New Jersey Cretaceous 'crushing tooth' ID

[frankh8147]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm looking to see if anyone has any thoughts on this one that I found in a Cretaceous deposit of Monmouth County, NJ. It is exactly what you would expect to see from a common drumfish (Anomoeodus phaseolus) except for the fact that it has two semi-symetrical grooves in it. I don't think they were caused by wear because of the way the enamel seems to fold in. I guess it could be pathological but wanted to see what everyone thought about it. As always, any help is greatly appreciated!  -Frank

 

Note- the 'group picture' is there for sake of comparison - they are other drumfish specimens from the same area.

 

[Darktooth]

Neat find! Yes it does look like a drumfish except for those grooves. Hmmm, interesting.

[sixgill pete]

Anomodoeus is a Pycnodont, not a drum.  Pycnodontiformes evolved in the Jurasic and went extinct during the Eocene. 

 

Your tooth is most likely from a Pycnodontiforme but t sure of the genus or species.

[non-remanié]

Very neat.  I believe its a unique wear pattern and the holes may have also been expanded during fossilization/reworking.   You can tell the tooth crown had a lot of in vivo use since its so low and flat in lateral view.   Sometimes on similarly worn down pycnodont crowns, I have seen one ovoid depression on one side.  I don't believe the divots are usually as deep and ive never seen 2 on one specimen though!