cowsharks Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) I'm really excited about a find I made last Saturday while hunting the Palaeocene/Aquia formation in MD. The specimen was found insitu and brought home in a volleyball size chunk of matrix. The portion that was showing was the broken end, which looked to me like it could be the end view of a piece of broken croc jaw bone, or maybe a big croc tooth. I let the large chunk of matrix dry out last week and over this past weekend, I decided to take a screw driver and slowly dig the specimen out. I actually made a video of the process, but need to figure out how to splice the 4 video's together since I stopped and started a few times. Anyhow, as I dug around the specimen it looked more and more like a piece of croc jaw bone since I have a few small sections in my collection I'm familiar with their size and shape. However, as I dug a bit more the specimen loosened from the matrix and I pulled it out. It still looked like bone, until I noticed one edge was very smooth and shiny. I ran in the house and got a small tupperware bowl from the kitched cabinet (without my wife seeing me), filled it with water, and ran back out to the deck where I was performing this fossil extraction. I rinsed it off, and was immediately puzzled by what I was seeing. This thing seemed to have a curved edge of hard enamel, and it looked more like a large claw than any type of ordinary bone. I immediately began to think what could this thing be from? Could it be some sort of shark fin spine, perhaps to a Paraorthacodus? How about a piece of some type of Ratfish jaw? But it looked more like a claw or perhaps even a tusk like tooth of some sort. Then I was really wishing it wasn't broken on the one end so I would know for sure how long it was and perhaps more clues would be revealed if it were whole. I showed it to a couple of experts that are very familiar with te ara where I found the specimen, and both of them, as well as several others, were baffled by what it might belong to. I plan on forwarding some pics to a mammal expert at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for additional ID help. One interesting thing about the specimen, besides the enamel-like surface, is that it has a slight curve to it lengthwise. I'm hoping this is a diagnostic feature that might help in its identification. So, anyone have any ideas as to what this specimen might be from? thanks, Daryl. Edited May 19, 2011 by cowsharks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmorefossil Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 From the pictures it seems to also have a natural wear part to it making it seem as if we are looking at some sort of tooth, this is a very interesting and puzzling find I must say, could this be some sort of claw? But then why is there enamel....geeze this has me stumped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmorefossil Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) After some short research I did find a species of terristal mammals called deltatherium that fed on small crocs., the caines of this mammal are very similar to what you found. And im not saying that this is what it is because I dont know but it sure does get you thinking Edited May 17, 2011 by bmorefossil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 After some short research I did find a species of terristal mammals called deltatherium that fed on small crocs., the caines of this mammal are very similar to what you found. And im not saying that this is what it is because I dont know but it sure does get you thinking One of the experts that I showed the specimen to offered up the possibility of it being from an animal called a tillodont, which is what deltatherium is I believe (My link). I have to do more research on this though and see if they have been found in the Palaeocene/Aquia formation. Daryl S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmorefossil Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Psittacotherium I found a picture of a skull where the lower canine is an exact match enamel and all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmorefossil Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) One of the experts that I showed the specimen to offered up the possibility of it being from an animal called a tillodont, which is what deltatherium is I believe (My link). I have to do more research on this though and see if they have been found in the Palaeocene/Aquia formation. Daryl S. Most resided in south america and europe I beleive so its most likely a first Here is another great page http://books.google.com/books?id=OYJCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=psittacotherium+skull&source=bl&ots=hxfo0PBrAA&sig=uKPDc02gV-UXQrRlfqBDVuiCPEg&hl=en Edited May 17, 2011 by bmorefossil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Wow, that's an incredible find - Fossil of the Month material. That was a great link too. I was going to suggest you check out "After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals" by Donald Prothero (2006, Indiana University Press) in which there is some discussion of tillodonts and taeniodonts along with drawings of skulls (pages 59 and 63). You can also take a look at this for known mammals from the Aquia: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/wo/Planning_and_Renewable_Resources/coop_agencies/paleontology_library/paleo_publications.Par.20285.File.dat/2008-Douglas-Pt-paleo-rpt.pdf One of the experts that I showed the specimen to offered up the possibility of it being from an animal called a tillodont, which is what deltatherium is I believe (My link). I have to do more research on this though and see if they have been found in the Palaeocene/Aquia formation. Daryl S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) Thanks for links guys. My specimen sure does resemble one of those larger teeth from a tillodont. I sent the pics off to Dr. Ken Rose at Johns Hopkins University for review. It would be awesome if this really is a mammal tooth. From the reading I've done so far, there have only been a few mammal teeth found in the Aquia, so maybe I found something new. Daryl S. Edited May 19, 2011 by cowsharks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 I'm super excited! I sent the pics of my Aquia mystery "tooth" off to Dr. Ken Rose (info) last week and got back a quick reply. Turns out, this tooth belonged to a mammal known as a Taeniodont (info), a ground dwelling herbivore. Here's what Dr. Rose said: ===================== "The new tooth is from a taeniodont (once grouped with tillodonts, as advanced members of both groups have ever-growing, rodent-like front teeth). It almost certainly represents the genus Ectoganus, from the late Paleocene-early Eocene. In the case of taeniodonts (an extinct order of mammals whose relationships are still obscure), the big tooth up front (one in each quadrant) is an evergrowing canine. As you can see, the enamel is limited to the front (outer or labial side) of the tooth. I reported a molar of Ectoganus from the Aquia in a short note in 2000. Mammals from the Aquia are extremely rare; I am only aware of 3 other specimens (including the taeniodont molar I mentioned). This is the first canine I know of from the Aquia. A species name can't be confidently put on it until more complete material is known. Given the rarity of mammals from the Aquia, this is an important specimen that would be nice to have in the Smithsonian collection. " My specimen will be labeled as Ectoganus sp. until more complete material can be found. It's really exciting to have found the first canine to this animal from the Aquia of MD. Daryl S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brachiomyback Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Congrats on the find Daryl!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Here's what Dr. Rose said: ===================== Given the rarity of mammals from the Aquia, this is an important specimen that would be nice to have in the Smithsonian collection. Hint Hint! -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Hint Hint! I plan on donating the specimen after I get a cast/replica made. It's such a rare specimen that I want to have a cast replica. Daryl S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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