Sauropod tooth from Irhazer Formation, Niger

[TeethCollector]

This is a sauropod tooth from Irhazer formation, Niger.

It measures almost 2 inches from tip to base, and the widest part measures 0.9 inches.

 

The seller mentioned this tooth may be a Jobaria, but there is no Jobaria have been described from the Irhazer formation. The Irhazer formation underlies the Tioraren formation where Jobaria was reported. The only spoon-shaped teeth sauropod known from the Irhazer formation is Spinophorosaurus, but the teeth has no serration on it.

According to the paper 'Sauropod Tooth Morphotypes from the Upper Jurassic of the Lusitanian Basin (Portugal)' , the tooth looks very similar to the compressed-cone chisel tooth, which attributed to macronarian or basal titanosauriforms.

 

http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2017/03/sauropod-teeth-jurassic-portugal.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

base of the tooth

 

 

 

 

[Troodon]

Did you not already post this tooth.

 

 

 

 

 

[TeethCollector]

5 minutes ago, Troodon said:

Did you not already post this tooth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes that is the tooth. I received the tooth today and posted more detailed photos.

[Troodon]

I dont think you are going to get a definitive answer.  Provenances from Niger can be very suspect especially in deposits that are close together and thats critical in identification.   Your tooth is damaged at the tip so if denticles were present will not be able to know.   But if you are convinced its from the Irhazer Shale then Spinophorosaurus is not out of the question.  

[Haravex]

Its also not out of the question of there being another sauropod present in the irhazer shale, I have issue with this one being from that formation as there is not matrix remaining on the tooth so find it hard to label it as coming from that formation.

[TeethCollector]

True. I don't think I can get genus or family level classification of this tooth. I would name this tooth 'Sauropod indet'.

I thought that we can still get some general classification like if it is from Titanosauriforms, or Macronarian, or something like that by looking at the shape of the tooth.,..

 

 

Thank you

[Kikokuryu]

35 minutes ago, Haravex said:

Its also not out of the question of there being another sauropod present in the irhazer shale, I have issue with this one being from that formation as there is not matrix remaining on the tooth so find it hard to label it as coming from that formation.

Is there something distinct about Irhazer matrix that differentiates it from Elrhaz and Tiouraren?

[Troodon]

The closest I'm willing to suggest is that its an indeterminate eusauropod.  Jobaria and Spinophorosaurus are both Eusauropoda and thats about all we know about those sauropods and is published.

[TeethCollector]

Thank you for the nice diagram, Troodon.

Since Eusauropoda includes Macronarian, Titanosauriforms, Jobaria and Spinophorosaurus ... That seems the best we can make.