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North Carolina Mosasaur Tooth


MikeR

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I have decided to take a break from shells and delve into the vertebrate world for awhile.  In going through several trips worth of North Carolina Cretaceous material, I came across this incomplete tooth which I believe is from a mosasaur.  Reading through prior posts I know how difficult they are to identify but I am hoping that there are enough distinguishing characteristics to be able to identify by genus.  The size of the tooth is 12 mm x 12 mm x 6 mm.  I took pictures with my iphone so if the consensus is better quality pics are needed, I'll drag out the DSLR.

 

5c30e35444e9e_mosasaur1.thumb.jpg.f5993fe157eec2375f575970dd99572f.jpg 5c30e354bcb36_mosasaur2.thumb.jpg.d324694ea63425a4e5d45067bef52ff8.jpg 5c30e35532cb8_mosasaur3.thumb.jpg.05f80f2e2ac5d51c294ad2b7e4b1554d.jpg 5c30e355b2b04_mosasaur4.thumb.jpg.45475cf262841b21b546ae9969aeb8ee.jpg

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"A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain

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@MikeR

It's either Mosasaur or Deinosuchus. I will send your photos to Todd, though @sixgill pete may also be able to help.

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Oh, and thanks for coming over to the "dark side!"

Don't know much about history

Don't know much biology

Don't know much about science books.........

Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World

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I'm not really sure about this one. I have a very similar piece of a tooth that is probably from the same location. Only it is the tip section. A few people have looked at it and suggested some type of fish. I still believe it is mosasaur.

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9 minutes ago, SailingAlongToo said:

@MikeR

It's either Mosasaur or Deinosuchus. I will send your photos to Todd, though @sixgill pete may also be able to help.

 

Thanks Jack.  I would be surprised if it was Deinosuchus.  I have a quite a few and they are all conical whereas this tooth is quite oval and small.

 

Mike

"A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain

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11 minutes ago, SailingAlongToo said:

Oh, and thanks for coming over to the "dark side!"

 

Jack, I am your father!

"A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain

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8 minutes ago, sixgill pete said:

I'm not really sure about this one. I have a very similar piece of a tooth that is probably from the same location. Only it is the tip section. A few people have looked at it and suggested some type of fish. I still believe it is mosasaur.

 

Thanks Don.  I would surprised if this was fish as well but I don't know what I don't know.  

"A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain

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5 minutes ago, MikeR said:

 

Thanks Don.  I would surprised if this was fish as well but I don't know what I don't know.  

 

Admitting you "don't know" is the 1st step to enlightenment. It's much better than the people who don't know they don't know and think they know everything. :headscratch:

Don't know much about history

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Don't know much about science books.........

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Mosasaur teeth do not have all those ridges running down them.  They are pretty smooth except for a single, slight ridge.  On the other hand, plesiosaur teeth do look a lot like the tooth you are showing.  If I had to guess, I'd call that plesiosaur.

For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun.
-Aldo Leopold
 

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Mosasaur of some sort.   Heavily faceted.  

---Wie Wasser schleift den Stein, wir steigen und fallen---

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50 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

Here’s a faceted one from Greens Mill Run in Greenville NC. I don’t know the genus.

Gorgeous! 

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Don't know much biology

Don't know much about science books.........

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There is a publication titled "Mosasaurids (Squamata) from the Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco: Biodiversity, paleobiogeography and paleoecology …" Gondwana Research 2014, that shows a variety of mosasaur teeth from Morocco. Here is an illustration that includes a fluted tooth (B) identified as Platecarpus with a question mark. I believe that Tylosaurus also have fluted teeth.

 

 

platycarpus2.JPG

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Hi Al Dente,

 

Someone talked about Platycarpus elsewhere on the forum recently.  I believe he noted that a researcher was at least leaning against Platycarpus being present in the Maastrichtian of Morocco, and suggested another genus.

 

Jess

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On 1/5/2019 at 6:05 PM, MikeR said:

I have decided to take a break from shells

How dare you?! :faint::ank:

 

Nice find though, well done!

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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can we have a straight on shot of the basal cavity? Also am thinking that some of the pterygoid teeth may be more ornate than the jaw teeth. (not sure on this though)

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On 07/01/2019 at 12:20 PM, Max-fossils said:

How dare you?! :faint::ank:

I am OK with you Max ! :o :rofl:

 

Coco

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Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici
Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici
Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici
Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici
Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici
Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici

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On 1/7/2019 at 9:17 AM, Plax said:

can we have a straight on shot of the basal cavity? Also am thinking that some of the pterygoid teeth may be more ornate than the jaw teeth. (not sure on this though)

 

Thanks for looking Don.  I hope that this image is not too blurry.

IMG_0488.JPG

"A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain

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On 1/7/2019 at 6:20 AM, Max-fossils said:

How dare you?! :faint::ank:

 

Don't worry.  It's only temporary.

"A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain

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On 1/9/2019 at 10:45 PM, MikeR said:

 

Don't worry.  It's only temporary.

Phew :P 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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I'm sticking with the pleisosaur camp!!

For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun.
-Aldo Leopold
 

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