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Finally got a plesiosaur tooth over 3 inches long


-Andy-

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Some of you who've known me for awhile know I am on the hunt for a large 3 in+ plesiosaur tooth. I acquired one this month at last!

 

Marine_Plesiosaur_1b.jpg

Marine_Plesiosaur_2.jpg

 

This beauty here measures 3.75 inches exact in a straight line. He came in a large chunk of rock, so I had to chip off quite a bit of matrix, cutting myself slightly in the process from a hidden shark tooth. I opted to leave this matrix because I think it looks good, and I fear further breaking would break the tooth.

 

He's a Zarafasaura oceanis from Sidi Daoui of Morocco, dated to 70.6 - 66 million years old (late Cretaceous).

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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Nice tooth! Especially with the root!:)

 

I definitely do not advise taking any more matrix off. I have ruined a lot of Paleozoic teeth that way. The matrix keeps all of the pieces together.

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Nice

Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt
behind the trailer, my desert
Them red clay piles are heaven on earth
I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt

Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers

 

image.png.0c956e87cee523facebb6947cb34e842.png May 2016  MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png.b42a25e3438348310ba19ce6852f50c1.png May 2012 IPFOTM5.png.fb4f2a268e315c58c5980ed865b39e1f.png.1721b8912c45105152ac70b0ae8303c3.png.2b6263683ee32421d97e7fa481bd418a.pngAug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png.af5065d0585e85f4accd8b291bf0cc2e.png.72a83362710033c9bdc8510be7454b66.png.9171036128e7f95de57b6a0f03c491da.png Oct 2022

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I very much like the presentation with the matrix.

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I have taken a couple of plesiosaur teeth in matrix and submerged them in water for a few minutes and the matrix gets soft and just falls off. The teeth came out perfect. These teeth can be very fragile with cracks running through them so you do need to inspect them very closely for that but both my teeth came out in one piece.

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48 minutes ago, Dracorex_hogwartsia said:

I have taken a couple of plesiosaur teeth in matrix and submerged them in water for a few minutes and the matrix gets soft and just falls off. The teeth came out perfect. These teeth can be very fragile with cracks running through them so you do need to inspect them very closely for that but both my teeth came out in one piece.

 

To Dracorex_hogwartsia's point since these teeth and matrix can be fragile have you applied anything to stabalize it yet? A little super glue (the thin not the gel) used in the right spots can help insure tooth and matrix stay in one piece. If you apply any to the tooth itself you'll want a cotton swab dipped in acetone at the ready to quickly catch any drippage. Anyway, gorgeous tooth :drool:

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Thanks for the comments everyone!

 

9 hours ago, ynot said:

Nice acquisition!!:dinothumb:  (Did You leave the shark tooth ion the piece?)

Tony

 

Nope. It was too far out on one of the surrounding matrix which I broke off.

 

6 hours ago, TNCollector said:

Nice tooth! Especially with the root!:)

 

I definitely do not advise taking any more matrix off. I have ruined a lot of Paleozoic teeth that way. The matrix keeps all of the pieces together.

 

I concur. I learnt that lesson with my sea snake vert.

 

4 hours ago, LordTrilobite said:

You use inches in Singapore?

 

Great tooth though! :dinothumb:

 

We generally use the metric system in Singapore. For fossils though, I prefer to use the imperial system on anything below 1 meter. It feels to me like fossils teeth etc are easier communicated with inches.

 

2 hours ago, Dracorex_hogwartsia said:

I have taken a couple of plesiosaur teeth in matrix and submerged them in water for a few minutes and the matrix gets soft and just falls off. The teeth came out perfect. These teeth can be very fragile with cracks running through them so you do need to inspect them very closely for that but both my teeth came out in one piece.

 

Great idea! I won't do it to this tooth though, the root end is fragmented, I don't see how I can keep it together if I remove the matrix.

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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10 hours ago, -Andy- said:

Some of you who've known me for awhile know I am on the hunt for a large 3 in+ plesiosaur tooth. I acquired one this month at last!

 

Marine_Plesiosaur_1b.jpg

Marine_Plesiosaur_2.jpg

 

This beauty here measures 3.75 inches exact in a straight line. He came in a large chunk of rock, so I had to chip off quite a bit of matrix, cutting myself slightly in the process from a hidden shark tooth. I opted to leave this matrix because I think it looks good, and I fear further breaking would break the tooth.

 

He's a Zarafasaura oceanis from Sidi Daoui of Morocco, dated to 70.6 - 66 million years old (late Cretaceous).

 

 

Andy, I really like your Zarafasaura. I think it is one the biggest I've seen from Morocco, if not the biggest. It's interesting to see how the feeding wear in the tip is scarce for a tooth of this size, at least what I can see from the picture. That makes it even more rare. And something I find especially beautiful is the veining or natural enamel longitudinal stripes. The root is obviously supreme. Superb piece, definitely.

By the way, I wouldn't take it out of the matrix either, it look great like that.

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Nice acquisition, Andy. :) 

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

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On 12/21/2016 at 9:54 AM, Juan A. Poblador said:

 

 

Andy, I really like your Zarafasaura. I think it is one the biggest I've seen from Morocco, if not the biggest. It's interesting to see how the feeding wear in the tip is scarce for a tooth of this size, at least what I can see from the picture. That makes it even more rare. And something I find especially beautiful is the veining or natural enamel longitudinal stripes. The root is obviously supreme. Superb piece, definitely.

By the way, I wouldn't take it out of the matrix either, it look great like that.

 

I didn't want to boast earlier, but yes, mine appears to be the largest I've ever seen for a Zarafasaura.

 

It's a beautiful piece! Now all I gotta do is find a proper place to display him (I am running outta cabinet space!)

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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