Ricardoestesia sp. Tooth-Montana

 Taxa: Ricardoestesia sp.

Geology: Hell Creek formation

Age: Cretaceous-Maastrichtian

Locality: Garfield County, Montana

 Restored tip, but otherwise a great tooth.

Ricardoestesia

Ricardoestesia is a genus of theropod dinosaur known from fragmentary fossil remains found in Late Cretaceous formations of North America, including the Hell Creek Formation. It is primarily represented by isolated teeth, which are small, blade-like, and finely serrated, suggesting it was a carnivorous dinosaur, possibly related to dromaeosaurs or troodontids. Due to the limited fossil evidence, its exact classification remains uncertain, and it may represent a small predator or even multiple species rather than a single distinct genus.

Hell Creek formation

The Hell Creek Formation is a geologic formation in North America, primarily spanning Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It dates to the Late Cretaceous period, around 66 million years ago, and is famous for its rich fossil record, including dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Edmontosaurus. It also contains evidence of the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event, including an iridium layer associated with the asteroid impact that contributed to the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs. The formation also preserves fossils of plants, mammals, fish, and reptiles, providing valuable insights into prehistoric ecosystems.