oyo Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 I would say it's a tooth fragment. It doesn't look like the shark teeth that usually come out in the area. Measures 15 mm. high by 12 mm. thick at the widest part. Middle Eocene (Lutecian). South Pyrenean basin. Thanks for any information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybot Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 Hmm. I'm not an expert, but it reminds me of alligator or crocodile teeth... but it could also be a broken dolphin incisor. Probably none of the above, just some ideas. @Harry Pristis@digit@Shellseeker@Balance Some members of our Floridian gang might be able to help 1 -Jay “The earth doesn't need new continents, but new men.” ― Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 Oddly shaped in cross section and no visible carinae (ridges) would seem to exclude crocodilian tooth. Does look like an enameled surface but the shape is unfamiliar. Cheers. -Ken 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balance Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 Way too old an area for me. Looks like it has banding in the enamel but no idea. Jp 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 I base my comments on your 1st and 4th photos. The 4th seals the idea that this is very likely a tooth, and a hollow tooth at that... My expertise does not reach far away from Florida. I can not identify it. In Florida , we have some Crocodile, Alligator, and Whale teeth which are all hollow inside. I even have a couple of dolphin which are hollow inside. I have seen few Croc teeth, but this does not seem to be Whale or Dolphin.. 1 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 Based on prior experience in the White River formation/group which is a bit later than the fossil in question, being deposited around the Priabonian (Eocene) and Rupelian (Oligocene), my guess is that it's a fragment of large mammal tooth. Certainly peculiar to find in this context as you had mentioned this assemblage being typically marine, very cool. What other vertebrate material have you found from this area? Is this the first potential mammal? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oyo Posted May 22 Author Share Posted May 22 In fact, the deposits are purely marine. Shallow marine waters. They contain mostly corals, sponges, calcareous algae, sea urchins, gastropods, crabs and nummulites. Vertebrate remains are rare and are usually shark teeth and some vertebrae. We have never collected a specimen like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 I'm probably way off the mark, but it somewhat resembles a curled/dried arthropod or insect shed to me. 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oyo Posted May 22 Author Share Posted May 22 And @Al Dente?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 No matter how long I look at this I can not see a tooth. It vaguely resembles a shell fragment from a mollusk.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 1 hour ago, ynot said: No matter how long I look at this I can not see a tooth. It vaguely resembles a shell fragment from a mollusk.. The bottom tip of a gastropod would have this shape. Tony may be onto something here. Cheers. -Ken 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loxodonta45 Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 Could this be a fragment of horn coral? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 28 minutes ago, Loxodonta45 said: Could this be a fragment of horn coral? No. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 12 hours ago, oyo said: And @Al Dente?? I have no idea on this one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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