Texas Pliosaur tooth?

[FF7_Yuffie]

Hello,

 

Thoughts on this? Half an inch long, sold as a Pliosaur tooth from Texas. Seller thinks Eagle Ford, but isn't 100%. I like the look of it, but wanna rule out croc or ichthyosaur.

 

cheers

[JamieLynn]

@Jared C  @Mikrogeophagus  These two will have good info for you 

[Mikrogeophagus]

Here are a couple pliosaurs I collected from the Kamp Ranch:

 

 

Reptile teeth are often hard to differentiate. As far as tooth shape and the appearance of the ridges go, your specimen doesn't look too far off. In my head, ichthyosaur teeth often have dense, larger, and dome cross-sectioned ridges which would differ from my teeth and the one you have pictured. Morphology wise, I think this looks close. We'll see what an expert like @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon has to say hopefully!

 

The matrix could be Kamp Ranch, but it's not like what I have seen in my limited hunting. The spots I go to have limestone matrix peppered with phosphatic fish bits (most obvious in my 1st pic) whereas the piece in question appears to have none. Kamp Ranch can vary a lot, so I wouldn't say this rules out anything, but just something to take note of.

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

1 hour ago, JamieLynn said:

@Jared C  @Mikrogeophagus  These two will have good info for you 

 

Best add @LSCHNELLE to that list too, as he's both hunted Eagle Ford and has found various pliosaur teeth in it.

 

In terms of matrix, however, I agree that this looks most like Eagle Ford. Additionally, I can tell you this is definitely not an ichthyosaur tooth, as it lacks the needed plicidentine enamel folds. This leaves pliosaur and crocodile as the two viable options. With a shape this hooked, and striae that sparse and thin, I'd say this doesn't particularly look like a pliosaur tooth. However, looking at some of the specimens Lee's found in the past, and considering ratchet teeth, I wouldn't exclude pliosaur altogether. Crocodile seems more likely to me, though, seeing as that I do think I see an apicobasal ridge on the very right edge of the tooth, just out of reach to properly show up in the photograph. Another photograph, but taken from the other direction, might help shed light on this...

Edited March 12 by pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon

[FF7_Yuffie]

35 minutes ago, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said:

 

Best add @LSCHNELLE to that list too, as he's both hunted Eagle Ford and has found various pliosaur teeth in it.

 

In terms of matrix, however, I agree that this looks most like Eagle Ford. Additionally, I can tell you this is definitely not an ichthyosaur tooth, as it lacks the needed plicidentine enamel folds. This leaves pliosaur and crocodile as the two viable options. With a shape this hooked, and striae that sparse and thin, I'd say this doesn't particularly look like a pliosaur tooth. However, looking at some of the specimens Lee's found in the past, and considering ratchet teeth, I wouldn't exclude pliosaur altogether. Crocodile seems more likely to me, though, seeing as that I do think I see an apicobasal ridge on the very right edge of the tooth, just out of reach to properly show up in the photograph. Another photograph, but taken from the other direction, might help shed light on this...

 

Thanks, I will try get another photo.

 

 

[LSCHNELLE]

@FF7_Yuffie. It looks possibly like pliosaur to me. I've found an ichthyosaur or pliosaur in Lower Bouldin Flags member of the Eagle Ford Shale matrix looking similar to that matrix. I know in that same outcrop area one of our Paleontological Society of Austin members found a huge Brachauchenius species tooth. But, that matrix was reportedly more shell hashy. Here are a couple I have found in Texas with matrix.

[Jared C]

If indeed eagle ford, I would hop on to the purchase. Pliosaur is possible, and crocs are all but unheard of in the eagle ford. They’re a lot more common in the woodbine below it, but in the eagle ford I’ve never seen or heard of any croc material save for a tiny partial jaw that I have in my albums- and even then I’m only 80% sure of my ID. 
 

So, either way, you won’t lose. It’s either Pliosaur or a very rare croc.