Mammalia indet.

Mammalia indet.

Higher-taxon identificationIdentified to: Class
Common name Indeterminate Mammal
Fossil group Mammals

Summary

This record is used for mammalian teeth, jaw fragments or bones that can be recognised as mammal material but cannot be assigned securely to an order, family, genus or species. Isolated worn teeth and incomplete jaws are common reasons for retaining an identification at class level.

Quick Identification

Look for: a tooth with a clear enamel crown and one or more roots, a chewing surface with cusps, crests or wear facets, or a jaw fragment containing well-defined tooth sockets. Use this record when the specimen is clearly mammalian but lacks a reliable combination of lower-level characters.

Identification Features

  • Teeth typically show a distinct enamel-covered crown above one or more roots.
  • Cheek teeth commonly bear cusps, crests, basins or wear facets forming a true occlusal surface.
  • Jaw fragments may preserve discrete tooth sockets or rooted teeth set into the bone.
  • Broken teeth can show a clear contrast between hard outer enamel and underlying dentine.
  • Postcranial bones generally have a dense cortical shaft and cancellous joint ends rather than the markedly pneumatic construction seen in many bird bones.

Recorded Fossil Sites

Last Reviewed
18 August 2026 Reviewed by Sam Harris