Toe Bone?

[The Dude]

I think I found a toe bone same time I found the teeth from my last post and also where I found the sloth tibia in a previous post of mine.  Peace river, Florida Bone Vally formation.

I included a very short video so you can get a better look at it, my pictures do not really capture it well but I am getting better at taking pictures as I go.

Take a look interested in what you think, thank you! I really appreciate you guys that help identify. My first year out collecting and I hope to be able to help others here some day. 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XeRmKHvC2duACTqJ1ma2DFikGPHF14R/view?usp=drivesdk

[Pterygotus]

Vert?

[Shellseeker]

13 hours ago, The Dude said:

I think I found a toe bone same time I found the teeth from my last post and also where I found the sloth tibia in a previous post of mine.  Peace river, Florida Bone Vally formation.

I included a very short video so you can get a better look at it, my pictures do not really capture it well but I am getting better at taking pictures as I go.

Take a look interested in what you think, thank you! I really appreciate you guys that help identify. My first year out collecting and I hope to be able to help others here some day. 

 

I agree it is a toe bone.  Now, how do you get the lighting right on your photos?  I have a floor lamp with a halogen bulb, set at a height where I can stick my hand just under the bulb,  and turn the fossil to get the best focus, with my cellphone in the other hand.

 

Why is yours a toe bone:  The flat portion on one end that connects with the next bone in the chain and the narrow "ring" in the middle of the bone.

 

You need the habit of providing size.  I am terrible at it but getting better. I hold the fossil so it can be compared to the average adult hand or finger size,  but BEST to just supply measurements in millimeters (for non US consumption). My bottom bone is Mammoth toe bone, possibly Mastodon.

[The Dude]

Hi shellseeker thank you for the post . I made a picture- taking box I guess you would call it I can tell you how in pm if you like . 

I thought it was a toe I learning few things along the way . Thank you 

As far as me forgetting the size , I'm guilty but 1st time , I always put in inches and mm as suggested in the forums . I did put a video link  I'm holding it in my hand as you suggested . Have a look! 

[Harry Pristis]

I agree with Pterygotus, this appears to be the centrum of a vertebra.  Toe bones don't have lateral prominences and roughness, which in this case seem to represent vertebral processes.

 

[jpc]

I looked at the video.  Looks like a large croc vertebra.  Ball and socket ends are fairly diagnostic.  

[Shellseeker]

Well,  I'll go with Harry and JPC.. Gator vert it is, Croc would be very unusual for the Peace River.  I am also going to save that nice chart from Harry.

[jpc]

On 5/2/2020 at 11:24 AM, jpc said:

I looked at the video.  Looks like a large croc vertebra.  Ball and socket ends are fairly diagnostic.  

As a Wyoming fossil hunter, not a FL creek collector, I use the word 'croc' to mean 'crocodilians' as opposed to 'crocodile'.  I have no idea how crocodile and alligator vertebrae differ.  So to me it is a crocodilian vertebra.  Can modern (or fossil) alligator and crocodile vertebrae be distinguished from each other?   

[digit]

20 hours ago, jpc said:

Can modern (or fossil) alligator and crocodile vertebrae be distinguished from each other? 

Well above my pay grade to know.

 

In the Peace River alligator teeth outnumber crocodile teeth (in my experience) something like 50:1 so just playing the numbers any crocodilian fossil has a better chance being gator than croc (proper). I'd have to check my books but I think croc fossils may tend to be older than gator fossil when found in the Peace River and that could be a reason relative scarcity of croc teeth.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Shellseeker]

1 hour ago, digit said:

I'd have to check my books but I think croc fossils may tend to be older than gator fossil when found in the Peace River and that could be a reason relative scarcity of croc teeth.

[digit]

...and I would not be setting foot anywhere near the Peace River if a 31 foot Gavialosuchus was a possibility instead of our modern Alligator mississippiensis. Males top out in the 10-15 foot range while females rarely reach 9 feet. The largest gator recorded was just over 1000 pounds so I can't even wrap my head around an 8800 pond crocodilian (and I'm glad it can't wrap its head around me).

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[The Dude]

Thanks everyone. Could you take a look, or second look at a previous post of mine

If this is a gator very the other post I put new pics does not have the "round" ball this one has so I am curious if my other vert I posted is a alligator vert, the "Ball" on the other vert is not round like this but more heart shaped, thank you!