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Bison Tooth?


garyc

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I know it is a never ending debate around here.....the difference between bos and bison teeth. I apologize now if this bores or frustrates anyone. I think I have seen something posted before regarding crown length as an indicator; but I can't find it now. So here is a tooth I found that is quite large compared to most of my previous finds. I think it is an M3 molar and the crown measures about 48mm. Please correct me if I'm wrong. The stylid appears quite solid, with cementum in place. I'm inclined to call it bison.

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Gary,

I mislabeled this Gallery photo. Can not tell whether or not , this tooth is Antiquus, I just can tell that it is fossilized and 44.5 mm.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/gallery/image/37579-bison-antiquus/

And I got this from Harry on one of my previous posts. It seems to imply that you can differentiate Bos from Bison by the length of occlusal surface, but I would like Harry or RIch to confirm.

post-2220-0-83111700-1443132016_thumb.jpgpost-2220-0-49001000-1443132007_thumb.jpg

The White Queen  ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast"

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Draw your own conclusions about size as a distinction between a bison m3 and a cow m3. My personal experience, ignoring other features, is that bison teeth are significantly larger. But, then, everything is bigger in Texas.

For comparison:

post-42-0-30841800-1443132439_thumb.jpg post-42-0-20748200-1443132467_thumb.jpg post-42-0-42526500-1443132650_thumb.jpg

Edited by Harry Pristis

http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page

 

What seest thou else

In the dark backward and abysm of time?

---Shakespeare, The Tempest

 

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I'm very grateful for all the pictures presented in this thread, but I have a question regarding to the occlusal view of the Bison molar. As I see, in younger age the molar is more flattened than in older age (also the lacunae) and the stylid not reach the occlusal surface. Is that correct?

" We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. "

Thomas Mann

My Library

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I'm very grateful for all the pictures presented in this thread, but I have a question regarding to the occlusal view of the Bison molar. As I see, in younger age the molar is more flattened than in older age (also the lacunae) and the stylid not reach the occlusal surface. Is that correct?

I don't know that the occlusal surface is "flatter" in the more worn tooth . . . It does appear to be broader, though. The isolated stylid does not extend to the occlusal surface of the less worn tooth.

Edited by Harry Pristis

http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page

 

What seest thou else

In the dark backward and abysm of time?

---Shakespeare, The Tempest

 

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Thank you for the response,Harry! So, the tooth in question is a young adult bison molar.

" We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. "

Thomas Mann

My Library

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  • 1 year later...

Harry and Shellseeker

When you say a Bo vs. Bison are you refering to Bo's as Bovines?  Shellseeker looks like we have the same tooth!

IMG_4737.JPG

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Bos, not "bo" is the scientific genus name given to cattle. Yes, yours looks a lot like shellseeker's. Would have belonged to a very mature beast. Welcome to the forum!

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  • 1 year later...

Gary it seems I found a tooth identical to yours. I found 10/7/18 San Gabriel River at Tejos Park 20181009_120456.thumb.jpg.d85eb72fa3bd0a6897d820a8b5ad3077.jpgNear Georgetown Texas. I found it in the creek a few weeks after a heavy rainfall and creek had been flooded. 

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Welcome to the forum! That is certainly either cow or bison. I do see a stylid which may indicate bison. I’ve read other info that describes both bos and bison having stylids but bison’s being more robust. Try showing pics of the tooth from different angles, including the occlusal, or chewing surface. Also, see how the length of the chewing surface compares to the pics Harry provided in a previous post.

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