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These finds are from a shelly matrix collected by TFF member Sacha from a spoil pile in the Indian River near Merritt Island, Florida. As we enter a new calendar year, I realize that I have been working on this matrix for over two years! Lest anyone think that I haven't been absorbed in this matrix all this time, I am posting an image to illustrate how I am cataloging my finds. For now, I am sorting like with like, and attempting to ID the similar items as I go. Now, if I just didn't have to go to work I would be a lot closer to completing my work on this! LOL This picture shows some of the insectivore finds including; bat, mole, and shrew teeth. 'J' and 'K' are lower and upper shrew incisors. I'll try to post more images like this as I go in this new year. Thanks for looking, Julianna

I had another 'Ah Ha' moment when I recognized a fossil that I've had for some time in a paper that I was studying. At one point I had posted 'K', but came up empty. Fish tooth was suggested, and I moved on. I also have collected several of 'J' and thought they were some kind of claw. Now I know that J and K are lower and upper incisors respectively of a shrew! I looked at many more papers online and am satisfied that my ID is correct (even if many of them refer to European species of Soricidae.) Here is the image of my finds followed by a page from one of the papers. New data on Eulipotyphla (Insectivora, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene to the Middle Pleistocene of Ukraine Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(2):535–546, March 2010 © 2010 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology ARTICLE SORICIDAE (SORICOMORPHA, MAMMALIA) FROM THE PLIOCENE OF TOLLO DE CHICLANA (GUADIX BASIN, SOUTHERN SPAIN)

This small, fragile bone was found in Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. I think that it might be an ulna. I spent hours looking at pictures of both avian and bat bones, and cannot be sure which it is. Is my photo and the bone's condition enough to identify the bone? Thanks for looking.

This lump of cemented bones came out of Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. Does it look like it could be a coprolite?

As I continue my study of the micro matrix from a spoil island in the Indian River of Florida, there are a few bones that I can't seem to place. I am not sure where in the skeleton these belong, (much less whose skeleton!) I have found half a dozen of these, all about the same size. I can't make a match in any of my books...nor my online searches. I will probably do a faceplant when I get the answer, but I am ready am ready! Thanks for looking.

I have dozens of claws from The Merritt Island Pleistocene matrix, but none quite like this one. Can anyone ID it? I am hoping that is bird...

While searching for tiny Pleistocene animal fossils, I do come across some interesting shells like this one. It is not the only one like this, so I don't think that it is pathological... but I don't know much about these tiny shells. Would love to know what it is a part of.

I have found the perfect way to answer the questions I get when trying to describe my passion for micro fossils! While out shopping yesterday, we hit a few favorite hobby/craft stores like A C Moore and Michael's. I found this neat little pocket watch designed to showcase tiny finds and bought a chain to match. Now I can keep it in the watch pocket on my jeans and easily show off a selection of micro fossils from Merritt Island matrix.

I am currently cataloging the thousands of photos that I have accumulated of my finds from the Merritt Island, Florida Pleistocene matrix. Here are three that have me puzzled. The first looks like an ostracod... ? I was hoping that this tooth half was from something more interesting than a dolphin... It looks as though it has feeding damage...any ideas? And finally, this bit of jointed bone really has me stumped. Any guesses? Thanks for looking

This was the only specimen of this kind that I found in Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. Is it a bryozoan, or a coral? It is so pretty... there are tiny little stars in it!

Can anyone tell me which part of the skeleton these two bones are from? I have looked in all my reference, but can't decide. These are from Sacha's frog toe matrix. Thanks for looking.

This is a continuation of my finds in the Merritt Island matrix. I will add photos to this thread as I get them ready. If anyone can suggest ID's for any of them, please do. I am hoping that this is either a premaxilla or vomer of a frog or salamander. A and a close up of the fossil... you can even see the striated texture on the teeth. B I think that this is the dentary of an amphibian perhaps a salamander which I believe shows the interlocking structure of the mandibular symphysis C Still trying to figure out what bone this is... D

I found this in Sacha's 'frog toe' matrix from the Indian River spoil island in Florida. It is from the Pleistocene Melbourne bone bed. I recognized a similar bone in one of my books. Is it from a bird? If so, can it be ID to family/genus even? Auspex? Thanks for looking

Is this an epiphysis? It seems so fit so well on the ends of the caudal verts in form that I have from this matrix. I have included a second picture with the new find combined (centered) with the vertebrae from a previous post. All are the same scale.

This is another find from Sacha's Merritt Island Pleistocene matrix....aka Frog Toe matrix. I have tried to ID it, and believe it to be a frontal bone from the skull of a small rodent in the family Cricetidae, probably vole. Can anyone confirm or have a different idea? Thanks for looking.

I would like to thank TFF member Sacha for giving me the opportunity to search a brand new matrix that he collected from the Indian River of Florida near Merritt Island. The shelly matrix is from a spoil island consisting of dredge material for a shipping channel. It is of Pleistocene age and is considered 'Melbourne Bone Bed'. The finds from this matrix were mostly terrestrial with a heavy Cricetidae presence. The amphibian finds were very surprising. Lizard fossils were something new for me as well. I had a lot of studying to do, and that is why this 'trip report' took so long. I have done my best to ID the ones that I didn't post in the IDs forum, but I am open to suggestions and corrections. I am here to learn. There were numerous claws found in the 2 gallons of matrix that I searched. Only the first one, 'marsh bird', has been identified. I still don't know what this tiny thing is... I was leaning towards a cranial element... And the most exciting find is this frog phalange! (Thanks to Al Dente for the ID) And what I believe is another amphibian toe. continued in next post

Here is another Pleistocene mystery from Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. There are 4 views of the fossil. Does anyone recognize it? thanks for looking.

Here are a couple of fossils from Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. Although it is a shelly matrix from dredge spoil, there are very few marine fossils. These are two of the ones I am trying to ID. I don't know if this one is coral or bryozoan, or what.... it almost looks like bone. These look familiar. Are they fish operculum? Thanks for looking.

I found these two specimens in Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. Are they fish otoliths? I found very few teleost fossils in this matrix, so I am puzzled to find two of what look like otoliths in it. Most of the finds in this Pleistocene shelly matrix are those of terrestrial mammals and reptiles. (Do lizards have otoliths?)

I have no idea what this is. There are 4 views of the same item. Both of these finds are from TFF member Sacha's new Pleistocene matrix from a spoil island in The Indian River, Fl. Does anyone recognize this 'Cheerio'? Then there is this tiny specimen that I am not sure is a tooth or something else. The slight indentations are puzzling. Any ideas?

This bone was found in Sacha's Merritt Island, Florida Pleistocene matrix. I don't know much about bones and would like to know where in the skeleton it would be located. I am hoping that the one complete end is enough for an ID. Thanks for looking.

Here are five new claws for ID please. These were all found in TFF member Sacha's new Merritt Island, Florida Pleistocene matrix. I have included the first one I found here again for comparison. Auspex said the #1 is "from a small species, possibly as small as a least bittern." There were several more claws in the matrix, but these were the most complete samples. It would be great if I could get IDs for them. Thanks for looking. 1 2 3 4 5 6

I found this tiny bone in Sacha's matrix from a spoil island in the Indian River near Merritt Island, Fl. I have included several views. This one was tough to photograph. It is difficult to see in my photos, but there is a small perforation in the scoop like end. The only thing that I can think of is maybe a mouse baculum. Any help on this one would be appreciated.

Here are three items that I need help identifying. They were all found in TTF member Sacha's Merritt Island matrix. First is an entire bone that I hope someone can ID for me. The ends are rather distinctive. Where in the skeleton it belongs would be nice to know... even better what animal it is from if possible. Thanks for looking. This tiny tooth still has it's roots. Any ideas which Pleistocene animal it is from? And lastly, is this a coprolite?