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Hi Fossil Forum! This past Monday I was searching my favorite gravel bar in SE Texas and I came up with some pretty great finds including my first ever ground sloth claw core but there was one object that has me and a few other people scratching our heads. I'm assuming that along with all of the other identifiable bone fragments I've found at this spot that this dates to the Pleistocene but there is Cretaceous invertebrate material and petrified wood that possibly date from the Eocene through the Pleistocene that I've found here as well. On to the mystery object! This articular surface just screams proximal tibia at me but I'm not satisfied with any matches I've tried to make to Camel, Bison, Horse etc. however there is a fair bit of damage along the edges so maybe I won't be able to nail down a species. I would at least like to confirm the element if possible and maybe narrow it down to family or genus. (oh and the scale just says metric but I'd hope it's obvious that the scale is in CM) It's the diaphysis that really leaves me and others confused and thinking possibly pathological because this doesn't look right at all for a tibia, at least not any that I've seen before! Apologies for the horrible focus on some of these images (especially the last one), the three dimensionality of this piece has been giving me some trouble when attempting to photograph it. I would really appreciate any thoughts y'all might have on this one! Thanks, Cdiggs

Just found this while hunting today at Big Brook. Not sure if it's fossil or modern, but I'm pretty sure it's a bear claw. Can anyone tell me what I've found here? Thanks!

Mastodon skeleton discovered by accident in Grand Rapids, Michigan 13 on Your Side, Youtube, May 19, 2023 Mastodon bones unearthed by Michigan work crew go on display in museum Mike Householder, Associated Press, Detroit Free Press, May 19, 2023 Mastodon unearthed in Kent County considered a ‘pretty rare’ find WOOD TV-8, Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 13. 2022 An older Mastodon Dig That Mastodon, Calvin University, June 18, 1999 Yours, Paul H.

The era between the Miocene and Pliocene (23-2.3 Million Years ago) was, like the Carboniferous era 300 Million Years before, a golden age for the Chondricthyans. Not only was there a massive explosion in the diversity of grey sharks, but there was the emergence of perhaps the largest number of large macropredatory shark genera (sharks greater than 3 meters (10 feet) in length) currently known in Earth's geologic history. This includes the Giant Thrasher Shark Alopias grandis (which grew up to 13 meters (feet) in length) and the famous Carcharocles (Otodus) megalodon (which grew up to 17 meters (55 feet) in length). https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm9424 But this golden era of the giant macro predatory sharks wouldn't last, for between 3.8-2.4 Million Years ago there was an extinction event of large marine fauna that killed at least 14% of large marine fauna genera, including Carcharcoles (Otodus) megalodon. Though it's not entirely clear what caused this extinction event (some have hypothesized it could've been a mild gamma ray burst), C.megalodon's decline was due to the closing of the Isthmus of Panama by 4.5 Million Years ago (an area that was a C.megalodon nursery), a decline in diatoms that caused a decline in the food sources of many whales like Cetothere whales including Cetotherium (a known food source of C. megalodon), and Competition with the recently emerged Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) and Orcas (Orcinus). By the extinction events end, most of the Miocene's large predatory sharks were extinct. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6377595/ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084857 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318160879_The_Pliocene_marine_megafauna_extinction_and_its_impact_on_functional_diversity https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0746 But there was a few genera that survived the extinction event 3.6-2.4 Million Years ago and lived long after it. These surviving taxon (likely surviving due to relying on different food sources then other large sharks of the miocene-pliocene) lived previously alongside C. megalodon and some survived up to at least the early Pleistocene (120,000-100,000 years ago). Here's a list of the large (non Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)) macropredatory sharks of the late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene (If I'm missing any examples, let me know and I'll quickly add them). Hemipristis serra (Hemigaleidae, grew up to 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) in length) (Miocene-Pleistocene (Pleistocene strongholds: What is now Indonesia, Taiwan, South Carolina (U.S.), Alabama (U.S.), and Florida (U.S.)), 23.03-0.012 Million Years ago) Reconstruction 1 and 2 Image by artist @Tetrtophoneus, Image credit: https://www.deviantart.com/teratophoneus/art/Hemipristis-serra-871902574 Image by artist @HodariNundu (the two sharks below and next to the juvenile C.megalodon at the middle top are adult Hemipristis serra), Image credit: https://www.deviantart.com/hodarinundu/art/Mobbing-Meg-885731702 http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=83182 https://www.fossilguy.com/gallery/vert/fish-shark/hemipristis/hemipristis.htm https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364591134_A_previously_overlooked_highly_diverse_early_Pleistocene_elasmobranch_assemblage_from_southern_Taiwan Parotodus benedeni (Otodontidae, grew up to 7.6 meters (24.9 feet) in length) (Oligocene-Pleistocene (Pleistocene strongholds: What is now South Carolina (U.S.)), 33.9-0.012 Million Years ago) Reconstructions 1 and 2 Image by artist @imAdro, Image credit: https://www.deviantart.com/imadro/art/Parotodus-benedeni-908901669 Image by artist @SameerPrehistorica, Image credit: https://www.deviantart.com/sameerprehistorica/art/Parotodus-Size-882947974 http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=389883 https://www.petit-fichier.fr/2013/01/27/kent-b-w-1999-taille-parotodus-benedenii/? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337937278_2019-canevet-a-review-of_the-extinct-genus-Parotodus https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app63/app004542018.pdf http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=collectionSearch&taxon_no=389883&max_interval=Quaternary&country=United States&state=South Carolina&is_real_user=1&basic=yes&type=view&match_subgenera=1 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/chondrichthyan-fossil-record-of-the-florida-platform-eocenepleistocene/2835CCEC27DC8EE0B24A5B62B1416618 Cosmopolitodus hastalis (Lamnidae, grew up to 5-7 meters (16.4-22.9 feet) in length) (Oligocene-Pleistocene (Pleistocene strongholds: What is now Japan, South Carolina (U.S.), Alabama (U.S.), and Florida (U.S.)), 30-0.012 Million Years ago) Reconstruction Image by artist @artbyjrc, Image credit: https://www.deviantart.com/artbyjrc/art/Going-to-need-a-bigger-boat-Lamnid-sharks-837971394 http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=265174 https://actapalrom.geo-paleontologica.org/Online_first/Chan_Cosmopolidus_planus.pdf Note: Cosmopolitodus hastalis was an ancestor to the extant Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias), along with living alongside the Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) between the Miocene-Pleistocene. However, Cosmopolitodus hastalis’s being a member of the genus Carcharodon has yet to be confirmed). I hope you all find this helpful?

Hello, Just want to ask for some opinions on whether this is a Smilodon incisor and how one would be able to identify it as such since it’s in pretty worn condition, it seems more likely that it could be either dire wolf or bear and that the “Smilodon name” is just to get more attention and money for the fossil? Thanks in advance, appreciate any help!

About a year ago while researching early filter feeding whales of the Miocene-Pilocene eras (23-2.5 Million Years ago), I came across an interesting fossil record of the small whale genus Cetotherium from after the Pilocene. Note: By small, I mean small by plankton eating whale standards (4.5 meters (14.7 feet) in length). The record was of fossils of a Cetotherium sp. (of the family Cetotheriidae) from Pleistocene formations in Baku, Azerbaijan dating to the Calabrian, Pleistocene (1.8-0.8 Million Years ago). http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=collectionSearch&taxon_no=36692&max_interval=Quaternary&country=Azerbaijan&is_real_user=1&basic=yes&type=view&match_subgenera=1 https://studylib.net/doc/7652725/the-finding-of--a-new-marine-mammal-in-the-ashperon-stage... I currently know of only know of one confirmed member of the family Cetotheriidae that lived during the Pleistocene, Herpetocetus (grew up to 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) in length). Image credit: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/zoj.12108 It's also worth mentioning that the discovery of the late Pliocene to at least early Pleistocene Herpetocetus species was accomplished by the forum member @Boesse in 2013. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236077474_Pleistocene_survival_of_an_archaic_dwarf_baleen_whale_Mysticeti_Cetotheriidae I'm wondering if this record of Cetotherium sp. In Pleistocene Azerbaijan is correct, what would it's implications be in the study of Pleistocene Aquatic Mammalian life of Central Asia (especially since the largest body of water around Baku (The Caspian Sea) has been landlocked since the Late Miocene 5.5 Million years ago and any possible whale species to have arrived and lived there until the early Pleistocene would have arrived at least right before 5.5 Million years ago)? How accurate this paper about the Pleistocene Cetotherium of the Caspian Sea is? Also, again if it is, then while the rest of the Cetotheriidae died out by the early Pliocene (3.6 Million Years ago) (the Pygmy Right Whales placement in the family is still debated), what were the external ecological conditions that allowed the supposed Pleistocene Cetotherium sp. and other members of it's family like the Herpetocetus sp. from the Falor Formation of Pleistocene California, US, to survive into the early Pleistocene?

Recently went an area known for pleistocene and pliocene material in North Carolina. Stumbled upon what has me wondering is either a tusk or a tooth of some kind. I did find mammoth material there, but never a tusk. But because there's also pliocene, not sure if it's something from then. Would love to know what you all think

Hi guys if anyone has a good resource for identifying these Florida shells it would be greatly appreciated in the meantime, here are a few for identification. 1.Arcinella cornuta 2. another Arcinella cornuta? 3. some pecten I’m not sure on species 4. Conus not sure on species 5. not sure 6 same as 5 7. Unsure 8. Balanus concavus?

The Chondricthyans (including the sharks and rays) have been around and keeping the ocean's ecosystems healthy for about 420 Million Years. Today, in celebration of this, I've decided to do a little fun post and list the eight times in Earth's history truly massive chondricthyans have emerged. Hope you all enjoy!!! The First is the Devonian, where there is at least one confirmed fossil (CMNH 5238) of a large currently unnamed Ctenacanthiform shark that reached lengths of 4.2-5 meters (13-16 feet) in length. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/318 The Second is the Mississippian stage of the Carboniferous (358.9-323.2 Million Years ago), a golden age for chondricthyans. The Early Carboniferous saw the emergence of Giant Ctenacanthiform sharks like Saivodus striatus, which grew up to 10-11 meters (32-36 feet) in length. https://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossils/fossil-of-the-month_2022-07_Saivodus.php https://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossils/fossil-of-the-month_2022-07_how-big.php https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/fossils-of-the-2023-national-fossil-day-artwork.htm The Third is the Pennsylvanian stage of the Carboniferous (323.2-298.9 Million Years ago). Like the Mississippian, the Pennsylvanian was also a golden stage for Chondricthyans where large Ctenacanthiforms continued to thrive and large Eugeneodontida edestoids like Edestus (which could grow up to 6.7 meters (22 feet) in length) emerged. Large Ctenacanthiforms from this time include the unnamed Graham Formation Gilkmanius sp., which grew up to 7 meters (22 feet) in length. https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-vertebrate-paleontology/volume-37/issue-3/02724634.2017.1325369/A-Pennsylvanian-Supershark-from-Texas/10.1080/02724634.2017.1325369.short The Fourth is the Permian (298-252 Million years ago). There were some large sharks, like the Ctenacanthiform Kaibabvenator (which grew up to 4.8-5.48 meters (16-18 feet) in length). But Eugeneodontida by this point contained the largest Chondricthyans alive at this time including Helicoprion (which grew up to 7.6 meters (25 feet) in length) and Parahelicoprion (which could grow up to 12 meters (36 feet) in length). https://www.academia.edu/29941296/Chondrichthyan_and_actinopterygian_remains_from_theLower_Permian_Copacabana_Formation_of_Bolivia https://doi.org/10.1002%2Far.24046 The Fifth is the Early Cretaceous (145-100 Million Years ago). Though the time's aquatic ecosystems was dominated by large marine reptiles, large sharks managed to emerge and fill ecological niches from time to time. This includes the Early Cretaceous Shark Leptostyrax, which grew up to 6.3 meters (20 feet) in length. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277782424_A_Gigantic_Shark_from_the_Lower_Cretaceous_Duck_Creek_Formation_of_Texas The Sixth is the Late Cretaceous (100-66 Million years ago). Aquatic ecosystems still were dominated by marine reptiles, but large sharks were indeed present. This includes Cretodus crassidens (which grew up to 9-11 meters (29-36 meters) in length) and Ptychodus (which grew up to 10 meters (32 feet) in length). https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231544 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/morphology-and-paleobiology-of-the-late-cretaceous-largesized-shark-cretodus-crassidens-dixon-1850-neoselachii-lamniformes/A670012A44DDC68FC098BB8C73368408 The seventh is the Miocene-Early Pilocene (23-3.6 Million Years ago). This period saw the rise and reign of some of the largest sharks known currently in the fossil record, including Carcharocles (Otodus) megalodon (which grew up to 17 meters (55 feet) in length). https://www.uv.es/everlab/PUBLICACIONES/2017/2017 Martinez-Perez et al HB miocene sharks.pdf https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abl6529 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9385135/ The eighth is the Early Pliocene-Late Pleistocene (3.6-0.012 Million Years ago). This period saw the last remnants of the large 20 foot + in size carnivorous sharks from the Miocene-Pilocene mega shark era not including the non-Great White shark (Carcharodon carcharias) and not including the large plankton eating sharks make their final stand. These include Hemipristis serra (which grew up to 6 meters (20 feet) in length) and Parotodus benedeni (which grew up to 7.6 meters (24 feet) in length). https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app63/app004542018.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364591134_A_previously_overlooked_highly_diverse_early_Pleistocene_elasmobranch_assemblage_from_southern_Taiwan https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/chondrichthyan-fossil-record-of-the-florida-platform-eocenepleistocene/2835CCEC27DC8EE0B24A5B62B1416618 I hope this is helpful?

Hi all - I found these two pieces in Central Texas today. Anyone have any ideas? The first one looks like some kind of bone, the second looks like some kind of oolitic sediment or possibly a fossilized scute (according to google image search). I could also be way off on these. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Oregon boy, 9, discovers remarkable ancient find in grandma’s yard Oregon Live, Pacific Northwest. Yours, Paul H.

3 hour hunt Saturday morning. The sun was brutal. On the walk back to the cars with half full buckets, stopped 6 times I love this hobby Saw 4 friends who all were much more interested in Shells, echinoderms, corals than the fossils I normally find. It was good to get together and talk about fossils I used to hunt and occasionally do now. Note on this last photo, the tiny murex. You have to be careful. Lots of little shells are washed out of the mud and crevices of larger shells. In the early afternoon, after sitting in air conditioned pickup truck, drink ice water, and soothing my back, I drove to the Peace River. I had not brought swim shorts, so I stripped down to my blue genes and went swimming for an hour. Pure heaven... I have a lot of work ahead.. Some of these I know but not the majority.. and even the ones I know like the large Apple Murex in my hand might have a different name back in the Pliocene_Pleistocene. Enjoy.

I found this large bone today that I think might be a bison leg bone? Could be bovid but aren't the rear bison leg bones not as robust as the front? Thought I read that somewhere. But I can't tell if it's a radius or a metacarpal bone. It's highly mineralized...very heavy and solid. River chewed it up pretty good tho. Didn't think it was horse because it just seemed too big compared to other horse bones I've found and I can't find any good pics online of the features in the third picture. Sorry didn't get to clean it up yet. Found plenty of Pleistocene mammals in that spot. Cows too. Lots of cows. This is 13.5 inches in length.

How does one recognize the pleistocene layer in a creek bed? I have found washed out fossils and looking for the bed.

Hi everyone! I have my eye on something kinda interesting, a sabre-tooth cat tooth! Or at least that what the seller claims these are. They look to be incisors of some sort of large hairy beast I would have wanted to avoid so I am kinda curious if anyone recognizes the morphology. No info beyond "Pleistocene of Africa" unfortunately. First one is about 2.25 inches (so probably about 5.5 cm) and the second is about 2.5 inches (about 6.25 cm). Thoughts anyone?

This is a recent beach find from an offshore Pleistocene formation. After researching, it appears to be a white tail deer premolar. It looks like the p3 in @Harry Pristis photo. It seems large for a whitetail, and it looks worn down as in the reference photo. The scale is centimeters. What do you all think? @Shellseeker, @Meganeura.

Hello, NW Indiana here. They were doing some digging and in the sandy glacial deposit ish layers, I was finding some heavier sandstone conglomerates with Devonian era fossils(crinoids, shells etc) , and I also found some shales, they appear to be newer but I’m not 100% sure. Most are pretty flakey, haven’t found anything fossil wise inside (that could indicate a time frame better) but one of them did have a strange triangular shape inside. My question is, is it possible for other rocks to be in this type of shale? And that is just potentially what it is? Is it potentially something else? I broke it in half, (by hand, easily lol) and it’s a pretty well defined almost triangle. Not sure if it’s just a simple rock, or potential for fossil or artifact. Thanks! Jessica TLDR- can you find weathered triangular rocks with in shale, or maybe it is just shale forming around itself? Could it possibly be an artifact, fossil? Suggestions and comments are welcome. I’m not having much luck finding a lot about shale when looking online. Thanks! :) Ps-I should also mention, this was part of a larger, more jagged piece of shale, and I had broke some pieces off around the outside, pretty cleanly, to get this triangle to come out… I’ll put a picture of that in the comments.

Today, I went fossil hunting in my area (in the Selzerbeek). I found early Maastrichtian, late Cretaceous fossils (around 70-67 million years old) and one Pleistocene or Holocene tooth (anyone who knows what kind of animal? I suspect a predator). Kind regards, Fossilsforever

Frozen Fur Ball Turns Out To Be 30,000-Year-Old Ice Age Squirrel (Canada) Tom Hale, iflscienceCom, March 31, 2023 Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, facebook page, pictures Yours, Paul H.

I got some more bones from Botna Bend near Oakland Iowa from the pleistocene and I really appreciate all the help, helps me learn.

Hi all, does anyone know why fossils from Cave bears usually are very lightly colored? The dentin and enamel in their teeth also look like they've hardly even been fossilized.

I was asked if I would create a post to detail how I arrived at an ID for the Calcaneum I recently posted for consideration as fossil of the month (Feb, 2023). To start, immediately below are some photos of the Calcaneum in question. It's from the Beaumont Formation of Fort Bend County, TX, so it's likely Pleistocene in age. To start with I initially compared this Calcaneum to another in my collection from the same formation I'd previously identified as Cervid (likely Odocoileus) that seemed to be a similar size, but I was immediately struck by how different they looked excluding size. That inevitably lead to searching the wonderful comparative photos of the venerable Harry Pristis on this forum which in turn eventually lead me to this thread; The image Harry Pristis posted with his first response had a calcaneum labeled simply "cat" and the similarity with my specimen had me looking for comparisons of various Felid calcaneum. Comparisons with the photo below (again by Harry Prisitis) initially had me ruling out Puma concolor as a likely candidate. But at that point I started searching for any 3d models of calcaneum to use for comparison and the two that looked closest were these; https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/mountain-lion-calcaneus-2de1fc24f1d445f3bc6701b40e22d606 https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/mscc098-puma-concolor-juvenile-left-calcanium-feb2092d9fc04ba98fa4ed1cbc22a877 However those models don't give dimensions so I jogged on over to; http://www.boneid.net/product/florida-panther-puma-concolor-left-calcaneus-superior-view/ which places that specimen ID'd as Puma concolor at just over 7cm in total length. Mine is just under 7cm and compares favorably to those photos as well. Finally a further search lead me to these two figures from different academic papers; https://www.researchgate.net/figure/3D-landmarks-shown-on-the-calcaneum-of-a-mountain-lion-Puma-concolor-in-laterodistal_fig2_313698350 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/1-7-anterior-view-8-14-medial-view-of-calcaneal-elements-of-extant-carnivorans-1-8_fig3_332234760 At which point I was confident enough in my ID to send photos along to Dr. Bakker and David Temple of the Houston Museum of Natural Science for their consideration. While Dr. B was initially unsure thinking the specimen was too straight in overall profile, David Temple was eventually convinced when provided with the above sources used for identification. I'm still not certain whether Dr. B has been convinced or whether he might prefer Felid Indet. for the time being, but with the fossil in hand I've thrown all caution to the wind and stuck with Puma concolor for now, but I consider any identification subject to revision when presented with additional data. Thanks! -CDiggs

Any help would be appreciated