The Pond Yields Another Mystery...

[Frank Menser]

It's getting close to the end on this site as vegetation is starting to overgrow the banks. I saw kids there today from the homes next to it. One informed me she is out daily hunting Meg teeth and has found a few good sized ones. (the joy of Summer vacation ).

Was in the orange zone where the Meg teeth are found and turned up this. I almost tossed it thinking it was just a fragment of a Meg, but since we literally found nothing else - I threw it in the bucket.

It measures about two inches. There is core material (of a nice caromel color) looks to me more like what you would find from a mammal tooth in the curve and layering, also the root just isn't shaped right.

With so little left of it I doubt the chances of an ID. But what might have been if this was intact...

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

I think it looks like a partial tooth of some sort, but like you said, not shark. That is the best I can do.

[Frank Menser]

I think it looks like a partial tooth of some sort, but like you said, not shark. That is the best I can do.

I have found what I think is a piece of walrus tusk and dozens of bone frags...Might this be a tooth from the same animal?

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[Auspex]

I have found what I think is a piece of walrus tusk and dozens of bone frags...Might this be a tooth from the same animal?

Of course anything is possible, but none of these things were found as what you'd call in situ. Unless you find pieces that fit together perfectly, association is speculative at best. Now, if speculating this way points you to comparative specimens, it is useful to speculate.

[Frank Menser]

Speculating basically is what I am doing here. As it stands we have found bits and pieces of mammal bone but no rcogniseable evidence of any mammal species except walrus.

[ShadyW]

It's getting close to the end on this site as vegetation is starting to overgrow the banks. I saw kids there today from the homes next to it. One informed me she is out daily hunting Meg teeth and has found a few good sized ones. (the joy of Summer vacation ).

Was in the orange zone where the Meg teeth are found and turned up this. I almost tossed it thinking it was just a fragment of a Meg, but since we literally found nothing else - I threw it in the bucket.

It measures about two inches. There is core material (of a nice caromel color) looks to me more like what you would find from a mammal tooth in the curve and layering, also the root just isn't shaped right.

With so little left of it I doubt the chances of an ID. But what might have been if this was intact...

You've found Mosasaur remains in this pond, correct?

It looks exactly like fragments of Mosasaur tooth roots that I've found at the North Sulfur River here in Texas. When the tooth breaks off, it leaves a conical hollow in an extensive bone-textured root. The hollow is lined with tooth enamel like your fragment.

[Frank Menser]

Yes we have found several Mos teeth and bones. But this site contains two different strata. The Mos teeth are in the gray material and all the bone is grey to black. In the (more recent) Meg layer the soil is orange and the fossils have that color as well. Note the bone and tooth above vs the Mos material below.