EMP Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I found this specimen recently and have been perplexed by it for a while. To me it appears to be a tooth, though if it were I don't know from what. I looked at it from under my loop and it does have some small dimples in it, and is made of shiny black material, which is what drew me to that possibility in the first place. It looks similar to teeth I've seen posted on the forum before, especially in the Pennsylvanian shark tooth topics. I did some searching and oddly enough ended up finding images from a ptychotrygon. I don't know what it is exactly, but form the images it has a resemblance to that shape. I tried taking the best pictures I could, but the object is pretty small. So I guess my questions are if it's actually a tooth and, if it is, what kind is it? It comes from the early Cretaceous Potomac Group, Patuxent (?) Formation (possibly Arundel however) from near Washington DC. Thanks for any help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMP Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 Some more images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Unfortunately the images are far too blurry. A scale in mm is needed for id too. 2 John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I have a few ideas but I need some better pictures to be confident enough to put them forward. “...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...
Auspex Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 To me, it is not convincing. Further preparation and better images might move the inquiry forward. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Seconded! I'm afraid I can't make it out at all. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMP Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 16 minutes ago, JohnBrewer said: Unfortunately the images are far too blurry. A scale in mm is needed for id too. 6 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: I have a few ideas but I need some better pictures to be confident enough to put them forward. 5 minutes ago, Auspex said: To me, it is not convincing. Further preparation and better images might move the inquiry forward. 5 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said: Seconded! I'm afraid I can't make it out at all. I'll get to better pictures, but like I said it's pretty small. I'm a bit confused at least by some of what you're saying. Is it that it is a tooth but better pictures are needed for a genus ID or that better pictures are needed to ID it as a tooth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I see something that may be a tooth, but i can't be sure, certainly not enough to even begin to guess from what. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 4 minutes ago, EMP said: I'm a bit confused at least by some of what you're saying. Is it that it is a tooth but better pictures are needed for a genus ID or that better pictures are needed to ID it as a tooth? No telling what it is. Given the apparent 'pitty' nature of the exposed surface, I doubt that it's a tooth. You stare at stuff like this long enough, you'll see all kinds of things.... 1 "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 With this closer image, it looks as though the object is "blending" with the matrix at the upper left area. Lighting or is that how it actually looks? ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMP Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 9 minutes ago, Kane said: With this closer image, it looks as though the object is "blending" with the matrix at the upper left area. Lighting or is that how it actually looks? No it's definitely the lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Assuming it isn’t a piece of iron, I’m suspicious it may be the bottom of an angel shark tooth. Only prepping it out of the matrix will lead to a sure conclusion, and I know that probably won’t be easy with such a small piece on the type of stone you get in that formation. “...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...
caldigger Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I'm climbing aboard the Iron train and going for a ride. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 59 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: I’m suspicious it may be the bottom of an angel shark tooth That right there is the 'suggestive shape syndrome', an early symptom of needing to turn it into something. I saw the vaguely squatina-like shape, but nothing enamel-like. There is not enough evidence presented to suggest anything. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMP Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 Here are some more photos. The specimen is about 5mm wide and 3mm long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 48 minutes ago, Auspex said: That right there is the 'suggestive shape syndrome', an early symptom of needing to turn it into something. I saw the vaguely squatina-like shape, but nothing enamel-like. There is not enough evidence presented to suggest anything. I meant as in the bottom of the root (so basal would be the term I guess?) so no enamel would be present. But Pareidolia could be at play, could very well be a hematite inclusion. “...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...
Auspex Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 I would like to see the results of a streak test on this feature. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patelinho7 Posted June 5, 2023 Share Posted June 5, 2023 Just seeing this many years later as I was sifting through old posts… I dunno if @EMP still has this specimen around but could it be a Lepidotes fish scale? These photos are hard to make out but it has the rough shape of one and they can be found in the Arundel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMP Posted June 5, 2023 Author Share Posted June 5, 2023 3 hours ago, patelinho7 said: Just seeing this many years later as I was sifting through old posts… I dunno if @EMP still has this specimen around but could it be a Lepidotes fish scale? These photos are hard to make out but it has the rough shape of one and they can be found in the Arundel. Unfortunately, I threw it out to make room for some other things. As for what it is/was, I can only guess. Probably a weird piece of hematite, but who knows, maybe it really was a super rare shark tooth or something XD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted June 5, 2023 Share Posted June 5, 2023 5 hours ago, patelinho7 said: Just seeing this many years later as I was sifting through old posts… I dunno if @EMP still has this specimen around but could it be a Lepidotes fish scale? These photos are hard to make out but it has the rough shape of one and they can be found in the Arundel. No. It has the wrong shape and luster, to be a fish scale from that time period. Ganoid Fish scales don't look like this item. I think it was just a pebble inclusion. 1 1 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...
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