espeton Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I found this tooth also in Rammanessin creek (NJ). Since in this creek you only can find cretaceous staff, I was wondering weather is a fossil tooth or is a modern tooth no fossilized. Also I have no idea of what kind of tooth is. Beaver may be? The coin is a dime. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MammothPaleoGuy Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 (edited) It's Castor, alright. Dunno what species. Not modern to my eye. I betcha Ramanessin Creek is at least partly on Quaternary valley fill, explaining the Pleistocene stuff. I'll check. Very neat! EDIT: OK, a PBDB search of Monmouth County shows that at least 3 localities have provided significant Pleistocene finds: Shark River Sandy Hook Union Beach I'd bet there's others. Edited April 6, 2013 by MammothPaleoGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vordigern Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichW9090 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 (edited) Looks like a right upper premolar (RP4) of Castor canadensis. Although some Pleistocene species of Castor have been named, I think all late Blancan through recent Castor are the same species. And yes, Don, there are a lot of isolated finds of Pleistocene/recent mammals and birds from New Jersey. Big Brook and its tributaries are well known for such finds. Rich Edited April 6, 2013 by RichW9090 The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichW9090 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 One mnemonic device for being able to spot beaver teeth, aside from their marked hyposdonty, is that the occlusal pattern of the enamel looks like an outline drawing of a bunny. The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitbat Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 RichW9090...how FUNNY!! I've collected a few Castor/Castoroides fossils in my day but I never noticed the 'bunny' pattern in the enamel! Now I find myself looking over a few of my specimens and, at least for most of them, you're RIGHT! -Joe Illigitimati non carborundum Fruitbat's PDF Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espeton Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Rich, do you thing that this is a fossil? Or a modern castor that just die a year ago. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichW9090 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 It is stained rather darkly, but of course, that could be fairly recent as well. No way to tell - both Pleistocene and recent material is known from BB Creek and its tributaries. Beaver haven't been common in southern NJ over the last 100 years or so, but they are begining to reappear in the area. I don't think it is real recent - if it is not Pleistocene, it could be several hundred years old, at least. Rich The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njfossilhunter Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 It is stained rather darkly, but of course, that could be fairly recent as well. No way to tell - both Pleistocene and recent material is known from BB Creek and its tributaries. Beaver haven't been common in southern NJ over the last 100 years or so, but they are begining to reappear in the area. I don't think it is real recent - if it is not Pleistocene, it could be several hundred years old, at least. Rich I totally agree with Rich....The beaver was wiped in Jersey during the colonial period .....So its pleistocene to about 150 years old.....they are just making there way back in the last few decade or so. TonyThe Brooks Are Like A Box Of Chocolates,,,, You Never Know What You'll Find. I Told You I Don't Have Alzheimer's.....I Have Sometimers. Some Times I Remember And Some Times I Forget.... I Mostly Forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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