Training Module 3 – Cretaceous Creatures

To which category does your fossil belong?

1. Isolated teeth

2. Jaws and tooth plates

3. Vertebrae

4. Scales, shells, and plates

5. Bones and bone fragments

Try again! Scales, shells, and plates usually have broad surfaces that are flat or bumpy.

Try again! Jaws and tooth plates usually have rows of repeating teeth or sockets for teeth that fell out.

Try again! Vertebrae usually have circular cups at their ends and struts that stick out along the rim.

Try again! Bone fragments usually have broken cross sections that look like a hollow tube or like the end of a broken pencil.

ID Sheet 4

1. My tooth is shaped like a column.

2. My tooth has multiple cusps that look like big bumps.

3. My tooth is shaped like a diamond.

4. My tooth is flat and shaped like a triangle and may have tiny serrations along the edge.

5. My tooth is big at the top, shaped like a hexagon, and attached to two thick roots.

ID Sheet 4-D

1. My fossil has a ridge or multiple ridges across the surface.

2. My fossil does not have a ridge across the surface.

3. My fossil is a tooth with serrations along the edge but is too fragmented to further identify.

Try again! Focus on the serrations of your fossil along the cutting edges. They should be curved along its length.

Try again! Look at the base of your fossil. It should not have any roots.

Try again! Focus on the size and number of the serrations. Also, focus on the overall curvature of your fossil.

Try again! Look at your fossil from the side. It should be thin.

ID Sheet 4-D-II

1. My fossil is long and triangular with straight edges.

2. My fossil is triangular with a few large serrations along the edge and a large ridge at the bottom.

3. My fossil has a wide base with serrations along the edge.

4. My fossil has large serrations along the edge that curve upward toward the tip.

5. My fossil has small round serrations along the edge.

Try again! Look at the flat sides of your fossil. They should be smooth and have ridges.

Try again! Your fossil should be complete (not broken) and shaped like a triangle.

You did it! You found a cheek tooth from a dromaeosaur dinosaur!

cheek tooth from a dromaeosaur dinosaur with arrow

Fun Facts!

1. A dromaeosaur is a type of dinosaur that had a big hooked claw on each foot and a body that was covered in feathers.
2. The serrations on the teeth were likely used to help this type of dinosaur slice and eat their food. br> 3. Teeth are usually smooth and shiny because of the enamel on the crown (top of the tooth). Some teeth have long roots, short roots, or no roots at the base.

Place your fossil in the correct box on the Fossil Training Sheet.

Click here to identify another microfossil.

Try again! Look at the flat side of your fossil and focus on how much it curves.

Try again! Focus on the base of your fossil. It should have a large round area that curves inward toward a narrow neck.

Try again! Focus on the size of the serrations compared to the overall size of your fossil.

Try again! Focus on the shape and symmetry of the serrations and the direction they point.