New Ptychodus Species (pending) - Likely 150 Associated Teeth

[LSCHNELLE]

Back on October 2017, I was hunting a Texas creek after a flood event and found a nice slab of shark's teeth. I took my wife Susie back to check out the area better. We went upstream to locate where the slab had washed down from. We found a matching location where the teeth had come out of the Eagle Ford formation in a shell hash pocket. The final size of this area was about 1 ft by 2 ft by 2 inches thick.

 

We captured the remaining shell hash matrix in bags and took it home. Over the next few weeks, we used dilute white vinegar solution and ice picks to extract 150+ of these 4 mm to 15 mm wide Ptychodus teeth from matrix. My wife pulled out maybe 60 to 80 of them.

 

In October 2018 communications with Shawn Hamm, I found out that the largest of these teeth were likely from a new Ptychodus species that Shawn was hoping to do a paper on. I then sent 40 of these teeth to Shawn.

 

One month ago, I was contacted by Shawn to donate any more teeth that I was willing to give up for a new professional paper on that species (finally!). I went back through the remaining teeth (now in two clear plastic cylindrical containers) and other fossils from the pocket. I also gave him some of my best of these teeth found from other shell hash pockets nearby.

 

I noted amazingly that over 95% of the remaining 110+ Ptychodus teeth had characteristics of the new species and that there were five different tooth file sets represented. I immediately sent them to Shawn along with other representative shark species. So, he may now have the first associated set of those teeth to study for his paper from the 2018 and 2024 donations.

 

You just never know when an old fossil hunting trip can breath new life into the fossil record and a new understanding.

 

My ignorance of Ptychodus matters in 2017 was replaced by mature knowledge in 2024 that subsequently opened my "eyes" to something I would have never seen before 2024.

 

So, I recommend looking back at your old finds to hunt for new things you might now be able to see with your more mature set of "eyes"!

[Mikrogeophagus]

Exciting stuff Lee and nice hunting! I'm dying to read that paper! Tell Shawn to hurry up 

[Doctor Mud]

Wonderful news! 

did you post about the trip where you found them on here?

 

 

[Coco]

Wonderful ! Don't forget to mention it for the Paleopartner prize !

 

Coco

[Fossildude19]

Great story and amazing contribution to science!

Thanks Lee!

[LSCHNELLE]

No @Doctor Mud. I did not post at the time. I didn't understand how significant it was back then.

 

In 2018, even Shawn just thought it was mostly a bunch of unidentifiable 4 mm wide "baby" Ptychodus teeth. But, this year, I could clearly see that was NOT a correct assessment. Even the tiniest ones have a ridge and dentition file pattern unlike any other Ptychodus teeth that I have ever observed. And, I have seen over one thousand - mainly Ptychodus anonymous teeth.

 

I plan to post on Paleo Partners with some pictures once I can name the species - after the paper comes out. I am hoping that is soon!

Edited April 15 by LSCHNELLE
Clarification