Rare, 1.05" Serrated, Megalosaurid (Marshosaurus?) Tooth - Colorado

This is a rare, 1.05" long Megalosaurid tooth collected this past summer from the Morrison Formation. It comes from our partners private quarry East of Dinosaur, Colorado. It has excellent enamel, fine serrations, some feeding wear to the tip and no fracturing. It was left in its natural position on a small piece of sandstone.

There are two main characteristics that distinguish it from the much more frequently found Allosaurus teeth. First, the serrations on the front edge of the tooth extend less than half way down the length of the tooth. Secondly there is little to no spiraling of serrations seen on Allosaurus teeth. While the extent of feeding wear to the tip obscures the extent, this tooth was likely very "hooked" in shape.

There are three described Megalosaurs in the Morrison Formation; Marshosaurus, Stokesosaurus and Torvosaurus. It is probably impossible to confidently assign the tooth to one of these genus', particularly given the feeding wear to the tip. The serrations don't appear as large as those on Torvosaurus teeth. Based on the other material/teeth found at the quarry odds favor it being from Marshosaurus.