurements myself.

[Auspex]

... is there a known insectivorous dinosaur?...

Avisaurus is a likely candidate.

[Troodon]

Avisaurus is a likely candidate.

Agreed and I also think you can include Alvarezsaurid type dinosaurs. They believe this type of theropod fed on termites and used its one claw for digging. North American species is Albertonykus borealis

[Auspex]

...cranes feed mainly on land and eat a lot of vegetable matter...

Actually, their diet is largely small terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates. They are a mouse's worst nightmare...

One might be hard pressed to document a non-avian dinosaur that is as thoroughly omnivorous.