Saber-Tooth Cat Canine Set. Eusmilus sp.. Oligocene . Lower Brule Formation. North Dakota, USA. ...

Description

Saber-Tooth Cat Canine Set
Eusmilus sp.
Oligocene
Lower Brule Formation
North Dakota, USA

This single fossil saber from an Eusmilus is a distinct rarity. The unique canine has been reassembled but appears to be virtually complete with no visible restoration. The primary side exhibits a fracture pattern and a pleasing light taupe coloration. The reverse side is grooved and compressed with a notch near the base of the tooth. The gradual curvature is classic of a saber cat, but this variety of nimravid (the "false" saber-toothed cats) was really not a true cat and thus scientifically falls under a different classification at the suborder level. Eusmilus appeared in Europe some 40 million years ago, spreading to North America during the Oligocene. This tooth was found at a rhinoceros dig site 6 feet below the surface. The fossil is presented in a rudimentary framed display with an illustrative rendering of the cat, a bone map to which the tooth is affixed and an identification label with the name and locality. A collection card accompanies the offering with specific scientific details and a narrative about the animal. The tooth measures around 3.75 inches (9.5 cm) in straight length. The back of the ornate frame has an article on Cats attached to it.
Measurements: 3.81 x 1.21 x 0.26 inches (9.67 x 3.08 x 0.65 cm)


[Scale: 1 inch, with mark at 1 cm]

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