Late Cretaceous fish tooth from New Jersey, USA

[bthemoose]

I recently found this fish (?) tooth from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian-Campanian) of Big Brook, New Jersey, USA. Can anyone help with a more specific ID? Although it's a bit hard to tell from the photos, the tooth has well-defined cutting edges--see the whitish line/light reflection roughly down the center of the tooth in the 3rd and 4th photos from the left.

 

[Fossildude19]

Maybe Xiphactinus?

[Othniel C. Marsh]

I'd be inclined to identify the tooth as Protosphyraena, as Xiphactinus vetus teeth are more slender and recurved.

[Fossildude19]

On 11/2/2024 at 8:51 AM, Othniel C. Marsh said:

I'd be inclined to identify the tooth as Protosphyraena, as Xiphactinus vetus teeth are more slender and recurved.

 

Not sure Protosphyraena has been found there.  Not saying you are wrong, just that I have never heard that they have been found there.

 

@frankh8147  @Carl  @Jeffrey P 

[PFOOLEY]

Here is an interesting thread...

 

Cretaceous NJ tooth (possible protosphyraena?)

[Othniel C. Marsh]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

Not sure Protosphyraena has been found there.  Not saying you are wrong, just have never heard that they have been found there.

 

Perhaps cf. Protosphyraena sp. then

[bthemoose]

12 hours ago, Othniel C. Marsh said:

I'd be inclined to identify the tooth as Protosphyraena, as Xiphactinus vetus teeth are more slender and recurved.

 

Thanks, Protosphyraena does look like a good possibility. In addition to the thread @PFOOLEY shared, I found this image on the Oceans of Kansas website. My tooth is a good deal smaller than these (and the one in the earlier TFF thread), so presumably would be from a younger individual (or a more posterior tooth?).

 

Edited November 3, 2024 by bthemoose

[frankh8147]

I'm in for Protosphyranea on this one (nice!). Besides my tooth in the other thread, I've seen several others and also have a piece of 'sail' identified as Protosphyranea so we know its there.

[bthemoose]

Thanks, @frankh8147!

[Carl]

On 11/2/2024 at 9:58 AM, Fossildude19 said:

 

Not sure Protosphyraena has been found there.  Not saying you are wrong, just have never heard that they have been found there.

 

@frankh8147  @Carl  @Jeffrey P 

I've also never heard of Protosphyraena in NJ and I think it's a close enough match with NJ Xiphactinus teeth I've seen so I'm going with that. But I can see the possibility of Protosphyraena and would be happy to be wrong.

Edited November 4, 2024 by Carl

[Carl]

1 hour ago, frankh8147 said:

I'm in for Protosphyranea on this one (nice!). Besides my tooth in the other thread, I've seen several others and also have a piece of 'sail' identified as Protosphyranea so we know its there.

Edited November 4, 2024 by Carl

[Carl]

On 11/2/2024 at 9:39 PM, bthemoose said:

 

Thanks, Protosphyraena does look like a good possibility. In addition to the thread @PFOOLEY shared, I found this image on the Oceans of Kansas website. My tooth is a good deal smaller than these (and the one in the earlier TFF thread), so presumably would be from a younger individual (or a more posterior tooth?).

 

Thanks for this, Frank! Can you share photos of the other teeth and possible sail?