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Shark Tooth From Missouri


Indy

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Below are some images presented as a "sneak preview"

of a work in progress for a new web page :)

We don't find the wonderful Megalodon teeth here in Missouri <_<

Most of the teeth we find are in limestone requiring preparation. Here's

a showy example framed by the typical reddish Fern Glen Formation limestone.

Campodus sp.

Common name: Crusher shark tooth

Early Mississippian

Osagean Series

Fern Glen Formation

Jefferson County, Missouri

post-6417-0-85526200-1315773303_thumb.jpg post-6417-0-71192700-1315773312_thumb.jpg

post-6417-0-78241700-1315773322_thumb.jpg post-6417-0-61170200-1315773330_thumb.jpg

Geological Survey of Illinois Vol. VI

Geology and Paleontology 1875

Plate 8 is a fold out sheet and too large to create 1 scanned image

so 3 scans were made and piranha (Scott) stitched them together B)

post-6417-0-26018400-1315773339_thumb.jpg Palate (lithograph)

A larger version of this Plate 8 illustrating the teeth

in the palate will be included on the web page

The unique thing about this fossil is Mother Nature prepared it

and it was collected in the nick of time. These teeth are extremely

porous and suck moisture like a sponge then swell, crack, and fall

apart. 1 week later the entire crown would be nothing more than

small pieces in the dirt.

hybodus has a Gallery of images on this forum

showcasing Campodus and other teeth Click Here :)

Hope you'all enjoyed the post...

By the way Brent...These teeth are all over the place around here :laughing on the floor 24:

Edited by Indy

Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)
MAPS Fossil Show

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Pristine :wub:

Sure looks good against tha red limestone!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Nice find! Did you have to cut that one out?

I've found collecting teeth from the hard limestone/dolomite from the early Missisippian is rather tricky. Lots of heart break ;-)

Edited by Tony Eaton
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What a wonderful tooth! I love the diagram of what the plate looked like. I

had no idea there were plates of them. I always thought they were just individual teeth.. :o

I can't wait till you complete your web page. Please don't forget to throw in the link

when you are done.. eat%20popcorn.gif

Welcome to the forum!

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I should add that the vast majority of teeth we find here

require the usual prep tools and often the light weight

gasoline powered field rock saw is called on to free fossils

from large boulders.

In most cases we find only small parts of teeth exposed and then

have to use the prep tools.

I prefer to hunt for teeth the day after it rains. Water soaks into

the matrix and teeth that are just below the surface will swell

a little and often just enough to pop off the thin layer of matrix

revealing their presence.

This tooth probably only became visible a few days before it was

collected...Lucky find :D

Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)
MAPS Fossil Show

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I love the diagram of what the plate looked like. I had no idea there

were plates of them. I always thought they were just individual teeth

Many have a mental image of all shark teeth having single rows like

that of a Megalodon or Great White. However, crusher shark/fish palates

are full of rounded teeth (upper and lower palates) because their diet

was crustaceans. The mouthful of rounded teeth was used to pulverize

the crustaceans.

Example of an entire palate of a

Cretaceous crusher shark/fish My link

Tony Eaton asked "Did you have to cut that one out?"

Luck was with us...No, the matrix was found as illustrated

Mother Nature sometimes presents us with very interesting gifts :D

Edited by Indy

Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)
MAPS Fossil Show

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By the way Brent...These teeth are all over the place around here :laughing on the floor 24:

Quote me on this- "Thpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp"

Envious to a light green shade,

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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What a great looking quarry. I can imagine the excellent fossils that

come out of there.. Nice to have the beautiful scenery to look at while

hunting too...

Welcome to the forum!

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Y'know, when I Google "Campodus", there's not a lot out there!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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