HoppeHunting Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Hi all, I am thrilled to bring you an update on the object I posted not too long ago in the Fossil ID section. As advised, I brought it to the Calvert Marine Museum to be examined by expert eyes, but unfortunately the paleontology staff was not at the museum when I arrived, so I left the fossil with them along with my contact information and details about the location and age of the fossil. This was a few weeks ago. I just recently received a voicemail from the museum staff notifying me that an expert on marine mammals had taken a look at the fossil and rather easily recognized it as a dolphin periotic, a bone in the ear! When I called back and asked about the shark tooth that was buried in the bone, they said he must've missed that (I don't blame him; it's a small tooth!), but I asked if it would've been a result of feeding. They confirmed that the tooth undoubtedly wound up in the bone when a shark bit into the animal, but suggested that it is much more likely that it was a result of scavenging, not hunting. Because of the size of the tooth especially, it is most reasonable to conclude that a small shark scavenged the remains of the dolphin after it died, as a shark of that size typically would not pursue such large prey. Regardless, I think it's a spectacular find and it's certainly one of my favorite in my collection. A huge thank you to the experts at the CMM for their unparalleled expertise and willingness to help out an amateur. I'm very happy with my find, and can't wait to go pick it up next time I'm in the area. Thanks for reading this update! ~David (p.s. below is a picture of the fossil that I posted on the original ID thread. I'll post more detailed pictures once I pick it up from the museum) 10 The Hunt for the Hemipristine continues! ~Hoppe hunting!~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Fascinating! Congratulations! Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Very cool! Congratulations! I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Congrats! Definitely a piece with a story! “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Breakin' Rocks Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 That's very cool .... with a good story to boot. Cheers, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Pictures can be very deceiving. That is why you should always try to have an expert look at the specimen in person. I'm still struggling with mechanically how a feeding shark could embed the root lobe of a tooth into a periotic. For that to happen, I would expect a cut or grove in the specimen above the root lobe where the tooth cutting edge on the tooth shoulder cut down into the periotic and allowed the root to embed. Or maybe the tooth was pushed in sideways after falling out by another tooth/teeth. However here I would expect visible damage to the embedded tooth from the pushing tooth/teeth. Could you try to take a closeup picture of the tooth itself and the area right above the tooth? I don't know if you have a microscope, but a real close-up of the tooth and the area above the tooth would really help. Marco Sr. 3 "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 I agree with MarcoSr, I don’t understand how the entire tooth can become embedded in the bone. I’ll restate what I said before, that this looks like a phosphatic nodule. The pictures don’t look like a dolphin periotic. Maybe @Boesse can give you a second opinion. You might want to give the size of this object. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 51 minutes ago, MarcoSr said: Pictures can be very deceiving. That is why you should always try to have an expert look at the specimen in person. I'm still struggling with mechanically how a feeding shark could embed the root lobe of a tooth into a periotic. For that to happen, I would expect a cut or grove in the specimen above the root lobe where the tooth cutting edge on the tooth shoulder cut down into the periotic and allowed the root to embed. Or maybe the tooth was pushed in sideways after falling out by another tooth/teeth. However here I would expect visible damage to the embedded tooth from the pushing tooth/teeth. Could you try to take a closeup picture of the tooth itself and the area right above the tooth? I don't know if you have a microscope, but a real close-up of the tooth and the area above the tooth would really help. Marco Sr. 9 minutes ago, Al Dente said: I agree with MarcoSr, I don’t understand how the entire tooth can become embedded in the bone. I’ll restate what I said before, that this looks like a phosphatic nodule. The pictures don’t look like a dolphin periotic. Maybe @Boesse can give you a second opinion. You might want to give the size of this object. I am glad that someone else noticed this and mentioned it. I thought the same thing about the root being stuck in the object. I was going to mention it but did not want to be a buzz kill. It does appear as if this object grew around the tooth. I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoppeHunting Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 1 hour ago, MarcoSr said: Could you try to take a closeup picture of the tooth itself and the area right above the tooth? I don't know if you have a microscope, but a real close-up of the tooth and the area above the tooth would really help. I have a macro lens that is capable of close up shots. I’ll post some pictures once I retrieve my specimen. 43 minutes ago, Darktooth said: It does appear as if this object grew around the tooth. I agree. Perhaps the animal was actually bitten while it was alive, survived the attack, and then the bone healed around the tooth? The Hunt for the Hemipristine continues! ~Hoppe hunting!~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 29 minutes ago, HoppeHunting said: I agree. Perhaps the animal was actually bitten while it was alive, survived the attack, and then the bone healed around the tooth? It would be very difficult for a small shark to bite a dolphin’s periotic without taking off a portion of the dolphin’s head and lower jaw in order to reach it. I don’t think a dolphin could survive such an attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 imagine Nimbus' specimen phosphatized in a lag (blackened). I think this is a good analogy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 My first reaction was that it was a phosphatic gastropod steinkern with an embedded shark tooth. I think that makes a bit more sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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