Odontaspididae
Striatolamia macrota
Striatolamia (sand tiger ancestor)
PaleoceneEocenecommon
The dominant sand tiger of the Eocene. Tall, slender, slightly recurved blades with a pair of pointed lateral cusplets. The 'workhorse' tooth of phosphate-mine spoil piles in the Carolinas and the bagged Aurora gravels.
Typical size
0.5–1.5″
Trophy size
1.75″+
Age range
56–56 Ma
Body length
—
How to ID it in the field
- ▸Tall narrow sigmoidal blade — leans gently to one side
- ▸Two sharp lateral cusplets, one per shoulder
- ▸Smooth enamel; sometimes faint vertical striations on the lingual face
- ▸Long narrow root with a deep central groove
Quick reference
Shape
narrow blade
Serrations
none
Cusplets
prominent pair
Root
narrow bilobed
Color
Glossy black to caramel; honey root
Sample reference images
Use these visual references to compare angle, wear, and silhouette before making a final ID.
