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Florida Pliocene Whale Skull


Uncle Siphuncle

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My good friend Rob in Florida, not a Forum member, suggested that I post pics of the odontocete whale skull he found at an undisclosed location in the Pliocene of FL.  He has sent pics to Smithsonian and they believe it to be Kogiopsis floridanum, a form of sperm whale described from a jaw section.  He's enjoying the prep work, most of which can be accomplished without his scribe, and it appears that there are predation marks on what is left of the snout.  Great find.

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Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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Current situation.  Skull is about 2 feet long and with matrix, almost defied one man retrieval.  Kudos to Rob!  Also cool that he is involving academia early on.

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Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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This would be a fantastic find.  Kogiopsis floridanum TOTAL identification has been based on a 1929 partial mandible !!! Everything else is isolated teeth !!!! Your friend has a Skull with teeth... ???? As far as I have read, no one else in the world has a skull of this whale from Florida!!!

This is exciting..

Read this TFF thread... @Boesse @jcbshark

 

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The White Queen  ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast"

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oh my god! this is one of the most important paleocetological discoveries made in Florida during my lifetime. Please tell me that he's considering donating this to a museum for study!

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34 minutes ago, Boesse said:

oh my god! this is one of the most important paleocetological discoveries made in Florida during my lifetime. Please tell me that he's considering donating this to a museum for study!

Hi Bobby.  I think that’s why he went straight to Smithsonian and asked them to show pics to all the ceracean experts.  I told him I’d put it in front of you.

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Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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I hope that Rob donates this so that someone (Bobby?) can study it. Also, let a museum prep this as some of the matrix might have some scientifically valuable micro fossils.

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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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Incredible find!!!

Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there!

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@sharkdoctor thought you might like this.

 

Great find from your friend!

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On The Hunt For The Trophy Otodus!

 

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Wow. I'd be over the moon if I found that. Good job on getting it out in one big piece.

 

Can't wait to see what it will look like after some more prep and conservation work.

 

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Wow! Even I am excited, and I'm a plant guy.

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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Rob has kept all the matrix, oysters, and echinoid spines that have come loose during prep.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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