Doubtful101 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Hi there, I know very little about fossils but on a recent trip to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica I stepped on a small tooth in the sand. Without thinking I assumed it was shark due to where I found it, but looking at it I then thought it was a dog's tooth, but it doesn't look like that either. It's white and extremely porous, it was found at the top of the beach on top of the sand so it was probably baking in the sun for quite some time. The beach is not often frequented by people, it's a remote area of the country, but there are stray dogs in the area and it's known to be shark infested waters. I don't know anything but I've been looking at pictures of teeth for an hour and a half and I'm stumped, so any help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatinformationist Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 It most resembles a bone spur not a tooth of any kind. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatinformationist Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 And welcome to the Forum. Thanks for sharing the picture and your time with us. Please visit regularly and come back soon. I learn more every day. I have become so smartified that I can cognate now. Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Welcome to the Forum. I agree this doesn't look like a tooth. Some additional pictures from different angles may help to narrow down an ID. I don't see any sign of enamel. Wait for some other opinions, though. 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...
ynot Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Welcome to TFF! I agree - not a tooth. Looks like a piece of a shell. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doubtful101 Posted August 3, 2018 Author Share Posted August 3, 2018 Additional pictures, it looked so much like a tooth I didn't even think of anything else, though it definitely just feels like bone. It comes to a perfect conical and slightly curved point like a tooth, no jagged edges on that part, but it looks like at the top it's just broken straight off of another bone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Can We see a straight on picture of the flat area? Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 It could also be part of a sea shell. They are quite solid like bone (being made of calcium carbonate) and many types (particularly mollusks) have spikes coming off of them. I can’t tell what it is from the pictures you provided (need closeups of the tip and bottom/flat section) but the shape and where you found it make me suspect seashell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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