Wayfarer Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I work in a small museum and occasionally have people stop by to ask what kind of fossil they've found. About half the time I know or can find out with a little research- the other half I am clueless. So, I've decided to start leaning on people who are vastly smarter than I on this topic (i.e. you people). A guy came in with these photos and said he came across this lower jaw while hiking in an area known for middle to late Eocene fossils in SW Wyoming. He estimated it was maybe 7 inches in length and was just a couple of feet above some fossil turtle scutes. I don't really know much about the area or much about vertebrate fossils. I am guessing it is some sort of Creodonta or Carnivora, but I am way out of my element (I just learned what Creodonta are). Some known Creodonta from the area (1992): Sinopa, Limnocyon, Thinocyon, Partiofelis Some known Carnivora from the area (1992): Miacis, Viverravus, Vulpavus Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I know very little on this subject but wild guess, entelodont? “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXV24 Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Hi, I may be wrong, but the shape of the jaw bone and of the teeth doesn't seem to resemble what you'd expect with a creodont or member of the carnivora. The jaw is quite elongated, with a large 'gap' in the dentition after the molars, whereas a creodont or carnivoran would surely have a series of carnisals followed by canines (at least from what I know). it looks much more like an ungulate, although what species it could be I really can't say as I don't know enough about the taxa of the region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 That last image reminds me of Hyracodon sp. 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...
Wayfarer Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 Yep- I definitely see this as way more ungulate now. Great information on here- Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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