Tooth in jaw?

[Dino Dad 81]

Hi all,

 

Any thoughts on what this chunk might come from? It was found in the Lance formation in Weston, WY.

Thanks!

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Dino Dad 81

[Danielb]

It looks like bone. It could be a root to one but not sure. Wait till others respond

[Troodon]

No idea what you have.  Really does not look like what I would expect from a root.  Is it a jaw?

[digit]

Could it be a sediment infill of a dental alveolus?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Dino Dad 81]

One other thought that comes to mind after trying to get better pics. Might be more farfetched that sediment infill...no clue..

 

Does this texture suggest nodosaurid?

 

 

This is a massive speculation, but could this possibly be the crown of a tooth lodged in bone? It seems awfully cylindrical for a crown, but it does taper. The unevenness of the bone wrapped around it obscures this tapering. Regardless, it's awfully cylindrical, which might mean only a premax could possibly make the shape more plausible?

 

 

 

 

 

But, regardless of whether it's a jaw section or a puncture scenario, we'd expect to see signs of other teeth. Here's the best I can do to show any sign of repeating pattern:

 

 

 

 

 

I'm happy to work on better pictures if there's anything you'd like to see differently!

 

Thanks!

[Dino Dad 81]

From a very good resource:

I've seen very similar things in the Jurassic. I.e. crystalline cores that filled the hollow root of a tooth as it was growing/forming. Sometimes in the Morrison, it's beautiful crystalline calcite filling in the root core.

[Dino Dad 81]

If so, then it must be a strange cut of jaw where only 4 and 5 below show the tooth spacing. Any idea family it might have come from?

 

 

[jpc]

I think this is a fragment, heavily worn, of a ceratopsian frill.  The 'tooth' being a filled in canal in the bone.