Genericname Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Found this on the beach today at Flag Pond Nature Park in MD, known for Miocene era fossils. Any ideas? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil_finder_ Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 partial cetacean vertebrae 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Agreed, a partial vert with some of the centrum and pedicle attached Anyone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but the rugose texture on the surface indicates that it was a juvenile animal with unfused epiphyses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil_finder_ Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 7 hours ago, PaleoNoel said: the rugose texture on the surface indicates that it was a juvenile animal with unfused epiphyses. Actually, the epiphysis it what gives the vertebrae the texture, indicating that this was from a mature animal. If the epiphysis was unfused then the vert would be smooth on both ends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 19 minutes ago, Fossil_finder_ said: Actually, the epiphysis it what gives the vertebrae the texture, indicating that this was from a mature animal. If the epiphysis was unfused then the vert would be smooth on both ends Here's a small whale vert from Lee Creek where the epiphysis isn't completely fused. The first two photos show the epiphysis still on the vert. Notice that the outside is smooth. When I remove the epiphysis, you can see the rough surface where the two pieces meet. In old adults the two will become completely fused where you can't see the suture between them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil_finder_ Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 24 minutes ago, Al Dente said: Notice that the outside is smooth Wow, I've been organizing my bones all wrong. I was taught that the vertebrae fuse with the epiphysis facing outwards like this, and that that the outside would be smooth when the whale matures. Great fossil though, I learn something new every time I join this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genericname Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 Thank you all for your expertise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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