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Mammoth Tooth?


Fossil.Dad

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First off, welcome to the Forum!

It's pretty hard to make out from the photo, but it's not a mammoth tooth and probably isn't any kind of vertebrate fossil. I want to lean more toward the edge of an ammonite or something, but those kinds of things aren't my specialty. I'm not quite as sure about what it is as I am about what it's not.

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post-8253-0-23662900-1332404606_thumb.jpg I know absolutely nadda about fossils. So, I am only basing this on what I have found online. I know...I know... dangerous... However, would you be able to verify these other images found online that claim to be mammoth tooth sections? When holding my piece to the image of the section on the left, the apparent "grinding" surface matches the slope of my piece EXACTLY. Our piece is also 1/4" longer than the image shown with a ruler for scale. Any thoughts??
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The grinding surface of mammoth tooth is comprise of alternating layers of enamel and dentin. These are usually clearly distinguishable from one another...your piece looks too uniform in composition.

I do think it is a fossil, but almost definitely not a mammoth tooth.

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It's very easy to see how the mistake could be made, it looks very similar. Had I seen your fossil in a place I hunt, I would have had to look twice thinking it could be a mammoth tooth also, and I see and handle mammoth teeth fairly often. But the chewing surface isn't quite right - it doesn't appear to be made up of enamel and the horizontal ridge going through the textured surface isn't ever seen in mammoth teeth.

Still, it does appear to be a fossil, so there could be more near where you found this. I was hoping someone could chime in with better suggestions of what it might be.

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It doesn't help that one of those pics you included for reference (one on left) appears to be a rock misidentified as a tooth. We can all see how some of the characteristics do look like a mammoth tooth though, but in this case it appears you have a cool looking rock of some sort.

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I agree that the shape resembles Mammoth tooth but the lack of enamel makes it not a Mammoth tooth. The pattern at the bottom of your pic looks like some sort of fossil, could you show us a pic of that surface head-on?

EDIT: the tooth with a pink background is a good example of a mammoth tooth.

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I do see the similarities and understand the frustration of trying to identify

the specimen when the only images you can find on the Net resembles a

Mammoth tooth.

For comparison I offer these 2 videos

In my opinion what you have is a rock with a similar shape and features that

resembles a tooth. Mother Nature is a well known artist and her creations

sometimes are remarkable.

As Cris just posted...Its possible what your son found might represent some kind

of a fossil protruding from the edge of the rock...However, higher quality and in focus

imaging would be necessary. Below is an edited and "enlarged" image highlighting

the area of interest. This surface should be facing the camera lens.

post-6417-0-57221900-1332430957_thumb.jpg

Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)
MAPS Fossil Show

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It looks like a impression of a jaw mandible section of upper and lower teeth! Definatly not a mammoth tooth...

Interesting find..

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It looks like a impression of a jaw mandible section of upper and lower teeth! Definatly not a mammoth tooth...

Interesting find..

Would you please elaborate? I'm still trying to learn about this piece and no one has made any remarks similar to yours. Impression?

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Ok :) To start the rock looks to be a solid piece very hevy? No form or shape to it at all. Then you get to the Impression = a mark or shape left behind by a fossil or more solid mass a mark or imprint... If you look at the fossil in the second picture there is a uneven line that runs through the center of the imprint. This is a ded giveaway that it is not a mammoth tooth>>>>....... So upon furthur investigation it has teeth! Upper jaw and lower jaw! Looks to be in the second picture a jaw mandable section left to right molars to front teeth! I agree with INDY It is very hard to tell from the pictures. Need a picture of the top of the area in question....

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... If you look at the fossil in the second picture there is a uneven line that runs through the center of the imprint. This is a ded giveaway that it is not a mammoth tooth>>>>....... So upon furthur investigation it has teeth! Upper jaw and lower jaw! Looks to be in the second picture a jaw mandable section left to right molars to front teeth! ...

I'm confused...Do you propose this literally? That the rock with an impression on one surface is an upper and lower jaw?

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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I'm confused...Do you propose this literally? That the rock with an impression on one surface is an upper and lower jaw?

I'm confused too. There aren't any signs of a vertebrate fossil here. As others have said, it appears to be an impression of some kind, but we need much clearer, focuses photos to make any kind of an accurate ID.

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I'm confused...Do you propose this literally? That the rock with an impression on one surface is an upper and lower jaw?

I do not propose literally! It is just a idea of what else it could be. It is hard to tell from the pictures. Do you have any ideas? I can tell you that it is not a mammoth tooth.
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Maybe a sponge? Coral? Just trying to get the minds working! I must say that the imprint is interesting and uniform.

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