Rare Didelphodon vorax Canine Tooth Fossil Hell Creek Formation Cretaceous Montana USA Genuine Specimen with Certificate

Description

Overview – Rare Didelphodon vorax Canine Tooth from the Hell Creek Formation

This listing features an exceptionally rare Didelphodon vorax canine tooth, a genuine fossil from the Hell Creek Formation, dating to the Late Cretaceous (66–68 million years ago). Recovered in Carter County, Montana, USA, this specimen represents one of the most iconic and formidable mammals of the dinosaur age. The fossil shown in the photographs is the exact tooth you will receive, chosen for its excellent preservation, enamel quality, and well-defined morphology. Every purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity, and the images include a 1 cm scale cube to provide accurate size reference.

Didelphodon vorax – A Fierce Marsupial Mammal of the Late Cretaceous

Didelphodon vorax was one of the largest and most powerful mammals living at the end of the Cretaceous Period. Belonging to the order Metatheria (the broader group including marsupials), it is known for its robust skull, crushing jaws, and highly specialised dentition. Far from being a small, timid creature, Didelphodon was a capable predator-scavenger with a bite powerful enough to crack bones, shells, and hard-shelled prey.

The species is especially famous for its deeply rooted evolutionary connections to early marsupials and for representing one of the few mammalian predators existing alongside iconic dinosaurs such as Triceratops, Edmontosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossils of Didelphodon are rare, and isolated teeth—particularly canines—are highly sought after.

Geological Context – Hell Creek Formation

The Hell Creek Formation is one of the most important and extensively studied fossil-bearing formations in the world. Representing the final chapter of the Cretaceous, it preserves life from the very end of the Mesozoic Era, immediately before the mass extinction event.

Deposits from this formation include floodplain mudstones, river channel sands, and ash layers, providing a detailed window into ecosystems that existed 66 million years ago.

Carter County, Montana is a key locality for Hell Creek discoveries. Its sediment layers have yielded thousands of scientifically significant fossils, including dinosaurs, mammals, reptiles, and plant material. The fine-grained sediments in the formation help preserve small fossils such as mammal teeth with exceptional clarity.

Morphology and Distinguishing Features of the Tooth

Your Didelphodon vorax canine tooth displays several characteristic features that define this species:

• Strongly curved, pointed shape, ideal for piercing, gripping, and dispatching prey

• Thickened enamel, indicating a powerful bite adapted for crushing and tearing

• Distinct root and crown structure, typical of metatherian mammals

• Fine surface texture, including natural enamel sheen and growth lines

• Well-preserved cusp and cutting edge, allowing easy identification of species and tooth type

This tooth exemplifies the robust anatomy that made Didelphodon one of the fiercest small predators of its time.

Depositional Environment – Late Cretaceous River Systems

The Hell Creek Formation represents a lush environment of river channels, swamps, forests, and floodplains. Mammals such as Didelphodon lived in densely vegetated forests, hunting small vertebrates, scavenging, and foraging for hard-shelled prey. Seasonal flooding buried animal remains rapidly, enabling excellent fossil preservation.

The combination of mineral-rich waters and fine sediments helped preserve delicate structures such as tooth enamel. Because small mammal fossils are easily transported or destroyed in fluvial settings, intact teeth such as this one are exceptionally valuable.

Scientific and Collector Importance

Didelphodon vorax fossils are rare, and teeth are among the most scientifically informative remains, allowing researchers to study diet, behaviour, and evolutionary relationships. Canine teeth are especially significant because they reveal powerful predatory adaptations unusual among mammals of the Mesozoic.

Collectors prize Didelphodon fossils for their rarity, excellent preservation, and association with the Hell Creek fauna. As one of the last mammals to coexist with non-avian dinosaurs, this tooth represents a key piece of Late Cretaceous natural history.

Product Details

• Fossil Type: Didelphodon vorax Canine Tooth

• Species: Didelphodon vorax

• Group: Metatherian (Marsupial Mammal)

• Geological Formation: Hell Creek Formation

• Geological Age: Late Cretaceous

• Locality: Carter County, Montana, USA

• Authenticity: 100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

• Photograph: Shows the exact specimen you will receive

• Scale cube: 1 cm – see photos for accurate sizing

This rare Didelphodon vorax canine tooth is an exceptional fossil from one of the most important formations of the dinosaur age, perfect for serious collectors, researchers, and enthusiasts of prehistoric mammals.