Rooted Mosasaur tooth in Matrix

[Abstraktum]

Hello everybody  

 

Another of these topics, but here we go ^^" 

 

I already looked up several topics on this forum about this topic and just tried to get as much examples as posible. Just to get into this big field of Mosasaurus teeth.

Getting a crown tooth seems not to be that big of a deal since they are very common. It gets interesting if you want something with a root. As I understood this is where the fakes begin.

I wanted to leave 3 examples here that are offered right now and would love to have your opinion on that. 

 

These are all described as Prognathodon indet. from Khourigba / Morocco. Between 4.5 to 5 inches. Still in the original Matrix, no fabrications according to the seller.

 

What I would like to know:

Are these fabrications? And is the existence of Matrix an indication for fakes? Or is the Matrix just there to hold crown and root together (like in 2 and 3?)

Can this be described as Prognathodon indet.? Or are teeth from Morocco best described as Mosasaurinae indet?

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

Unfortunatly I can't provide more or better pictures.  

 

Any help is welcome and thank you so much for your help!  

[LordTrilobite]

The first one looks real. The second one looks quite dubious, and I'm not quite sure about the last one. All of them have real roots at least.

 

The first one looks like there is just a little sediment on the join between the crown and root. The sediment looks natural.

 

The second one looks the worst of the three. It might just be that the whole piece was broken in two and then repaired. But the join between the crown and root definitely has some infill there that is not natural. I would need to hold it in my hands to know for sure.

 

The third tooth clearly has a break between the root and crown, but it looks like it might just be a natural break without any tampering. Generally the sediment around the tooth looks pretty natural.

 

 

I would say all three look like they might be Prognatodon sp.

[Tidgy's Dad]

I would have said pretty much the same.

But not as eloquently. 

[Thecosmilia Trichitoma]

Notice the matrix covering the second one. It might be covering the connection between a separate root and the tooth.

[Abstraktum]

So, this is a little follow up

I decided to buy Number 3 and would provide you with some pictures of my own. 

 

Please feel free to give any ideas and comments about it. @LordTrilobite maybe  you can provide some thoughts  

 

 

 

Can anyone tell me what happend here with this "hole"? 

[Abstraktum]

And this thing is kind of interesting. What is this? This was not mentioned in the description from the seller. Any ideas?

 

 

Thank you for all your help!

 

 

[LordTrilobite]

Broken yes. But looks good/real.

 

That blob in the last few photos is likely a poop/coprolite. When you prep them away they smell too!

[RJB]

LordTrilobite put this about as good as can be said.  That hole is, I think, where another tooth was coming in?

 

RB

[LordTrilobite]

5 hours ago, RJB said:

That hole is, I think, where another tooth was coming in?

 

RB

Yes that is correct, I forgot about commenting on that part.

[Abstraktum]

Thank you guys

 

I have to be honest, I didn't know about this.

 

So this basically means that the tooth next to this tooth was growing "into" this one? Does that mean the tooth next to this one wasn't growing correctly? What is going on there? Seems to be a common happening cause on the first picture (the other tooth in my first post) you can see a similar hole. Is this only common among Mosasaur or reptiles / Dinosaurs in general? 

 

Sorry about so many questions ^^"

[snolly50]

Here is a link to a response in my Mosasaur jaw prep topic. The piece prepared was Moroccan in origin, so there may be relevance to the mystery blob in the matrix you posted. If you look at the rest of that topic you can see a couple replacement teeth as well.

 

The excellence of photography in your post i am sure was very helpful to those responding. It would be wonderful if all inquiries on the Forum included such precise, detailed images.  

[Aurelius]

2 minutes ago, Abstraktum said:

Thank you guys

 

I have to be honest, I didn't know about this.

 

So this basically means that the tooth next to this tooth was growing "into" this one? Does that mean the tooth next to this one wasn't growing correctly? What is going on there? Seems to be a common happening cause on the first picture (the other tooth in my first post) you can see a similar hole. Is this only common among Mosasaur or reptiles / Dinosaurs in general? 

 

This is how mosasaur teeth worked. They shed their teeth, like sharks, so they were constantly growing new ones. 

[Abstraktum]

5 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

Here is a link to a response in my Mosasaur jaw prep topic. The piece prepared was Moroccan in origin, so there may be relevance to the mystery blob in the matrix you posted. If you look at the rest of that topic you can see a couple replacement teeth as well.

 

The excellence of photography in your post i am sure was very helpful to those responding. It would be wonderful if all inquiries on the Forum included such precise, detailed images.  

 

 

That's a VERY helpfull topic and very interesting to read! Didn't know about this topic yet. Yes, the coprolite you found looks like mine. 

 

Thx! Well, only good photos with the relevant parts can give a good hint on what it looks like. The better the photos, they better help you can get.  

 

I'm happy that with all the information now, I think my little pice really is a genuine one with no fabrications. The matrix looks like the one with your jaw. So it's a whole tooth that's broken in two parts in a natural way and not badly fabricated. 

 

And that there is a coprolite with it, that was not even mentioned by the seller, is a nice little bonus  

 

14 minutes ago, Aurelius said:

 

This is how mosasaur teeth worked. They shed their teeth, like sharks, so they were constantly growing new ones. 

 

Yes, I  knew that they replace their teeth, but didn't know how they acutally did it. I thought they push from the very bottom of the root and not from the side.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

Nice piece. 

[Fitch1979]

hey there, 

 

All 3 of the teeth are genuine, real and not reworked. 

 

Best regards!

[MRfossilMISTER]

fossil forum stuff is real.