Possible tooth? Need some opinions.....

[DocBeav]

I was out hitting the beach today and this little item popped up in my scoop while digging one of the MANY pieces of aluminum I was getting! It is in the same general area where I found a nice, and my first, little shark's tooth a few months back. It is about 3.5 cm long and .5 cm wide. It is shaped like a tooth but I'm not really sure. I'm hoping some of the experts here can help!

 

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[Harry Pristis]

Excellent job with the images, Doc! I believe you have found the articulating part of a crab claw.

 

[DocBeav]

Thanks for the input Harry! It could be! Wonder from what kind of crab and when? Seems like it is fossilized (feels and sounds like rock or stone)

 

[Uncle Jeff]

I was thinking the claw of some animal.. hard to tell without a size comparison

 

[DigIron2]

Looks like some kind of claw!thought tooth when i first saw it.

 

[DocBeav]

Hadn't thought about it being a claw......after looking online a bit it does look more like a claw than a tooth or anything else. Think Harry may have nailed it straight off, crab claw. Here are some closer pictures with a penny for size comparison.


Any way to tell what kind of crab or how old?

 

[Harry Pristis]

Did you say where your beach is located? If it were Venice Beach (FL), I might guess that it is Late Miocene or Early Pliocene crab, but I couldn't tell you which one.

 

[DocBeav]

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay.

 

[GatorBoy]

These are Miocene Calvert Cliffs examples

 

[GatorBoy]

Here's some Florida East Coast examples just for good measure... That and I don't think I've ever posted these
A few leg segments in there also

 

[DocBeav]

Cool pics thanks! I left a message for the head of marine Paleontology at a museum in MD. Hopefully he will call back and I can send him the photos and see if he can give an ID as well.