2ynpigo Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Here are 4 photos of 2 specimens of what several people thought were Ptychodus whipplei teeth. This is about the best photos I can probably get, but they are better than what I showed before.These come from the Clay Mesa Shale Tongue of the Mancos Shale. Cretaceous.I assume that Ptychodus remains the popular choice for an ID?Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Thanks! Here's a PDF (click): Type locality of the Late Cretaceous shark Ptychodus whipplei Marcou, northern New Mexico In 1853, French geologist Jules Marcou (1824-1898) made the first scientific observations on the geology of New Mexico when he traveled across the territory as the geologist of the Whipple expedition to determine a route for a transcontinental railroad (Lucas, 2001). Marcou collected many fossils along the expedition’s route, including a shark’s (selachian) tooth he found in Upper Cretaceous strata near Galisteo, in what is now Santa Fe County. Described by Marcou (1858, p. 33, pl. 1, figs. 4-4a ) as Ptychodus whipplei, this tooth was the first vertebrate fossil from New Mexico to be published in the scientific literature (Fig. 1). Here, based on available data, I establish the geographic and stratigraphic location of the type locality of P. whipplei. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Really nice teeth. I only find the Mortoni down here. Maybe someday I'll get to an area that has that species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl O'Cles Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Those teeth are so cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ynpigo Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 Interesting paper by Lucas. Thanks for the link. There is a shark tooth locality not terribly far from where these teeth came from. This locality, referred to as "Shark Tooth Ridge" (isn't there such a place in all states??) is in the El Vado Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale, same unit as mentioned in the article but quite a distance from Galisteo. Last time I was there was many years ago, but you could collect lots of small shark teeth, including these Ptychodus teeth. These are cool teeth, and I feel lucky to have found them. A friend of mine found a really nice one in matrix a few weeks ago on the way to one of the ammonite areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadyW Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Here's mine. The first tooth I ever found at Post Oak Creek in TX, and the best by far. ~1.5" in length, and with the most amazing color patterns and textures! Every complex scientific problem has an elegant and simple solution... and it is wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ynpigo Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 Here's mine. The first tooth I ever found at Post Oak Creek in TX, and the best by far. ~1.5" in length, and with the most amazing color patterns and textures! Wow, 1.5 inches! The biggest I've seen from this area for these types of teeth have been maybe 3/4". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Love the teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Very nice tooth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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