Sanrique Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 Came across this while my son and I were metal detecting. I saw some teeth in a big clump of dirt and sand so we took it home and I let it sit in water about 7 minutes and realized it was a fossil. Could anyone give me an idea what it is? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 If you could add where it was found, that would help a lot. For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulie777 Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 It looks like an eohippus angustidans to me, a forest dwelling horse like creature. Was this found in Nebraska? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayminazzi Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 My amateur guess is tapir 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 OP states it was from Texas. ( sometimes it helps to read the tags ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 Pictures looking straight down on the fossil with views of all surfaces would be helpful. Top, bottom, front, back, right side, left side. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 Here’s a few more pictures 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 1 hour ago, Rayminazzi said: My amateur guess is tapir It actually does resemble tapir teeth, but in Houston Texas.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 That snout and dentition is pretty conspicuous. This is a fossil tapir skull. Might be worth bringing this to your local museum for a look because this might be an important specimen. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, Sanrique said: It actually does resemble tapir teeth, but in Houston Texas.... South American Tapirs actually originated in North America and then migrated into South America in the Plio-Pleistocene, with the closure of the Panamanian isthmus. There's a rather extensive fossil record of tapirs in North America. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 Thanks everyone for all the information. After looking through a few pics I believe Rayminazzi was correct it’s a tapir skull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemipristis Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 3 hours ago, Rayminazzi said: My amateur guess is tapir that's mine as well 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' George Santayana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 I’m not asking for an exact location, but where in Houston did you find this? River, creek? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 Wooded area near a creek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 That’s a pretty incredible find. I would definitely go back there and look around some more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 I don’t know what your knowledge/experience/ interest level is with fossils. I’m close to Houston and would be happy to help you scout the area. Feel free to send a pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El_Hueso Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 On 8/9/2019 at 9:49 PM, jdp said: That snout and dentition is pretty conspicuous. This is a fossil tapir skull. Might be worth bringing this to your local museum for a look because this might be an important specimen. I definatly agree with this. This could actually be a pretty big deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 This is definitely worthy of Fossil of the Month. You should familiarize yourself with that part of the forum and enter it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Killer tapir maxilla. Tapir material is present, but not common, throughout the eastern half of Texas. At least that’s where I’ve found mine, and buddies have found some in N and NE TX. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 3 hours ago, garyc said: This is definitely worthy of Fossil of the Month. You should familiarize yourself with that part of the forum and enter it. Thanks Gary. I’m still trying to figure how to use the site to it’s full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 26 minutes ago, Uncle Siphuncle said: Killer tapir maxilla. Tapir material is present, but not common, throughout the eastern half of Texas. At least that’s where I’ve found mine, and buddies have found some in N and NE TX. Thanks, do you have any pics of yours posted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Here’s all the tapir material I’ve found 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanrique Posted August 12, 2019 Author Share Posted August 12, 2019 Awe man that’s awesome!!!!! Yours is in excellent condition, nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Barry Albright at the Univ. of California was interested in Texas tapirs. I don't have an email address for him, but you can probably get one if you do a Google "scholar search." http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 18 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said: Barry Albright at the Univ. of California was interested in Texas tapirs. I don't have an email address for him, but you can probably get one if you do a Google "scholar search." It’s listed Here, though it seems he now works for Univ. of North Florida. He described the Texan tapir genus Nexuotapirus in the late nineties. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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