TNCollector Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 Hello everyone. This is one of a series of posts that I will be making today. I am NOT familiar with fossils of this age so I really need some help with identification of these specimens. I did some collecting this week in a creek that exposes 3 formations, one that is Late Miocene (fossiliferous), one that is Pliocene (not fossiliferous), and one that is Pleistocene (fossiliferous). None of the fossils were found within the formation itself, so I don't know what formation each specimen came from. I found several bones that were undoubtedly modern, but the ones I am posting look and feel fossilized to me. This is a tooth I found. It is in great shape and I was super excited to find it. I am fairly sure that it is a carnivore tooth, but other than that I don't know. Let me know what you all think! Miocene to Pleistocene Mississippi Tooth of who? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 I hope you find an ID, that is one GORGEOUS TOOTH! I agree carnivore, we will see what someone has to say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Canid upper carnassial (P4) . . . appears to be coyote or small wolf size. 9 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCollector Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 Thanks @Harry Pristis! Do you think that this is Pleistocene or more recent? Is there any specific indicator that differentiates between coyote and wolf? EDIT: Also after some searching, fox looks similar too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Gorgeous tooth, indeed. "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinosaurus Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 a nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Canid upper carnassial (P4) . . . appears to be coyote or small wolf size. canislatransP4_canids_text.txt http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 That is a beautiful tooth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 It's interesting how being in water, a creek or river, seems to darken bones and teeth over time, even when they are somewhat recently deposited. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCollector Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 43 minutes ago, old bones said: That is a beautiful tooth! Thanks! 10 minutes ago, Innocentx said: It's interesting how being in water, a creek or river, seems to darken bones and teeth over time, even when they are somewhat recently deposited. I am fairly confident that this tooth is a Pleistocene fossil. The formations exposed in this creek are well known for their mastodon and horse fossils, so it is not unlikely that this tooth is Pleistocene, but I have no idea how to distinguish between recent and Pleistocene fossils in this creek, precisely for the reasons you just stated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vieira Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Amazing tooth Congratulations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrehistoricFlorida Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 This is a bobcat (Lynx rufus) upper carnassial (P4). You'll notice that the tooth has an extra anterior conid which differentiates it from Harry's coyote P4. Attached are images of a panther maxilla section with canine (C1) and two premolars (P3 & P4). 4 www.PrehistoricFlorida.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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