Florida Partial Jaw with 2 Teeth for ID

[timhigg]

This partial jaw was found on a beach near Jensen Florida.  Each tooth is about one half inch front to back and the entire jaw segment about 3 cm.  Thanks for all your help.

 

I originally said one inch but that was incorrect, as one person pointed out, so I corrected it to read one half inch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by timhigg
To correct measurements.

[digit]

1 hour ago, tbr said:

Each tooth is about one inch front to back and the entire jaw segment about 3 cm.

Just to be clear. Each tooth is about 0.5 inches (not 1 inch) from what I'm seeing on your ruler. Don't want to be confusing with the size as that might throw off the identification.

 

Looks to me to be White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) but I'll let @Harry Pristis confirm the ID.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[timhigg]

Thanks for the correction as well as the information.  

 

I spent so much time on my pictures and then made a stupid mistake.

[digit]

All the world needs a good editor.

 

 

It's a cool specimen. Because this species is still extant in Florida there is the issue of whether it is fossilized or just a blackened relatively modern piece of jaw. The St. Lucie River either excavated this from a fossil formation and washed it out onto the beach or the river likewise transported a piece of a recently departed deer. Does the piece feel heavy for its size (mineralized)? You should be able to confirm that it is mineralized and not modern by briefly applying the flame of a candle/lighter to a portion of the jaw bone. Modern bone material still contains a significant amount of protein (collagen) in the bony matrix and it will emit a disgusting smell like burning hair if heated sufficiently. If you can pass it over a flame without any noticing any odor then that is a pretty good indication (along with it being heavier than expected) that you have a mineralized fossil. Sure beats finding shells on the beach. I'd consider a return to the area and a bit of beach-combing to see if you can spot any other black items in the sand. Phosphate in the environment tends to stain Florida fossils blackish gray.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[timhigg]

It seems to be fossil.  Heavy and no stink.  

 

I had a variety of non-fossil bones that I've picked up at various times to compare with including a fish vert, a wild pig jaw and a few others, including a few unknown, but probably cow.

 

Thanks.