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3.85" Fossil Primitive Whale (Basilosaur) Premolar Tooth - Morocco
This is a 3.85" long premolar from a Basilosaurid, a type of Archaeocete (primitive whale). These rare teeth come from the Late Eocene-aged deposits in the Western Sahara near Dakhla, Morocco. They're commonly found associated with teeth of the shark Auriculatus, a Megalodon ancestor. My best research indicates the most likely species is the Basilosaur, Zygorhiza kochii, but I'm leaving a question mark on that because it's not definitive.
These teeth are nearly always found fractured and require repair work. Restoration of this tooth is in the form of gap fill in repaired cracks throughout the crown. There is some additional restoration through the root, though it only makes up approximately 40%.
These teeth are nearly always found fractured and require repair work. Restoration of this tooth is in the form of gap fill in repaired cracks throughout the crown. There is some additional restoration through the root, though it only makes up approximately 40%.
Basilosaurids could reach gigantic sizes, with some species reaching nearly 60 feet in length. They likely fed on fish, sharks, and sea birds with teeth optimized for catching and chewing prey. The front teeth in the jaw were pointed for catching and holding fish while they had very uniquely shaped, double rooted molars for chewing.
An artists rendering of a Basilosaur. Drawing by Pavel Riha.
GNU Free Documentation License
The Middle to Late Eocene formations of Southwestern Morocco contain a diverse fauna of Basilosaurs, including more than half a dozen described species of the genera Dorudon, Stromerius, Saghacetus, Eocetus, Platyosphys and Basilosaurus. Fossil teeth are nearly identical between Basilosaur species, so other than using tooth size and exact horizon the teeth were collected from (which is not known) to narrow down the species, there is no way of assigning an isolated tooth to a specific species. These teeth have often been labeled as the genus Zygorhiza in the past, but based on new research into the archaeocete faunas of Morocco, it does not appear this genus is found there.
Several papers on the Basilosaurs of southwestern Morocco can be found below.
New marine mammal faunas (Cetacea and Sirenia) and sea level change in the Samlat Formation, Upper Eocene, near Ad-Dakhla in southwestern Morocco
New fauna of archaeocete whales (Mammalia, Cetacea) from theBartonian middle Eocene of southern Morocco
Stomach contents of the archaeocete Basilosaurus isis: Apex predator in oceans of the late Eocene
A cast of a Basilosaurus jaw showing the varying tooth shapes in the jaw.
An artists rendering of a Basilosaur. Drawing by Pavel Riha.
GNU Free Documentation License
The Middle to Late Eocene formations of Southwestern Morocco contain a diverse fauna of Basilosaurs, including more than half a dozen described species of the genera Dorudon, Stromerius, Saghacetus, Eocetus, Platyosphys and Basilosaurus. Fossil teeth are nearly identical between Basilosaur species, so other than using tooth size and exact horizon the teeth were collected from (which is not known) to narrow down the species, there is no way of assigning an isolated tooth to a specific species. These teeth have often been labeled as the genus Zygorhiza in the past, but based on new research into the archaeocete faunas of Morocco, it does not appear this genus is found there.
Several papers on the Basilosaurs of southwestern Morocco can be found below.
New marine mammal faunas (Cetacea and Sirenia) and sea level change in the Samlat Formation, Upper Eocene, near Ad-Dakhla in southwestern Morocco
New fauna of archaeocete whales (Mammalia, Cetacea) from theBartonian middle Eocene of southern Morocco
Stomach contents of the archaeocete Basilosaurus isis: Apex predator in oceans of the late Eocene
A cast of a Basilosaurus jaw showing the varying tooth shapes in the jaw.
SPECIES
Unidentified Basilosaur
AGE
LOCATION
Dakhla, Western Sahara, Morocco
FORMATION
Samlat Formation
SIZE
3.85" long
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#215103
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