2/1/18: Fish Jaw- Dallas, TX

[John S.]

Found these little jaw fragments today in Dallas city limits. Can we tell what it is?

 

Late Cretaceous

Atco Formation/Austin Chalk

85-90 million yrs. 

[Ramo]

Looks like Saurodon to me.  Its a tiny one!  If it is saurodon, it must be a juvenile.

[Fossildude19]

Another great find, John!  

[John S.]

2 hours ago, Ramo said:

Looks like Saurodon to me.  Its a tiny one!  If it is saurodon, it must be a juvenile.

I can see that thanks for the help!

[John S.]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

Another great find, John!  

Thank you! It was a nice surprise. 

[Miocene_Mason]

Super cool! Thanks for sharing!

[Tidgy's Dad]

Terrific find! 

Really cool. 

[RJB]

Very cool, some nice finds indeed.

 

RB

[Heteromorph]

Beautiful! I love it when the Austin Chalk gives up its bounty. 

[Archie]

Awesome find!

[Darktooth]

Very cool indeed!

[Jeffrey P]

Found inside the city limits. That is especially cool! Congratulations.

[izak_]

Nice find! How'd you get it out of matrix?

[Castle Rock]

CONGRATULATIONS on your marvelous find!  I believe it to be a young Xiphactinus maxillary (upper jaw) and premaxillary.  Guessing from the length of the jaw, I would suppose the full length of the fish to be in the neighborhood of 2 feet.   GREAT to see that jaw and the preservation seems to be above average as well.  PLEASE post images after you have completed your prep work!   I would return to that same location as you might well find some MORE from this fish!   Dave 

[John S.]

10 hours ago, Foozil said:

Nice find! How'd you get it out of matrix?

Luckily it was fairly soft matrix. Took about an hour with a pic

[John S.]

4 hours ago, Castle Rock said:

CONGRATULATIONS on your marvelous find!  I believe it to be a young Xiphactinus maxillary (upper jaw) and premaxillary.  Guessing from the length of the jaw, I would suppose the full length of the fish to be in the neighborhood of 2 feet.   GREAT to see that jaw and the preservation seems to be above average as well.  PLEASE post images after you have completed your prep work!   I would return to that same location as you might well find some MORE from this fish!   Dave 

Great info thanks Dave! I will surely return to see if anything exists

[Xiphactinus]

Another vote for tiny Saurodon.

[Xiphactinus]

6 hours ago, Castle Rock said:

CONGRATULATIONS on your marvelous find!  I believe it to be a young Xiphactinus maxillary (upper jaw) and premaxillary.  Guessing from the length of the jaw, I would suppose the full length of the fish to be in the neighborhood of 2 feet.   GREAT to see that jaw and the preservation seems to be above average as well.  PLEASE post images after you have completed your prep work!   I would return to that same location as you might well find some MORE from this fish!   Dave 

I don't think this is X-fish....the teeth are too regular in size and they look laterally compressed. X teeth are pretty round and conical.

[sharko69]

Another one of your finds to admire. Congrats!

[John S.]

7 hours ago, Xiphactinus said:

I don't think this is X-fish....the teeth are too regular in size and they look laterally compressed. X teeth are pretty round and conical.

This says a lot coming from x-fish himself ; )

[KimTexan]

Man I must be looking in the wrong place. All I ever find in the Austin Chalk are Inoceramus fragments.

Very cool finds. Love it.

[oldtimer]

Very nice find.  Love the teeth that show.

[John S.]

Mike Everhart’s opinion:

(Oceans of Kansas)

 

Looks like Saurodon leanus.... (might be Saurocephalus lanciformis, but I'd need to see the predentary

Mike

[sixgill pete]

I agree with Saurodon. What a spectacular find.

[KimTexan]

So how do you find the sub formations of an area? Is there a tool or online map? I use the txpub.usgs site but it doesn’t get into the different members within a formation.

I hear people talk about the different formations in the Austin Chalk Formation or other large formations, but I have no idea how to obtain that info.