In recent years there have been many enquiries about pterosaur teeth, largely from people who have purchased fossils from dealers and occasionally from museums with indeterminate display material. These notes are to help with the identification of pterosaur teeth.
Most pterosaur teeth are relatively smooth with an oval section and no ridges. They tend to taper evenly to the tip and can be straight or gently curved along their length.
It is worth knowing that pterosaur material is rare and can command a good price on the market. Pterosaur teeth are also rare and it is unusual to find large quantities of them. Several other fossil species show similarities with pterosaur teeth, especially some juvenile crocodiles.
Above are illustrations of Ornithocheirus teeth from the Cambridge Greensand of the United Kingdom. These specimens are usually between 1cm and 3.5cm in height and have fine striations on the enamel surface (enlarged drawing on the right) which are typical of the larger Pterodactyloid teeth.. Their section is oval and uniform throughout their length. The tips of the teeth are domed, rather than pointed and the enamel is quite thin.
Above are four teeth typical of the type of material coming from the Tegona Formation in Morocco. The tooth on the left is typically pterosaur (4 cm). The second tooth is possibly pterosaur. The two teeth on the right appear to be classic rhamphorhynchoid type teeth with distinct enamel caps at the tip, extending downward at the anterior and posterior edges of the teeth. These teeth are probably Albian in age, though some may be just into the Cenomanian.
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Rhamphorhynchus tooth The diagram on the left shows the shape and section of a rhamphorhynchus tooth. Notice the smooth enamel cap and the smooth enamel leading and trailing edge of the tooth. The section is oval, with a slight ridge along the edge of the thicker part of the tooth. The tooth enamel is comparatively thin and often less than 1mm. Drawing after P. Wellnhofer |
There are a lot of pterosaur teeth coming out of the Moroccan sediments and they were identified as Ornithocheirid a few years ago. In 2000 they were all identified as Anhanguerid teeth and by 2002 they were being sold as Siroccopteryx moroccensis teeth. Care is needed when dealing with these teeth as many of them are not Pterosaurian. The teeth that are from pterosaurs are likely to be from a range of species, some of which are not yet identified.
Another range of teeth from around the world shows the gentle curve and oval section. These teeth are between 5mm and 1.2 cm in size and are from a range of different species.
There are exceptions to these shapes of teeth. The very early pterosaurs from the Triassic period often display a tricuspid type of tooth. This can be seen in Eudimorphodon. Other rare pterosaurs like Pterodaustro and Ctenochasma have very long and thin teeth. It is unlikely that such teeth would survive intact away from a preserved jaw.
Enquiries about pterosaur teeth are welcome, drawings or photographs would be appreciated. Identification of teeth without examining the actual fossils is not reliable.