blizzardstorm06 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Can anyone help me identify this "cookie"? We think it is a vertebra. It was found in southern Maryland in the Miocene clay formation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 It is an epiphysis. " Epiphysis, expanded end of the long bones in animals, which ossifies separately from the bone shaft but becomes fixed to the shaft when full growth is attained. " The 1st one I discovered was the epiphysis of a whale vertebrae, in common terms , a "cookie" Please search the fossil forum for the word "cookie". You will find some. Then I found an epiphysis, not a cookie and not from a whale.. and realized it was more complex than I had thought. NICE find 2 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 It is called an epiphysis it is part of the vertabrae that eventually fuses to another vertebrae as the animal gets older. This one looks to be in great condition 1 I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 @Shellseeker beat me to it! I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Nice find! Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 On 5/29/2020 at 4:50 PM, blizzardstorm06 said: Can anyone help me identify this "cookie"? We think it is a vertebra. It was found in southern Maryland in the Miocene clay formation. So, we have many examples of whale "cookies. Here is one of mine. These are very distinctive on both sides... please show us the other side of your cookie. I found another mammal's epiphysis, and it is not whale because it is different. I posted it on TFF asking for an ID, but that never happened. You can see it here. I do not think that your cookie is from a whale either. Maybe @Boesse can help us. He is an expert on marine mammals. The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 OP's epiphysis is from a juvenile or small baleen whale or possibly a very large odontocete (e.g. Squalodon, Orycterocetus). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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