Peace river fossil IDS

[Michael1]

Found these two fossils while hunting the peace river wondering if anyone could ID them? If anyone needs additional photos please ask.

[Harry Pristis]

The first is a ray dermal denticle.  The second is a barracuda tooth.

EDIT:  The second is a sawfish rostral "tooth".

[aplomado]

The second looks like worn horn coral.

[TRout]

Those are very nice finds! I agree with ray dermal denticle for the first. The second looks more like a sawfish rostral tooth to me.

[ClearLake]

1 minute ago, aplomado said:

The second looks like worn horn coral.

I'm afraid its a little too thin and the wrong age for a horn coral.

 

That ray dermal denticle is really nice looking!

[Harry Pristis]

Yes, sawfish rostral "tooth" is probably a better guess for the second find.

[digit]

Agreed (of course) with Harry's assessment. The large size, the striations toward the base and the lack of the distinctive enamel edging usually seen on barracuda teeth confirm this ID. They are wonderful examples of both types of fossils.

 

As mentioned above we don't have horn corals here in Florida--for so many retirees we are actually quite a young state (geologically speaking). Our oldest formations at the surface only get back to the Eocene. I do agree that a sawfish rostral tooth (not a real tooth but a highly derived dermal denticle) like this does resemble a horn coral that had (anachronistically) been run over by a steam roller.

 

Interestingly, both fossils are types dermal denticles from very different kinds of chondrichthyans.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Al Dente]

The sawfish looks like Anoxypristis.

[aplomado]

On 2/26/2024 at 3:41 PM, ClearLake said:

I'm afraid its a little too thin and the wrong age for a horn coral.

 

Ok, thanks, I learned something.

[digit]

7 hours ago, aplomado said:

Ok, thanks, I learned something.

I count those as great days when I learn something new on the forum.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken