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Unknown Mammal? Teeth

In early 2009 I found a really odd looking tooth along the Maryland side of the Potomac River.  At first I thought it was a "modern" tooth from some sort of mammal that died along the river, but it passed the fossil test "sound" when I tapped it against my rake.  I didn't think much of it at the time and still wasn't 100% sure it was a fossil, but I kept it anyway.  I showed it to one of the geologists/paleontologists that attends one of my club meetings, and he thought it was a significant "fossil find" and that it could belong to some sort of land mammal.  He said to forward him some pics of it and he would forward them on to a colleague for further ID.  Well, after I took the tooth home, I was so excited that I might have something important, that I wrapped it up carefully, before taking any pics however, and put it away amidst the rest of my collection, which was in boxes, shoe boxes, etc.  Bottom line, I knew I had it, but couldn't find it...until recently.  A trip back to the same spot along the Potomac earlier this Spring yielded another such "weird" looking tooth.  However, this second odd tooth looked a lot like a porpoise tooth of some sort.  I recognized the coloring and worn occlusal surface of the tip and thought it might be similar to the first odd tooth I found last year.  Sure enough, it superficially resembles the other tooth in size, and enamel style, and also has a worn crown/occlusal surface.  So, now I have two of these teeth and am planning on submitting the pics to this paleontologist for further ID help.  I'll post back later if I get any ID info.  If anyone else has an idea as to what these teeth might have belonged to, let me know.

The pics are in their original "large" file size, so give them about 20 seconds to load.



1 available
Location Potomac River, Maryland, USA

ID3657
MemberDaryl
Date Added5/11/2010

  

Links
3 Days on the Potomac
3 Days on the Potomac
Wet Willy - Aquia 11/30/08
Wet Willy - Aquia 11/30/08
Wet Willy - Aquia 11/30/08 Follow Up
Wet Willy - Aquia 11/30/08 Follow Up
  

Comments
- 5/11/2010
Reviewer : Govinn from Virginia United States
Total Rating : 10
I have no idea what that is, but I do know one thing... you take some AWESOME pictures!!! Content Quality : 10 of 10

Drool Quotient : 10 of 10

Picture Quality : 10 of 10
VOTE! Agree  Disagree  1 of 1 voters agreed.

Cool! - 5/12/2010
Reviewer : DCC from
Total Rating : 10
I have no idea what it is, but I do know that it is cool. I have had some luck searching the River banks also. It is interesting when you find different things. Thanks for the smile picturing you fossiling hunting in your own home. You must have a spectacular collection if you have shoe boxes full of quality finds like that! Thanks for sharing! Content Quality : 10 of 10

Drool Quotient : 10 of 10

Picture Quality : 10 of 10
VOTE! Agree  Disagree 

- 5/13/2010
Reviewer : Daryl from Maryland United States
Total Rating : No Rating
It's actually kinda fun re-discovering different fossils in my "collection". I've been so bad about sticking stuff in baggies, boxes, and those multi-drawer utility cabinets, that after a few years, I can go back through the stuff and look at it as if I had never seen it before. It's sort of scary, because I often think, wow, that's a really awesome tooth, and I had no idea that I had it. I'm slowly getting better about the storage issue, and slowly taking teeth out of baggies and boxes and putting them in various size riker displays etc. I have so many tiny teeth though, that it would probably take me a few years just to sort them out and display them properly. So for now, I'll do more collecting, and save the sorting for later. I used to catch up a little during the "winter" months, but with our last few winters being relatively mild (except for 3ft of snow), I never slowed down on the collecting. As for the pics, the two I displayed here were the result of watching, or should I say not watching, Dacning with the Stars the other night with my wife. We were in the same room together, but I was facing the computer, while she was facing the TV. So, for the two blasted hours that the show was on, I scanned these teeth and made the pics. As long as you periodically turn around to glance at the TV, make a comment or two to make it seem like you're listening or paying attention, you're good to go.
VOTE! Agree  Disagree  1 of 1 voters agreed.

- 5/13/2010
Reviewer : Govinn from Virginia United States
Total Rating : No Rating
LOL Tell her that I said hello, and that I still have that corvette waiting for her... And DCC... his collection is out of this world... It boggles the mind... But don't get any ideas because those fossils are secured better than Fort Knox!!
VOTE! Agree  Disagree 

- 5/13/2010
Reviewer : Daryl from Maryland United States
Total Rating : No Rating
The Corvette offer made her day. You know what, it was that night you came over to see my collection that I actually stumbled upon the first tooth shown above. It was in one of those many boxes I pulled out. And as far as security goes, Buttercup has been to security dog school and can now pose a definite threat to anyones ankles should they try to gain access into the fossil vault.
VOTE! Agree  Disagree 

Wow, now that's exciting! - 5/18/2010
Reviewer : Fat Boy from Maryland United States
Total Rating : 10
I dunno, but here is a link to some Palaeocene mammal info: http://www.paleocene-mammals.de/pal_intro.htm in case it's from the Aquia Formation...or is it Eocene stuff? If so, maybe an early whale/porpoise? Wow. Content Quality : 10 of 10

Drool Quotient : 10 of 10

Picture Quality : 10 of 10
VOTE! Agree  Disagree 

more info to check out Daryl... - 5/18/2010
Reviewer : Fat Boy from Maryland United States
Total Rating : 10
These guys were whale ancestors apparently: http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/510Ungulatomorpha/510.200.html#Mesonychia I did say, "Wow", didn't I? I can't stop looking at those pics! Content Quality : 10 of 10

Drool Quotient : 10 of 10

Picture Quality : 10 of 10
VOTE! Agree  Disagree 


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