Enchodus petrosus
Enchodus petrosus is one of three species of Enchodus we find in South Carolina. Enchodus is referred to as the “saber-toothed herring”. They were decently sized fish, growing to a few feet in length. They are characterized by their massive dermopalatine (fang) at the front of their jaw. Their dermopalatine was attached to the rest of the jaw by muscle, so they are commonly found disarticulated from the rest of the jaw. E. petrosus has long and thin teeth that are quickly recognizable as belonging to this species.
Size: 1.5 - 5.5+ cm (3/8 - 2+ inches)
Scale: 1cm
Age: Late Cretaceous
Dermopalatine
Enchodus dermopalatines are identifiable by the hooked nature of the singular fang and the posterior tapering of the bone. This one looks to be from E. petrosus based on the morphology of the fang.
Palatine Teeth
E. petrosus teeth are long and slender with ridges running down either side of the tooth. They slowly taper to a point and have a triangular cross-section.
