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I found a fossil bone on January 9th, 2024 at a location that produces majority Blancan fauna fossils. I decided to give this fossil its own thread because 1) In 15 years hunting Peace River and Bone Valley, I have not seen a bone remotely like it, 2) I want to leave some "bread crumbs" detailing what I have learned since finding it. What can I determine by examining the find? At first glance I thought it was the broken tip of a rib. It is not. It does have a "bone" texture which is rather unique. There is a horizontal crisp ridge line running the 80 mm length of the fossil. There is a knob like feature on the proximal end. Width 20 mm, broken (thankfully) on the underside . About 3-4 mm in from the outer edge there is a longitudinal canal running the length of the find ending just to the right of the knob. If you look closely, there is an parallel canal 2-3 mm from the opposite edge running to the left side of the knob. Lets take a closer look at the left side of the knob. An exit hole for the canal near the tip, and 3 foramina holes which sometimes are seen on the outside of a jaw to transport fluids/veins/nerves. However , this is not a jaw , its shape is wrong. So this is where I start searching the internet for a bone representing fauna in my search area that is 20 mm in diameter and likely 100-150 mm in length with a knob at the end... After a while.... Once I start finding Baculum, my searches get better... I need something around 20 mm diameter... I have to figure out which end is proximal, and what about that knob.. Armand_de_Montlezun(1841_1914)_Baculum_Melursus_ursinus Polar Bear Baculum study == Length 190 mm average, width 18.7 mm average.... I realize that I need a Large bear to match the diameter on my fossil find... From the UF Paleonlology Database... Amphicyon longiramus Baculum.. Note the groves on each side leading to the proximal end of this Baculum, also the ridge along the top.. "Amphicyon is an extinct genus of large carnivorans belonging to the family Amphicyonidae, subfamily Amphicyoninae, from the Miocene epoch. Members of this family received their vernacular name for possessing bear-like and dog-like features. " Amphicyonids encompass a wide variety of carnivorous mammal ecomorphologies that are today filled by canids and ursids (Figuerido et al., 2011). Like modern carnivores, many species of bear-dogs (including Amphicyon longiramus) were highly sexually dimorphic (Hunt, 1998; Figs. 2-3), with males being much larger than females. Another quote from UFMNH: Characteristic species for the Blancan in Florida: Trachemys platymarginata, Anabernicula gracilenta, Melagris anza or M. leopoldi, Dasypus bellus, Holmesina floridanus, Pachyarmatherium leiseyi, Paramylodon harlani, Eremotheirum eomigrans, Phugatherium dichroplax, Canis edwardii, Arctodus pristinus, Smilodon gracilis, Xenosmilus hodsonae, Hemiauchenia macrocephala, Equus (Plesippus) sp., Tapirus haysii, Cuvieronius tropicus, and Mammut americanum. Note that Arctodus pristinus, Lesser short face Bear, Arctodus in Wikipedia. "There is much variation in adult size among specimens- the lack of finds, sexual dimorphism, individual variation and potentially ecomorphs could be augmenting the average size of both species of Arctodus.[2][7][49] Size differences between specimens of Arctodus simus (such as skull and long bone dimensions) led Kurtén to suggest a larger northern/central subspecies (A. s. yukonensis) and a southern subspecies (A. s. simus).[43][7][35] evolving in the Irvingtonian and Rancholabrean respectively.[35][7] However, the discovery of a very large southern Arctodus simus in Florida and New Mexico (deep within the supposed range of A. s. simus),[19][50] & possibly Rancho La Brea,[7] and notably small specimens from the Yukon and Vancouver Island,[16][17] put doubt on this designation.[51] Perceived ecomorphologies are possibly due to the low number of specimens, and sex-biased sampling.[19] For example, only one baculum ( bone) has been recovered from over 100 giant short-faced bear sites in North America (Potter Cave). I tracked down Potter Creek Cave in Shasta county and got this photo of human tools found within the cave... Item #1 seems very similar to a large Bear Baculum. I have come to the end of the search without an Identification of a unusual find. That sometimes happens. I can always wait and hope that another fossil hunter finds a similar unusual bone.

Dear Guys, I found this 17 cm length bone fragment in the sand dune layers of Varena town, there was the building site where the sand was deeply mixed up with younger layers. Judging by the shape, I think the most correct version should be bear (the tibial plateau is separated and not found). The last brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Lithuanian territory was hunted in 1885 but the tibia is quite big and maybe there are more features that could differ from present bear that is known is the European and Russian forests. Please help to confirm Ursidae family by this bone and if you are able, identify the species by size or other features. Any help will be appreciated! Best Regards Domas