1 1/8" Oligocene Benedeni

I found this tooth when I was a kid out at this spot we called the Sand Pits. My dad used to take us there about once a month and we used to pick up handfulls of teeth at a time. Most were small, and anything over an inch was usually broken. I had no idea back then that this tooth was such a treasure. It is the oligocene ancestor to the miocene species parotodus benedeni. There are distinct differences, and you can easily see them in the picture. First off, there is the size difference. An inch is about as big as these get, while benedenis can be 3 inches long. Then, there are the cusps. Look at the photo of the back of the tooth and you can easily see them. And this one is in great shape, too. Even with the differences, this is still classified as benedeni. Thanks to everyone who helped me figure that out. One of the best teeth I found as a kid.