crocodile teeth from the Potomac?

[espeton]

I found these two teeth that look from crocodile, but what it makes me doubt is that they are more compressed than the typical crocs and also the cutting edges are frontal and posterior and not lateral like the crocs that I usually find. So my question is if they are from a croc, an other reptile or maybe from a bony fish?
The first two pictures belong to the first tooth and the last 3 pictures to the second tooth.
Thanks in advance for your comments.

[Hodunc]

Both are crocodile teeth...what part of the Potomac River did you find the specimens? Paleocene? Miocene? Just curious....

[Al Dente]

I recently saw a copy of a poster that was displayed at a GSA conference that showed pictures of laterally compressed crocodile teeth from the Paleocene Aquia Formation. Some of the teeth had serrations and looked like dinosaur teeth. I think that is what you have for the second tooth.

The poster was titled " A revision of the crocodilian fauna of the upper Paleocene Aquia Formation of Virginia and Maryland" Denton, Weems and Grimsley.

[espeton]

The teeth were found in the Virginia side of the Potomac river in a Paleocene site.

[MarcoSr]

I recently saw a copy of a poster that was displayed at a GSA conference that showed pictures of laterally compressed crocodile teeth from the Paleocene Aquia Formation. Some of the teeth had serrations and looked like dinosaur teeth. I think that is what you have for the second tooth.

The poster was titled " A revision of the crocodilian fauna of the upper Paleocene Aquia Formation of Virginia and Maryland" Denton, Weems and Grimsley.

Eric

I forwarded a link to this post to Dr. Robert Weems. This is what he replied:

"According to Bob Denton, the compressed teeth are referable to Pristichampsus. We reported this in a GSA abstract and poster, .............. This species is only known from Belvedere Beach, which is very high in the Aquia column.................... Most are a bit water worn, but a few are pristine enough to show the fine serration characteristic of this genus. The second tooth at the website you forwarded to me is definitely this taxon, and the first tooth probably is as well. The first tooth is an anterior tooth and the second is a lateral tooth."

Marco Sr.

Edited December 4, 2015 by MarcoSr

[espeton]

Wow!!! Indeed, I found both teeth in The Belvedere beach in a trip with the MID-ATLANTIC FOSSIL AND NATURE ADVENTURES, last summer.

Thank you very much for your help, Marco!!

[Al Dente]

I remembered finding a similar croc tooth when I collected the Aquia several years ago. I was able to relocate the fossil today. My notes say it is from the Paspotansa Member of the Aquia from the Virginia side of the river. The tooth is 17 millimeters long. It is too worn to see if it had serrations.

[MarcoSr]

I remembered finding a similar croc tooth when I collected the Aquia several years ago. I was able to relocate the fossil today. My notes say it is from the Paspotansa Member of the Aquia from the Virginia side of the river. The tooth is 17 millimeters long. It is too worn to see if it had serrations.

croc1.jpg croc2.jpg

Eric

Looks like Pristichampsus. They are not found in the Piscataway Member of the Aquia Formation. Belvedere Beach, VA, where they have been found, has Paspotansa Member exposures.

Marco Sr.

Edited December 5, 2015 by MarcoSr