espeton Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Hi everyone, Two weeks ago I found this dolphin tooth in the Purse State Park (MD). This is weird because in this park the fossils it supose to be about 60 millions year old, and therefore no dolphins in that time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 (edited) It is a crocodilian tooth with the root. Edit: This tooth probably wasn't a shed tooth because shed teeth roots get broken in the replacement process and you find only the crowns. Probably came out of the croc's jaw after death. Marco Sr. Edited December 2, 2015 by MarcoSr 1 "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...
Boesse Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Agreed - doesn't really look like a dolphin in that the root isn't appearing to close during growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Yes, crocodilian tooth. Nice one with complete root. I don't think dolphin teeth have the striations this one has, which is pretty typical of crocs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Some Oligocene dolphins and archaeocetes have fluted enamel, but it looks different than this... though I can't describe how at the moment, perhaps more coffee is necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espeton Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 I was checking other dolphin teeth that I have from the Calvert Cliff and although they look pretty similar they are clearly different, at least in the shape of the root. Thanks for the input and the right ID!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 have bony fish been ruled out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 have bony fish been ruled out? The tooth is definitely from a small crocodilian. My one son has several jaws with teeth and I have hundreds of the teeth and a few jaw fragments. I believe that an almost complete skull with jaws was posted here on TFF a while back. 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...
Plax Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 you know better than I Marco was just curious. I recall fairly complete croc skulls in concretions coming out on the virginia side (Belvedere Beach?) back in the mid 80s. Am accustomed to fossil croc teeth having much less root to tooth ratio. Though modern croc teeth look like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 ...I recall fairly complete croc skulls in concretions coming out on the virginia side (Belvedere Beach?)... Man, those were the days... "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 amen brother (though I never found one of course) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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