Pterosaur Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 (edited) Hi everyone, I was digging around in a fossil box I used while hunting the Hell Creek formation, and I found this tooth in a pile of dust at the bottom. I am pretty confident it's a multituberculate (mammal) tooth, and I think it's a molar. I cleaned it up, and it's in great shape with the full root and crown! Are these unusual to find? From what I understand, these mammals went completely extinct with no known ancestors, and were thought to have been outcompeted by rodents. Is that right? What made them different from mammals of today, and why the heck do their teeth look so much like that of a mastodon?! Thanks for any information! Warm regards, Lauren Edited November 16, 2015 by Aerodactyl "I am a part of all that I have met." - Lord Alfred Tennyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgehiker Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Nice find! This was just 'residue'? If so, the location must be a gold mine for fossil mammal teeth... more interesting to most vertebrate researchers than Dino teeth. I'd be back sifting away. Hard to know why the lineage of any group diminishes and then becomes extinct. These guys were around for longer than most orders of mammals so they were extremely variable and adapted to many changes over tens of millions of years. Usually for a widespread group of animals to go extinct there would be multiple variables. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I agree with canadawest...Just residue?! Yes,it is a multituberculate molar. Can't say what genus or if it upper or lower molar, but I can say it is a really good find. These things are much less common that dino teeth it is complete to boot. The theory is that yes,they were outcompeted by rodents in the Paleogene. Put that one in a special place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Super find and with roots which is even a more difficult find. One possibility is an upper from a Cimolodontidae which has others have said is a multituberculate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Put that one in a special place. I agree...like FOTM. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 This is a Grail fossil of the Mesozoic vertebrates. Congratulations! 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...
jpc Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 This is a Grail fossil of the Mesozoic vertebrates. Congratulations! Yes, it is up there, but my persoanl grail is the lower 4th premolar, which looks like a haf of of buzz saw blade, and is generally called a 'blade'. Beautiful, tooth, aero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 ... my persoanl grail is the lower 4th premolar, which looks like a haf of of buzz saw blade, and is generally called a 'blade'... Now we're comparing an 18K Grail with a 24K Grail... I would honestly rather have any Multituberculate tooth that shows why they are so-called than a T. rex tooth. "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...
Pterosaur Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 (edited) This is a Grail fossil of the Mesozoic vertebrates. Congratulations! I agree...like FOTM. Thanks guys!! It's funny because I'd never seen these teeth until I came across one of them on Ebay a couple months ago. I liked it so much that I nearly bought it, but couldn't justify the price. When I saw the tooth in my box I immediately knew what it was because it looked exactly like the one I'd almost bought lol Edited November 16, 2015 by Aerodactyl "I am a part of all that I have met." - Lord Alfred Tennyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Patience is a virtue (as long as I can have everything I want right now ). These were off my radar screen as well till you posted your find. Then I had to delve into some internet research to superficially plug this knowledge gap. I like it when I learn something new (though I have to forget two old things to make room ). Great tooth that I'd love to find in a pile of dust. Seriously consider a FOTM submission. Even if someone else posts a 100% articulated T. rex this month this tooth should be highlighted as part of this month's finds in case someone misses this posting. (I'd vote for your tooth anyway because that T. rex is just showing off.) Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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