wrollings Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I found this in a creek behind my house, near Summerville South Carolina, on 02/08/2014. I am thinking it is a dolphin or porpoise tooth. Another fossil hunter near my location said he thought it may be a seal canine. I was under the impression that pinnipeds were not present in South Carolina, however I have found a few other mammal teeth that I have been unable to identify (which I will post separately). Anyway, I'm still leaning towards dolphin or porpoise. Any help with a positive ID is greatly appreciated! And, as always, thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I agree that it does look like a Cetacean/delphinid type of tooth. A better close-up of the tooth might help others better identify it for you, but I'm not sure a very specific ID other than Cetacean/delphinid will be possible. Daryl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrollings Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Without becoming blurry, those may be the closest pics I can get. I will give it a shot though. As long as I know it is dolphin of some type, I am happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Does your camera have a Macro mode (tulip icon)? If not, some success can be had shooting through a simple jeweler's loupe (best to increase the amount of light for this technique). 1 "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 It is some sort of odontocete tooth, but that is as far as the identification can be taken. There are indeed pinnipeds reported from the Chandler Bridge Fm., but their provenance is dubious, and their discovery has not yet been replicated; it is a hypothesis of mine that the two reported partial bones came from overlying Pleistocene deposits. That being said, this specimen is far too small to be a seal canine, even for the the modern world's smallest seal (Pusa sibirica). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrollings Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Thanks Auspex! I actually decided to READ the instruction manual for my wife's camera. I now know how to use the macro setting for close up photos. Hopefully I will be able to post better photos from now on. I just wish I would have read the thing before I began posting topics here. Oh well, live and learn I guess. A professional photographer I am not. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscedisto Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 You can also crop a picture if it is in clear focus-looks like you could successfully do that with the pics you posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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