Weird mosasaur tooth

[Brevicollis]

Hello, I also picked up this interesting mosasaur tooth today. 
It certainly is a prognathodontine tooth, but it curves to the lingual and not the anterior side, wich I've never seen in moroccan prognathodontine teeth so far. 
So might it be from a rare species that hasnt been described yet from morocco, maybe something similar to a dutch prognathodontine ?

Sice : 5cm
 

Thanks !
 

@pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon, @Praefectus

 

 

[North]

My first thoughts would go towards genus Mosasaurus. Perhaps even hoffmannii.

 

But better that Praefectus and Pachy takes a look.

[Brevicollis]

I also thought it might be a Mosasaurus, but where are all the facets ?

There are absolutely none on this tooth 

[North]

14 minutes ago, Brevicollis said:

I also thought it might be a Mosasaurus, but where are all the facets ?

There are absolutely none on this tooth 

M. hoffmannii facets are muted, so those might be nearly invisible.

Is base unequal?

[Brevicollis]

1 hour ago, North said:

Is base unequal?

Whats meant with that ?

[North]

59 minutes ago, Brevicollis said:

Whats meant with that ?

Im not sure can I explain, but Mosasaurus tooth base is shaped bit like a D and carinae makes an twist.

If it lacks these its not Mosasaurus.

 

But as said, it better that professionals takes a look, since it would not be the first time I missjudge angle from the pictures, since its easier to look while holding the tooth.

 

 

 

Hopefully this would be helpfull.

Edited December 7, 2024 by North
Added picture.

[Mahnmut]

Hi again.

I never dove as deep into Mosasaur taxonomy as you did.

I just know there is a huge amount of intraspecific variation going on -generally speaking- so hoping to find a new species through minor differences of a single tooth might be hoping much. Possible, but improbable.

Things that may confuse, talking not only aboout Mosasaurs: Ontogeny (when in the animals life?), anatomy (where in the animal?), taphonomy (deformation after death), pathology, sexual dimorphism and first of all simple variation. Not even all humans have the same amount of bones in their bodies.

I can easily imagine (not a good start for a scientific argument, but bear with me) a seagoing squamate with an odd tooth pointing in another direction than its neighbours.

Very cool find as a fossil, but not necessarily another species.

Best regards,

J

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

This is M. hoffmannii, which has crenulated carinae, rugose/anastomosing enamel texture, and a twist in the carinae, causing the basal cross-section to be unequal, with the labial side being more flat than the lingual one. An equal cross-section means that, if you draw a line from one carina to the other, both sides of this imaginary line are equally big and equally shaped.

[Praefectus]

Can you take a video of the tooth? Spinning it around slowly and showing the enamel under clear lighting. Top down and bottom up pictures would be helpful too. I'm thinking it might be an anterior Thalassotitan atrox tooth. 

 

On 12/7/2024 at 11:48 AM, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said:

This is M. hoffmannii, which has crenulated carinae, rugose/anastomosing enamel texture, and a twist in the carinae, causing the basal cross-section to be unequal, with the labial side being more flat than the lingual one. An equal cross-section means that, if you draw a line from one carina to the other, both sides of this imaginary line are equally big and equally shaped.

Maybe. Thick enamel looks more prognathodontin. Mosasaurus isn't the only large-bodied mosasaurid with medially curving teeth that have subequal enamel faces on anterior crowns. 

[Praefectus]

On 12/7/2024 at 7:38 AM, Brevicollis said:

It certainly is a prognathodontine tooth, but it curves to the lingual and not the anterior side, wich I've never seen in moroccan prognathodontine teeth so far. 

Anteriormost crowns will do this.