Chomatodus sp.
Crusher Shark tooth

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Chomatodus sp.

General abundance:  Rare

Viewer Comments:

    The tooth appears to be something on the order of Campodus.
There's an awful lot of variation of what you get on Campodus
depending on the position in the mouth the tooth occupied.
I did quite a bit of work with these about 20 years ago. The
tooth appears to be a bit weathered.
Dr. Roger Pabian

    Judging by the enamel and the overall shape I think it is a
petalodont, although I cannot say I have never seen one
exactly like it. Petalodonts often have that vascular,
stippled appearance when they weather. Whether it
is a Chomatodus of some sort, a Tanodus or something
else, I cannot say for sure, although it seems very similar
to several Chomatodus teeth. It may be a rear tooth.
These often have a low crown and compressed root.
Check out Plate X of the IGS #6 dated 1875.
Gene Hartstein

    According to what I can ascertain, in the old references that I have,
Chomatodus looks most likely as the genus. The crown of the tooth
shows some wear, the grayish spots showing through the white enamel.
The other possibility is Tanaodus, which has some similarities.
     The references that I have used are
St. John & Worthen, 1875, Ill Geo. Sur., Vol. VI, plates 10-10a & 11.
Rainer Zangrel, Handbook of Paleoichthyology, Vol 3A, Chondrichthyes I,
pages 95 & 99. Barbara J. Stahl, Handbook of Paleoichthyology,
Vol. 4, Chondrichthyes III, page 83.
    Zangrel has placed most of the early teeth named Chomatodus
in the petalodonts. The names given are Chomatodus, Tanaodus
and Antilodus. Stahl has a few Chomatodus in the cochliodonts
as incertae sedis (of uncertain affiliation).

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