S70 - Exceedingly Rare Paronychodon caperatus (Troodontid Theropod) Dinosaur Tooth - Lance Fm

Paronychodon is a genus of theropod dinosaur known from isolated, ridged teeth that are commonly found in the Late Cretaceous Lance Formation, although no skeletal remains have ever been discovered.

The teeth are small, conical or flattened on one side , and often have longitudinal ridges, but because they are so distinctive and unique, their exact identity is a mystery and they could be from a variety of small theropods like troodontids, deinonychosaurs, or even a pterosaur.

The Lance Formation is a rock unit in Wyoming that dates to the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 66 million years ago.

 
Paronychodon and the Lance Formation:

Unidentified Identity: Paronychodon is a genus known only from its teeth, which are a common fossil in many Late Cretaceous formations, including the Lance Formation. No complete skeletons have ever been found, so the exact animal that produced these teeth remains unknown.

Fossil Teeth: The teeth are characterized by being small, conical, and possessing longitudinal ridges along the crown. Some teeth assigned to Paronychodon have been found to have a flattened side or were otherwise different in morphology, leading some to question if they are all from the same animal.

Possible Candidates: Because of the lack of skeletal remains, the teeth have been attributed to a variety of creatures, including:
-Troodontids
-Deinonychosaurs
-Alvarezsaurids
-Even pterosaurs

Lance Formation: The Lance Formation is a rock unit in Wyoming that is famous for preserving some of the last dinosaurs to exist before the K-Pg mass extinction event. It contains a wealth of fossils from a diverse ecosystem that included species like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops. 

The tooth comes stored in a display box.