References
Reference
Dean, David (1999) plesiosaur teeth - email; Email,
plesiosaur teeth - email
Principal Author
David Dean
Header
Email
Journal
Email
Abstract
I live in Rock Island, Illinois, U.S.A. So unfortunately I won't be able make it to England, although I would have loved to see your collection.
The story on the tooth is that I have a main fossil contact. He notified me that he would be travelling to morocco and wanted to let me know if I wanted anything specifically. I of course told him that I wanted a plesiosaur tooth above all other requests. He was able to acquire 2 of them. And so he sent me the picture that I have attached (I blew it up twice so it is easier to see). The other tooth was broken etc.
The location exactly in morocco or surrounding area where it was found I am unsure. I will ask him for more details. He is off to morocco again on the 23rd and is going to be looking for a pliosaur tooth for me. If you would like, I could ask him to look for another plesiosaur tooth as well in similar condition if you would be interested.
The matrix is a type of sandstone it looks like. There are 6 locations on the rock where white enamel or something seems to be poking through to the surface. Actually, I have since removed the tooth from the matrix -that's how I was able to tell you about the shape etc.
I used a little warm water and a small dental stick - the sandstone became very soft, I was of course extremely careful. I first I just removed a bit around the tip so I could see the condition, but when I was cleaning up the bottom area, I seemed to have use a bit too much water and the tooth just came loose, which was great anyway so I could see the other side.
To the very right of the bottom of the tooth, which is hard to see in the picture revealed a small vertebra of some sort after I removed a bit of the sand (14mm in diameter). At first, I thought it could be another tooth (yeah right) that is why I checked it, that is when the tooth came loose. I haven't done any thing else to the matrix; I find it charming to see where the tooth came from. Also there is almost like reddish enamel color where the tooth was in the sand. I am sort of curious what else might be in the matrix, but I am going to hold off on doing anything.
I will send better pictures of the tooth out of the matrix- my friend has a digital camera. It will take a couple days. It would be awesome if you could verify the species, or just that it is a plesiosaur.
(Extract from subsequent email) On the location or rock strata of the plesiosaur tooth, all I can say is that it comes from the Erfoud area of the Sahara in eastern Morocco , North Africa
The story on the tooth is that I have a main fossil contact. He notified me that he would be travelling to morocco and wanted to let me know if I wanted anything specifically. I of course told him that I wanted a plesiosaur tooth above all other requests. He was able to acquire 2 of them. And so he sent me the picture that I have attached (I blew it up twice so it is easier to see). The other tooth was broken etc.
The location exactly in morocco or surrounding area where it was found I am unsure. I will ask him for more details. He is off to morocco again on the 23rd and is going to be looking for a pliosaur tooth for me. If you would like, I could ask him to look for another plesiosaur tooth as well in similar condition if you would be interested.
The matrix is a type of sandstone it looks like. There are 6 locations on the rock where white enamel or something seems to be poking through to the surface. Actually, I have since removed the tooth from the matrix -that's how I was able to tell you about the shape etc.
I used a little warm water and a small dental stick - the sandstone became very soft, I was of course extremely careful. I first I just removed a bit around the tip so I could see the condition, but when I was cleaning up the bottom area, I seemed to have use a bit too much water and the tooth just came loose, which was great anyway so I could see the other side.
To the very right of the bottom of the tooth, which is hard to see in the picture revealed a small vertebra of some sort after I removed a bit of the sand (14mm in diameter). At first, I thought it could be another tooth (yeah right) that is why I checked it, that is when the tooth came loose. I haven't done any thing else to the matrix; I find it charming to see where the tooth came from. Also there is almost like reddish enamel color where the tooth was in the sand. I am sort of curious what else might be in the matrix, but I am going to hold off on doing anything.
I will send better pictures of the tooth out of the matrix- my friend has a digital camera. It will take a couple days. It would be awesome if you could verify the species, or just that it is a plesiosaur.
(Extract from subsequent email) On the location or rock strata of the plesiosaur tooth, all I can say is that it comes from the Erfoud area of the Sahara in eastern Morocco , North Africa
Language
English