old bones Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 I was sorting thru prior finds from Cookie Cutter creek when I came across this tiny osteoderm that I must not have identified at the time. Am I wrong, or is this the most minuscule Armadillo osteoderm ever?! What else could it be? Can it be ID'd to species? It really is only 2 1/2mm. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Bones Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Beautiful tiny specimen ! ' Keep calm and carry on fossiling ' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 It might be an ostracion (boxfish) dermal denticle. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 Just now, Al Dente said: It might be an ostracion (boxfish) dermal denticle. Well, that would be a first for me. Thank you. I will go look at some pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbshark Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Neat find Julianna Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 29 minutes ago, Al Dente said: It might be an ostracion (boxfish) dermal denticle. The 'hair holes', foramina (?) lead me to thinking armadillo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Maybe a lizard osteoderm? I have some with pores in the bottom side. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 The smallest armadillo we have in the Florida fossil record (and which has been found in CC Creek) is Dasypus bellus. I've not seen that surface texture on an osteroderm from this species before and they are usually larger and show the "rosette" shape similar to the larger glyptodont osteoderms that we find. See Fig. 3(d) in this link: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-new-Dasypodini-armadillo-(Xenarthra%3A-Cingulata)-Castro-Carlini/73d44be0dcd8d735d6f2e7fdf14b5513f2c31aa5 These osteoderms are also a lot larger than a few mm across so I'm wondering if it might be an extreme juvenile form? From the top surface, it sure does look like boxfish armor but the two tiny holes through the specimen that make it look like a button from the back are a confusing clue. I'm happy to have dug a bit on the internet this morning looking for a good image of a Dasypus osteoderm as I've occasionally found the elongated strips which turn out to be bucklers. I knew they had to be something--now I have to locate my specimens. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 18 hours ago, Ancient Bones said: Beautiful tiny specimen ! Thanks Mum. Now if we only knew what it is. 17 hours ago, jcbshark said: Neat find Julianna Thank you Jeff. Again for this terrific matrix that keeps on giving. I've got some work to do to figure this one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 5 hours ago, Al Dente said: Maybe a lizard osteoderm? I have some with pores in the bottom side. That is an interesting direction, Eric. The pores and shape got me to thinking armadillo, but the edges / cross section is not right at all for armadillo. Too smooth and polished. 3 hours ago, digit said: The smallest armadillo we have in the Florida fossil record (and which has been found in CC Creek) is Dasypus bellus. I've not seen that surface texture on an osteroderm from this species before and they are usually larger and show the "rosette" shape similar to the larger glyptodont osteoderms that we find. See Fig. 3(d) in this link: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-new-Dasypodini-armadillo-(Xenarthra%3A-Cingulata)-Castro-Carlini/73d44be0dcd8d735d6f2e7fdf14b5513f2c31aa5 These osteoderms are also a lot larger than a few mm across so I'm wondering if it might be an extreme juvenile form? From the top surface, it sure does look like boxfish armor but the two tiny holes through the specimen that make it look like a button from the back are a confusing clue. I'm happy to have dug a bit on the internet this morning looking for a good image of a Dasypus osteoderm as I've occasionally found the elongated strips which turn out to be bucklers. I knew they had to be something--now I have to locate my specimens. Cheers. -Ken Ken, baby armadillo was my first gut feeling... but now... I am going to see about looking at the lizard possibility some. What really bugs me, is the fact that these holes go all the way thru the thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 A good mystery does not give up its secrets easily--but when it finally does, the reward is that much greater. Thanks again for the excuse to look into Dasypus bits and finally recognize the buckler form. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 20 hours ago, old bones said: I was sorting thru prior finds from Cookie Cutter creek when I came across this tiny osteoderm that I must not have identified at the time. Am I wrong, or is this the most minuscule Armadillo osteoderm ever?! What else could it be? Can it be ID'd to species? It really is only 2 1/2mm. Julianna, Marco Sr found a tiny armadillo osteoderm in my Peace river matrix and it does not look like yours. It was about 4 mm diam and looked obviously like armadillo. We presumed it was recent. He sent it back to me and I still have it, but me taking a picture of it would be hopeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 Yes John, I remember that. I have an incomplete one from your PR matrix and it doesn't look anything like this new find either. And I have pretty much given up on that armadillo ID But, I am going to keep digging on this as it has me intrigued now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 6 hours ago, Sacha said: Julianna, Marco Sr found a tiny armadillo osteoderm in my Peace river matrix and it does not look like yours. It was about 4 mm diam and looked obviously like armadillo. We presumed it was recent. He sent it back to me and I still have it, but me taking a picture of it would be hopeless. Julianna Here are pictures of two Propraopus (Dasypus) bellus ???? (I must have posted these here on TFF and someone identified them for me) osteoderms from John's Gainesville matrix. They are 6mm long and 2 mm thick. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Beautiful specimen! Many of the fossils in the Gainesville creeks are very nicely colored. This one almost looks modern. I know the extant Dasypus novemcinctus (the Nine-banded Armadillo) are very similar in size to the extinct D. bellus which I believe was just a bit larger than our modern species. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now