frankh8147 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Greetings! I recently found this partial (what I believe to be) Mosasaur tooth and the texture of the enamel isn't typical of the Mosasaur I have found. I was wondering if this is consistent with any particular species of Mosasaur or if it's just a different type of preservation than I am used to. It was found in the Monmouth County NJ Cretaceous and the bottom part of the tooth is broken. Thanks in advance for your help! -Frank .6 inch Two cutting edges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase B. Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Dear @frankh8147, Though the specimen is worn, it does seem to be a mosasaur tooth. The cracked texture on the labial and lingual surfaces resulted from abrasion from water, and so it may be that the tooth was washed for a long distance before it was finally deposited. Another explanation for the erosion could be that the tooth was reworked from earlier sediment. NB: this tooth cannot be Deinosuchus (the teeth of this species being characterized by heavily wrinkled enamel) because the enamel is irregularly worn and abraded. Additionally, Deinosuchus is not known from the Maastrichtian, the age of the fossiliferous deposits at Big Brook (Mt. Laurel, "Wenonah", and Navesink Formations). Congratulations on your find. Regards, Chase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Globidens has enamel like this. I think Carinodens does too but I'm not sure if it has been found in NJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSRhunter Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 I'd vote for a partial gobidens tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrophyseter Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 I'd also agree with globidens. As you can see, the tooth is a bit rounder and "stumpy", more sphere-like than blade-like or conical. Only globidents have this trait in mosasaur teeth (i.e. Globidens and related species), plus the shape of enamel is very similar. Also, other globidents don't really occur in New Jersey, so that just leaves Globidens. If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 Wow, thanks everyone! I've been collecting Mosasaur teeth in New Jersey streams for years and didnt even know globidens was here. I do have to say though, that's what its looking like to me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Globidens is exceedingly rare in NJ. I know of only a single one ever having been found (not by me, sadly). I agree that it looks like it could be Globidens. Outstanding find! @non-remanié! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 @frankh8147 You are really finding some great, rare fossils there sir. Kudos to you, for your sharp eyes. Well done. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 It doesn't really look like a Globidens. Globidens teeth don't have distinct cutting edges. Their tip is also a little pointy spot, kind of like an acorn. This tooth's tip is more like the classical Mosasaur tooth. The enamel is quite interesting. “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 Thanks again everyone! I was able to find a few globidens with semi-similar edges but I agree that it's not a common trait. I'm thinking at this point, that it's probably worth a follow up and will contact some professionals who can look at it 'in hand' (pending anything definitive here). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrophyseter Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 9 hours ago, josephstrizhak said: It doesn't really look like a Globidens. Globidens teeth don't have distinct cutting edges. Their tip is also a little pointy spot, kind of like an acorn. This tooth's tip is more like the classical Mosasaur tooth. The enamel is quite interesting. As far as I know, the anterior teeth in a Globidens jaw are a little classic-mosasaur-like compared to the traditional sphere-like ones in the middle and posterior. Here's an example from one of @LanceH's Globidens jaw from Texas. Notice how the anterior teeth, (which have been circled in red,) are a bit more conical compared to the middle and posterior. If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 16 hours ago, Macrophyseter said: As far as I know, the anterior teeth in a Globidens jaw are a little classic-mosasaur-like compared to the traditional sphere-like ones in the middle and posterior. Here's an example from one of @LanceH's Globidens jaw from Texas. Notice how the anterior teeth, (which have been circled in red,) are a bit more conical compared to the middle and posterior. Thanks for this comparison! I was trying to find images of globidens from the USA; most of the images online I could find were teeth from Morocco and I wasn't sure if there were major differences between the teeth here and there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 18 hours ago, Macrophyseter said: As far as I know, the anterior teeth in a Globidens jaw are a little classic-mosasaur-like compared to the traditional sphere-like ones in the middle and posterior. Here's an example from one of @LanceH's Globidens jaw from Texas. Notice how the anterior teeth, (which have been circled in red,) are a bit more conical compared to the middle and posterior. Thanks for the picture; I couldn't find anything of the like on the internet. Do you know why there appears to be a gap in between the 6th and 7th teeth and another gap after the 8th tooth in the jaw at the top of the photo, and a gap between the 3rd and 4th teeth (counting from the posterior end) in the jaw at the bottom of the photo? It looks like those spots lack a tooth socket. Thanks “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrophyseter Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 9 minutes ago, josephstrizhak said: Do you know why there appears to be a gap in between the 6th and 7th teeth and another gap after the 8th tooth in the jaw at the top of the photo, and a gap between the 3rd and 4th teeth (counting from the posterior end) in the jaw at the bottom of the photo? It looks like those spots lack a tooth socket. Thanks It appears to be that the gap could have been a tooth that was completely broken off and the socket worn down completely. If you were to imagine another tooth in the gap, it would fit perfectly, so I'm guessing that it was just broken off and worn down. If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 Awesome! Thanks again to everyone for the help on this. There is very limited information on New Jersey globidens so I'm intending to follow up on this one. Thanks again! -Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-remanié Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 For the record, this isn't globidens/carinodens, unfortunately. It's a slightly more worn and altered tip of a larger mosasaur tooth. Some mosasaur teeth from NJ have these slightly irregular features in the enameloid just near the very tip of the tooth. Note that Frank's piece is a smaller portion than this from just the very tip. ---Wie Wasser schleift den Stein, wir steigen und fallen--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 After comparing this to Steve's 19 hours ago, non-remanié said: For the record, this isn't globidens/carinodens, unfortunately. It's a slightly more worn and altered tip of a larger mosasaur tooth. Some mosasaur teeth from NJ have these slightly irregular features in the enameloid just near the very tip of the tooth. Note that Frank's piece is a smaller portion than this from just the very tip. After comparing this to Steve's, in hand, I completely agree. Thanks again Steve for taking the time and let me know when you can get back into the streams! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.