This week I have a mystery object that might be easy for some, but I suspect it may be a challenge for most:
Any idea what this might be and, more importantly, which species it came from?
As always, you can leave your thoughts, questions and suggestions in the comments box below. Have fun!
Zygoma 
I’ll say with a toothy grin ‘in a while…..’ possibly down the Nile rather than ‘See ya later…..’
A chomper with a seam????
Yep!
Pity the bottom view isn’t 3-D: just how hollow is it? My first thought was of a tooth, but the splitting along the ridges on the sides is odd.
It’s pretty darn hollow.
Chris Jarvis has the genus nailed, but I don’t know how you could tell if this was salty, or in denial or even something else
I don’t think this animal would see ya Later even after awhile, at all – those teeth usually have a pulp cavity, and though this one has been sliced off the size for an adult would be larger. This looks to be solid ivory. What is an ivory tooth with a seam like this? Or… is this even a tooth?
I’ve collected a great many croc teeth and can confirm that the specimen pictured here is typical for a naturally shed crown, which only exhibit the top of the pulp cavity as a conical hollow at the base of the crown. Tooth size also varies enormously along the jaws. Based on the the obtuse shape of this crown, it came nearish the back of the jaws where the teeth aren’t so big.
You are completely right! I am doing a 180 degrees on this and totally agree it’s from a croc – thinking an alligator. Since I actually had one in my collection and went out to it … found the back teeth, some had a seam, and discovered a few broken off to reveal the solid-looking “ivory”… so, sheesh. What was I (not) thinking?
No worries, I’ve made many similar blunders where I thought I knew some anatomy but it turned out reality had other ideas, I’ll just add that the subtle vertical ridges on this tooth are more of a Crocodylus thing than a ‘gator.
You know, re-looking at the pics, the apex of this tooth looks a little odd. Would be quite embarrassing if it turned out to be some cetacean tooth or something like that!
That would be pretty funny actually! OK… more searching, and let’s see if we can pin it down before the deadline… which is Midnight Thursday in my CA world!