Broken MS Mosasaur or Theropod Tooth?

[TNCollector]

I found this tooth a few years ago in Northeast Mississippi. It is most likely from the Demopolis Formation, which is a late Cretaceous marine lag deposit. I have found several mosasaur teeth here, thousands of shark and fish teeth, and 2 hadrosaur dino teeth. This particular tooth is almost 1.5cm in length, and is unfortunately split right down the middle of the tooth. The part of both sides that is remaining near the tooth makes it look like this was a skinny tooth, more like the shape of a theropod tooth, similar to Dryptosaurus. The recurve is also more theropod-like. The color and weathering is also similar to mosasaur teeth that I have found though, and I am just unsure of what to think about it.

 

Theropod teeth have been found in this area, but they are incredibly rare, whereas, I have found several mosasaur teeth. Perhaps the cross-section of the break along the tooth might give a clue? Perhaps @Troodon knows. I am currently leanung towards it being a strange mosasaur tooth, but I would like other opinions.

 

 

Northeast Mississippi

Demopolis Formation

Late Creataceous

~ 72 MYA

 

 

This photo has a pencil tip for size reference.

 

 

[Ramon]

Does it have serrations?

[TNCollector]

3 minutes ago, Ramon said:

Does it have serrations?

Unfortunately both edges are missing. The tiny part of the edge that is intact near the tip does show some signs of bumps, but could very easily be due to weathering processes, so I don't feel comfortable calling them serrations.

[Ramon]

Well, I was asking because most mosasaurs ,if not all of them do not have serrations. 

[TNCollector]

4 minutes ago, Ramon said:

Well, I was asking because most mosasaurs ,if not all of them do not have serrations. 

In most cases you are correct, but I do have a few Pterygoid teeth from Mosasaurs that do have small serrations.

[Ramon]

Wow!!! I didn't know. Wait for others to reply.

[DevonianDigger]

I'm only starting to deal with vertebrates, but wouldn't a mosasaur tooth be more conical and not have that curve to it?

[TNCollector]

4 minutes ago, DevonianDigger said:

I'm only starting to deal with vertebrates, but wouldn't a mosasaur tooth be more conical and not have that curve to it?

Yes, most mosasaur teeth do have a curve, but generally not a very pronounced one. Attached are some of the ones I have found in the area. Scale in centimeters.

 

 

[DevonianDigger]

See! I told you I was just getting into verts! 

 

Thanks for the info @TNCollector. I just finished my course in paleobiology and the descriptions given of things are very generic. I don't have much, (barely any for that matter,) hands-on experience with vertebrate fossils yet. Thank you for sharing the photos. Now I know!

[LordTrilobite]

12 minutes ago, DevonianDigger said:

I'm only starting to deal with vertebrates, but wouldn't a mosasaur tooth be more conical and not have that curve to it?

Many are curved. But some also have a completely straight back edge. Some Prognathodon teeth for example can have a straight back edge. While Halisaurus teeth are generally very strongly recurved.

There's a lot of variation in mosasaur teeth.

 

27 minutes ago, Ramon said:

Well, I was asking because most mosasaurs ,if not all of them do not have serrations. 

Depending on the species mosasaur teeth will have or lack serrations.

 

Personally though, I've never seen as pronounced serrations on mosasaur teeth as some of the more pronounced ones dinosaur teeth seem to have.

[FossilDudeCO]

I would lean towards theropod because it is soooooo narrow.

 

almost all mosasaurs have more gator like teeth that are round and conical.

 

But to me the super tiny serration appearance and the texture makes me think mosasaur.

 

Again, not an expert, but it is very hard to tell.

[JohnJ]

Keep in mind that mosasaur teeth are not perfectly symmetrical and that pterygoid teeth can show significant re-curve.  This tooth looks pretty typical of split mosasaur teeth.  Since there are not definite 'un-mosasaurish' characteristics, I would go with the most obvious ID.