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Unique Skull Found By River, Anybody Reconize?

Started by thecatoutofthehat, Sep 09 2010 01:27 AM

18 replies to this topic

#1 thecatoutofthehat

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 01:27 AM

I live in western Ma and found this by the Connecticut river one day...I was wondering if anybody could tell me what it might be.
thanks for looking =]

Posted Image

Edited by thecatoutofthehat, 09 September 2010 - 01:45 AM.

#2 lordpiney

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 01:30 AM

sorry cat...but none of your links work. if you cant figure out how to post them directly, send them to me and i'll post em for you.

#3 thecatoutofthehat

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 01:38 AM

View Postlordpiney, on 09 September 2010 - 01:30 AM, said:

sorry cat...but none of your links work. if you cant figure out how to post them directly, send them to me and i'll post em for you.


I think I fixed it....

#4 barefootgirl

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 01:40 AM

Maybe a piece of carp.

Edited by barefootgirl, 09 September 2010 - 01:41 AM.

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#5 redbrick

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 01:58 AM

I'm not sure, but it looks like it might be a ###### fowl skull. Sorry, but if it is, it's definitely Modern and not fossilized. ###### fowl were introduced to the New World from Africa by the Colonial settlers.
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#6 thecatoutofthehat

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 02:18 AM

View Postredbrick, on 09 September 2010 - 01:58 AM, said:

I'm not sure, but it looks like it might be a ###### fowl skull. Sorry, but if it is, it's definitely Modern and not fossilized. ###### fowl were introduced to the New World from Africa by the Colonial settlers.


There are some noticeable differences between these two skulls, though. There unfortunately aren't many pictures of a juinea fowl skull on google at least, but this is a decent picture to compare by

Posted Image
or this...
Posted Image

Edited by thecatoutofthehat, 09 September 2010 - 02:44 AM.

#7 JohnJ

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 02:37 AM

Could you post a couple of other views to assist in the ID? :)
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#8 thecatoutofthehat

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 02:55 AM

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

#9 Just Bob

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 03:53 AM

That would be a Seestak. :D
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#10 jpc

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 04:29 AM

I don't know about carp, but it is definelty a fish skull. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. That is one helluva weird crest on it.

#11 RickNC

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 06:40 AM

View Postjpc, on 09 September 2010 - 04:29 AM, said:

I don't know about carp, but it is definelty a fish skull. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. That is one helluva weird crest on it.

Looks like some type of bird skull. Though it does slightly resemble the crucifix fish.

Edited by RickNC, 09 September 2010 - 06:58 AM.

#12 barefootgirl

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 10:05 AM

View PostJust Bob, on 09 September 2010 - 03:53 AM, said:

That would be a Seestak. :D

Okay, you almost got me there. I was actually trying to think if I had ever heard of a fish like that. :P
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#13 Foshunter

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 10:13 AM

I hope it hasn't produced offspring.--Tom
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#14 barefootgirl

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 10:29 AM

Well if it's bird Auspex will know. It could be some kind of wading bird but I still think it's fish of some sort. :blink:
In formal logic, a contradiction is the signal of defeat: but in the evolution of real knowledge, it marks the first step in progress toward victory.

Alfred North Whithead

'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!'

#15 thecatoutofthehat

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 02:15 PM

Well....hmm.. any idea how old it might be by the coloration of the bones or something? I was planning on taking it to a professor at one of the few colleges I live near, but so far everybody I've shown it to just have never seen anything like it.

#16 Auspex

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 03:01 PM

Since the features of the skull (especially in the occipital region) are not avian, I think it is from a fish, maybe one of the "spadefish" that are popular with aquarium keepers. I doubt that it is all that old.
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#17 thecatoutofthehat

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 03:26 PM

View PostAuspex, on 09 September 2010 - 03:01 PM, said:

Since the features of the skull (especially in the occipital region) are not avian, I think it is from a fish, maybe one of the "spadefish" that are popular with aquarium keepers. I doubt that it is all that old.

Thanks for your input. :) I guess it will have to remain a mystery for the time being.

#18 mako-mama

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Posted 10 September 2010 - 02:46 AM

View Postthecatoutofthehat, on 09 September 2010 - 01:27 AM, said:

I live in western Ma and found this by the Connecticut river one day...I was wondering if anybody could tell me what it might be.
thanks for looking =]

Posted Image
It's definitely a small fish--think panfish variety. Not sure what fish soecies you have in your parts-the crest is not unusual. There's good meat on either side of that crest if the fish is large enough. I'd suspect the bone is only a month or so old. Once dead, bones usually disintegrate quickly. Good find!

#19 Just Bob

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Posted 10 September 2010 - 03:50 AM

View Postbarefootgirl, on 09 September 2010 - 10:05 AM, said:

Okay, you almost got me there. I was actually trying to think if I had ever heard of a fish like that. :P

I feared the joke would go over everybody's head.

It's nice to know at least one other person watched that show as a kid. :D
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