Squalicorax sp. from the Bruceville Chalk Marl Formation, Austin Group

[Heteromorph]

In late February I went to a site in the Middle/Upper Santonian stage of the Bruceville Chalk Marl Formation, Austin Group, in Ellis county, Texas. While at the site I found a few inoceramids, possibly an anaptychus, and a chunk of rock that looks like it could have mollusk grazing traces on it. 

 

Then today I was organizing my collection and picked up the rock with the possible grazing traces. While I was handling the rock I happened to look at the bottom of it and spotted a small Squalicorax sp. tooth, my first tooth from the Santonian. It is 11 mm long and is pretty complete, with the left side of the root being exposed. I am not sure about the right side of the root, but it may still be there under the matrix. 

 

I have been trying to put it to a species. From looking through Welton and Farish’s book as well as elasmo.com the most likely candidates seem to be the two paleo-buckets S. “falcatus” and S. “kaupi,” and the species S. lindstormi. I am not terribly familiar with fossil shark teeth, so I am very curious what the more informed members of this forum can say about what species this could be. I am also wondering if the first picture could be of mollusk grazing traces. 

 

Would it be a good idea to try to prep it out further? And if so, what would a good strategy be with chalky/marly matrix? 

 

FIG 1: Possible mollusk grazing traces on the top of the rock. 

 

FIG 2. 

 

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[Heteromorph]

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[Heteromorph]

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[Heteromorph]

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[Heteromorph]

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[The Jersey Devil]

It looks like you have a Squalicorax lindstromi.

[Miocene_Mason]

Nice crow, looks like it could be close to complete under the matrix, but I would be careful and slow, as such small teeth can be...troublesome...to prep. Also, why the quotes around kaupi and falcatus? Did I miss something (and I often do)?

[Heteromorph]

37 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said:

Nice crow, looks like it could be close to complete under the matrix, but I would be careful and slow, as such small teeth can be...troublesome...to prep. Also, why the quotes around kaupi and falcatus? Did I miss something (and I often do)?

Thanks! I will be very careful and slow if I choose to prep. 

 

The quotes are indicative of species nomenclature that are designated as paleo-buckets, meaning that there may be multiple as of yet individually undescribed taxa under that name. They can be seen on elasmo.com:

 

[Plax]

is that another one partially exposed at 10 oclock in figure 2?

[Heteromorph]

2 hours ago, Plax said:

is that another one partially exposed at 10 oclock in figure 2?

No, it is a piece of inoceramid shell. The darker enamel looking part is actually a shadow off of the inoceramid shell. 

[Heteromorph]

Correction: While I originally said that this tooth is from the Bruceville Formation, after looking at my geological map closely, it could either be from the upper part of the Bruceville Formation or the Hutchins Formation. Formations in the Austin group in Ellis county can be hard to distinguish sometimes.