Interesting Oreodont fossil

[Ruger9a]

Hello folks,

I started prepping this oreodont skull fossil last year and discovered a bone in it's mouth!!!!  I know Oreodonts are herbivores, so, I am assuming it ended up there as a result of shifting mud-etc.  But I thought it was interesting and wanted to share my discovery.  This project is still in process.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

Interesting. 

Maybe it was using the bone to pick its teeth? 

[doushantuo]

A bone to pick?

[Ruger9a]

LOL, it would have to be very big teeth!  It's amazing how these bones get all mixed up into one clump.  It also has a second bone to the left.  Will be working on it this weekend to see what else is hidden in the matrix.

[Nimravis]

2 minutes ago, doushantuo said:

A bone to pick?

It’s a joke- Adam was saying that the Oreodont was using the bone as a toothpick.

[doushantuo]

The wear on oreodont teeth (which are selenodont, BTW) shows them to be herbivores,in principle.

I'd measure teeth size with (e.g.) calipers, molar size MIGHT help with determinations.....

[LiamL]

Bones where i hunt on the yorkshire coast are often scattered due to scavenging on the seafloor. Maybe this is the same but on land. Makes it very interesting!

[ParkerPaleo]

Very cool, adds a new meaning to putting your foot in your mouth.

[jpc]

an oreodont bone pile. 

 

[Ruger9a]

I just located this strange looking fossil to do a little more prepping and realized I had already done additional prep.  This is what it currently looks like.

[Ruger9a]

[Ruger9a]

Since it's not exactly a "quality" specimen I wasn't planning on doing anything else to it.  What do you think?

[grandpa]

OK, so I think anytime you have an oreodont that "choked on a bone" thae association alone makes it a quality specimen. 

[Ruger9a]

LOL.  Yep, I believe you're correct.  It's the only one I've ever seen, so I guess that makes it unique!  And the amount of time I spent on it...…..  The whole bone structure on the right side of the face came off on the other piece of the matrix when I split it.  It took me forever to get it off in one piece and put it back where it belonged.  It's almost impossible to tell it now.

[Randyw]

Actually with no lower jaw and with that being a leg bone and another beside it I strongly suspect that @jpc is right and that as the skeleton was disarticulating (nice word right?) the skull ended up laying on top of the leg .... I have seen Oreodont bone piles with the skulls laying in all sort of weird positions ..once even inside the rib cage

nice looking piece though!

[Ruger9a]

Thanks for all the comments.  I figured it would make a nice Friday evening discussion topic,

[doushantuo]

Good prep job!

[RuMert]

Incredible specimen with that bone

[Mark Kmiecik]

It died while playing "fetch" with its master.

[Peat Burns]

I had a similar situation with a bone in the mouth of an Oreodont skull I was prepping.

[Ruger9a]

Do you have a finished photo?

[Peat Burns]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:03 AM, Ruger9a said:

Do you have a finished photo?

 

[Ruger9a]

Amazing job/detail, wish I had that skill.   Over the last 30 years I've purchased several Oreodont clumps advertised as skull or skull parts.  I did find a few semi-complete skulls in some of the clumps, most others were just fractured skull parts.  However, I did find several bones/teeth in the matrixes.  I now have a tray full of miscellaneous bones/teeth of mostly young adults and infants. Nothing I could begin to assemble into a display like you have.  Wonderful job.

[jpc]

1 hour ago, Ruger9a said:

Amazing job/detail, wish I had that skill.   Over the last 30 years I've purchased several Oreodont clumps advertised as skull or skull parts.  I did find a few semi-complete skulls in some of the clumps, most others were just fractured skull parts.  However, I did find several bones/teeth in the matrixes.  I now have a tray full of miscellaneous bones/teeth of mostly young adults and infants. Nothing I could begin to assemble into a display like you have.  Wonderful job.

Infant oroedonts?  I would love to see some of those....  (hint hint).

 

[ParkerPaleo]

17 minutes ago, jpc said:

Infant oroedonts?  I would love to see some of those....  (hint hint).

 

I have some as well, if I can remember to photo them when I get home.

 

Are you just curious or doing research?