Mtskinner Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 This is a cool looking little guy I found this past weekend in South Alabama. The area found was a marine environment within the Blufftown formation. The tooth is 1/2” long, 5/16” wide, and has an flattened oval shape to it. The enamel Is identical to a few of the plesiosaur teeth I have from this area but the flattened shape is throwing me off. The tooth is smooth all the way around with no carinae. Any thoughts or comments would be very much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Maybe a fish tooth. Are Xiphactinus found at this site? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 +1 for fish tooth. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtskinner Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 4 hours ago, Al Dente said: Maybe a fish tooth. Are Xiphactinus found at this site? Yes sir, I actually found 11 Xiphactinus vetus teeth on this same trip. This one isn’t close to any that I’ve found thus far though, and that’s why I posted it. It’s short and stubby whereas the rest that we find are long and skinny. Also, I would say that 99% of the Xiphactinus teeth we do find have faceted edges and carinae on at least one edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 I would actually lean towards Plesiosaur tooth - they do tend to get flattened at the tip and Xiphactinus teeth have carinae. Maybe yours is a tip? I think you guys have Xiphactinus Vetus like we do right? It is actually defined as having two cutting edges in the New Jersey fossil guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 I'd say its growth cracks are too large for it to be a Xiphactinus. I have the feeling it is either a Croc or Mosasaur tooth with a variation. “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...
Mtskinner Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 The tooth doesn’t appear to be broken to me as it has a concaved bottom where the root would’ve attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazfossilator Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Cool tooth, very nice find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 5 hours ago, Mtskinner said: Yes sir, I actually found 11 Xiphactinus vetus teeth on this same trip. This one isn’t close to any that I’ve found thus far though, and that’s why I posted it. It’s short and stubby whereas the rest that we find are long and skinny. Also, I would say that 99% of the Xiphactinus teeth we do find have faceted edges and carinae on at least one edge. Nice teeth. I agree that Xiphactinus vetus have carinae and facets. I was wondering if the tooth you posted was X. audax which is round (lacks carinae) and does not have facets. I don't have any X. audax teeth to use as a comparison. Not sure if X. audax have been found in your region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtskinner Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 1 hour ago, Al Dente said: Nice teeth. I agree that Xiphactinus vetus have carinae and facets. I was wondering if the tooth you posted was X. audax which is round (lacks carinae) and does not have facets. I don't have any X. audax teeth to use as a comparison. Not sure if X. audax have been found in your region. I have two decent teeth from X. audax...this pic is a comparison of the two species side by side. The one on the left is my better example of X. audax. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtskinner Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 The growth cracks are definitely larger that the X. audax tooth but other than that I can see where the tooth in question matches up pretty well if it’s just a broken tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-remanié Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 I also think its just the tip of a plesiosaur tooth or maybe mosasaur. I definitely don't think its Xiphactinus. ---Wie Wasser schleift den Stein, wir steigen und fallen--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 10 hours ago, josephstrizhak said: I'd say its growth cracks are too large for it to be a Xiphactinus. I have the feeling it is either a Croc or Mosasaur tooth with a variation. It actually seems to have two very faint carinae towards the tip based off of your occlusal view, so that rules out X. audax. X. vetus has facets unlike this tooth. Most plesiosaur teeth don't have cutting edges and aren't this flat at the tip, so this can't be plesiosaur. It is either Croc or Mosasaur, but I would say it is Mosasaur. 1 “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...
Mtskinner Posted May 31, 2018 Author Share Posted May 31, 2018 Here a few more pics of the areas in question...the concave base I was discussing earlier (is it broken or no???) and the tip that hopefully shows it doesn’t have any carinae. My gut feeling is that it’s simply plesiosaur... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 11 hours ago, Mtskinner said: I have two decent teeth from X. audax...this pic is a comparison of the two species side by side. The one on the left is my better example of X. audax. That's a nice comparison photo of the two species. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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