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Mosasaur and croc teeth from Alabama


-Andy-

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Hi all, I have a set of three lovely reptilian teeth from Barbour and Russell Counties of Alabama that I need help identifying.

First up, the large mosasaur tooth. The size and general shape of this points to Tylosaurus,

post-4888-0-48690900-1456060540_thumb.jpg

Second, the smaller mosasaur tooth. The size and shape points either to Platecarpus or Clidastes propython. I can't decide.

post-4888-0-69890500-1456060528_thumb.jpg

Third, the croc. As far as I know, Deinosuchus and Bottosaurus are the only crocs from this area. The tooth looks like Bottosaurus to me.

post-4888-0-42045300-1456060533_thumb.jpg

I'm unfamiliar with teeth from this locality, so I'd appreciate any help in getting them identified.

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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Your probably in the Blufftown formation with the Croc tooth given those counties. Here are some images of Deinosuchus teeth from that locality. Bottosaurus's range was further east in South Carolina and of Maastrichtian age. These localities are Santonian to Campanian.

post-10935-0-90223100-1456062785_thumb.png

Edit

By the way great teeth from AL, don't see them that nice to often.

On your mosasaur teeth here is an article on what has been found in AL but everything I've seen from this article and SVP journals talk about western AL and the two counties you mention are eastern AL.

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2271

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Your probably in the Blufftown formation with the Croc tooth given those counties. Here are some images of Deinosuchus teeth from that locality. Bottosaurus's range was further east in South Carolina and of Maastrichtian age. These localities are Santonian to Campanian.

attachicon.gifFIGURE-12-Representative-posterior-Deinosuchus-teeth-from-the-Blufftown-Formation.png

Edit

By the way great teeth from AL, don't see them that nice to often.

On your mosasaur teeth here is an article on what has been found in AL but everything I've seen from this article and SVP journals talk about western AL and the two counties you mention are eastern AL.

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2271

Good point about the locality and age difference. I'll have to check with Terence(who gave me these lovely teeth) if there's any confirmed Bottosaurus teeth from that area.

Here's some Bottosaurus teeth from Eastern USA which can pass for Deinosuchus.

post-4888-0-96142000-1456237606_thumb.jpg post-4888-0-35722300-1456237608_thumb.png

Your first tooth looks a lot like my Tylosaur teeth from Texas.

I agree. Do you know which species of Tylosaur yours is?

I think the last tooth is actually gator.

What leads you to think it's gator?

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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Good point about the locality and age difference. I'll have to check with Terence(who gave me these lovely teeth) if there's any confirmed Bottosaurus teeth from that area.

Here's some Bottosaurus teeth from Eastern USA which can pass for Deinosuchus.

attachicon.gif3W3y4a5c.JPG attachicon.gifbottosaurus-harlani.png

I agree. Do you know which species of Tylosaur yours is?

What leads you to think it's gator?

Tylosaurus proriger most likely.

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I think the last tooth is actually gator.

I do not know what lived in Alabama but it does look like gator teeth I've seen from Florida.

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I do not know what lived in Alabama but it does look like gator teeth I've seen from Florida.

A giant gator that was 40 feet long lived in Alabama :D

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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Andy here is a older paper I found that you can access that will show you what has been found in that formation as far as Croc's and Mosasaurs. (Pg 115) Some are undescribed and the University may be your best bet. No Botto's found

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264495654_Schwimmer_D_R_Late_Cretaceous_fossils_from_the_Blufftown_Formation_Campanian_in_western_Georgia_The_Mosasaur

Also found an SVP paper, page is attached which leads me to say that I would be cautious using species names from other localities. The Blufftown is Santonian in age and you can see what has identified in comparable age formations of Alabama

post-10935-0-96731700-1456247929_thumb.jpg

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Good point about the locality and age difference. I'll have to check with Terence(who gave me these lovely teeth) if there's any confirmed Bottosaurus teeth from that area.

Here's some Bottosaurus teeth from Eastern USA which can pass for Deinosuchus.

attachicon.gif3W3y4a5c.JPG attachicon.gifbottosaurus-harlani.png

I agree. Do you know which species of Tylosaur yours is?

What leads you to think it's gator?

Are these Bottosaurus or Carinodens belgicus?https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235806969_First_record_of_the_Late_Cretaceous_durophagous_mosasaur_Carinodens_belgicus_Squamata_Mosasauridae_from_Volgogradskaya_Oblast'_Russia_and_Crimea_Ukraine

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Hi all, I have a set of three lovely reptilian teeth from Barbour and Russell Counties of Alabama that I need help identifying.

First up, the large mosasaur tooth. The size and general shape of this points to Tylosaurus,

attachicon.gifP1070645.jpg

Second, the smaller mosasaur tooth. The size and shape points either to Platecarpus or Clidastes propython. I can't decide.

attachicon.gifMosasaur_2.jpg

Third, the croc. As far as I know, Deinosuchus and Bottosaurus are the only crocs from this area. The tooth looks like Bottosaurus to me.

attachicon.gifP1070644.jpg

I'm unfamiliar with teeth from this locality, so I'd appreciate any help in getting them identified.

I don't recall that crenulated ridge on my Deinosuchus (third pic).

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Deinosuchus is in the alligatorid family...

and Terence collects in the Blufftown formation

Andy you can also email U of Alabama they have the best collection of Mosasaur teeth from that region

http://almnh.ua.edu/ehret.html

I emailed. Here's Dr. Dana's reply :)

I’m not a mosasaur expert, but I asked one of recent graduates who is:

The first tooth is definitely Deinosuchus. Very nice example! The second tooth is a little tougher to ID. I would lean more toward Platecarpus because of how long and thin it is and the slightly sigmoid shape of the carina... could still be Clidastes though. The third tooth is definitely Tylosaurus.
Cheers,
Dana

I don't recall that crenulated ridge on my Deinosuchus (third pic).

I have Deinosuchus teeth. Some of them do have ridges, though this one is indeed more serrated than what you'd expect.

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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Super, always good to go to local experts and see what they say. Also shows you the local fossil record is important tool to help in an ID.

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I emailed. Here's Dr. Dana's reply :)

I’m not a mosasaur expert, but I asked one of recent graduates who is:

The first tooth is definitely Deinosuchus. Very nice example! The second tooth is a little tougher to ID. I would lean more toward Platecarpus because of how long and thin it is and the slightly sigmoid shape of the carina... could still be Clidastes though. The third tooth is definitely Tylosaurus.
Cheers,
Dana

I have Deinosuchus teeth. Some of them do have ridges, though this one is indeed more serrated than what you'd expect.

so the third tooth with the crenulated edge is tylosaurus?

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so the third tooth with the crenulated edge is tylosaurus?

post-4888-0-46980100-1456413639_thumb.jpg

You mean this?

It's confirmed as a Deinosuchus.

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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Dana says in your post that the third tooth is definitely tylosaurus; no? Perhaps I'm reading this wrong or the pics sent aren't representative of your original post? I would think that the third tooth is a deinosuchus also by shape. My only question was concerning the crenulated ridge.

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The pics I sent aren't representative of my original post.

So the third tooth you're wondering about is indeed a Deinosuchus.

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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