Joe Q Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 (edited) Hello thanks taking the time to view my post, a good friend ask me if I could help him out with this Fossil so I joined Up. This was dredged up off the coast of Cape May New Jersey. Any information on it would be greatly appreciated. regards joe Edited February 6, 2021 by Joe Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacTheFossilMan Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Looks to be a tusk to me. Try researching similar fossils found in the area. 1 ~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com "Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Looks like a walrus tusk. It looks like globular dentine on the end, unless those are pebbles stuck in the cavity. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Joe Q said: Hello thanks taking the time to view my post, a good friend ask me if I could help him out with this Fossil so I joined Up. This was dredged up off the coast of Cape May New Jersey. Any information on it would be greatly appreciated. regards joe Tell your friend he has a fantastic find !!!, Joe !!! Welcome to the forum See this link https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-vertebrate-fossils/species/ontocetus-emmonsi/ @Boesse 1 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Q Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Shellseeker said: Tell your friend he has a fantastic find !!!, Joe !!! Welcome to the forum See this link https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-vertebrate-fossils/species/ontocetus-emmonsi/ @Boesse Thank You Shellseeker!! Pretty cool to get this kind of information I am sure my friend will be happy to see this info, I am not informed at all in this field more a glass and collectables guy. I was just amazed to hold this item in hand, extremely interesting and rewarding field you are in. Thanks for the welcome, I did not read the Forum Rules so I am not sure what type of question at ask next, If you do not mind I will hit you up with a few questions after I read the the Rules. Edited February 7, 2021 by Joe Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Q Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 6 hours ago, IsaacTheFossilMan said: Looks to be a tusk to me. Try researching similar fossils found in the area. Thank for taking the time to respond! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Q Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 6 hours ago, Al Dente said: Looks like a walrus tusk. It looks like globular dentine on the end, unless those are pebbles stuck in the cavity. Thanks for taking time to reply! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 2 hours ago, Joe Q said: Thanks for the welcome, I did not read the Forum Rules so I am not sure what type of question at ask next, If you do not mind I will hit you up with a few questions after I read the the Rules. Joe, fire away.... Others on this forum will tell you that I am a very curious guy, asking tons of questions. Some of my questions seem crazy and go down rat holes, but I mostly get answers. All questions deserve an answer. I try the best I can and point you to one of our real experts when I do not know... 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 February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 @Al Dente is correct about this being walrus! Probably a late Pleistocene specimen of Odobenus rosmarus. Further south in Virginia you can start finding tusks of the Pliocene species Ontocetus emmonsi, which has stubbier, more highly curved tusks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Q Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 On 2/6/2021 at 11:28 PM, Shellseeker said: Joe, fire away.... Others on this forum will tell you that I am a very curious guy, asking tons of questions. Some of my questions seem crazy and go down rat holes, but I mostly get answers. All questions deserve an answer. I try the best I can and point you to one of our real experts when I do not know... Hi thanks again for your time, I do have one question I could not find a definite answer to. At this point would this be considered ivory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 On 2/7/2021 at 11:31 AM, Boesse said: Probably a late Pleistocene specimen of Odobenus rosmarus. 3 hours ago, Joe Q said: Hi thanks again for your time, I do have one question I could not find a definite answer to. At this point would this be considered ivory? Joe, Whether it is a Walrus tusk on a living animal or a walrus tusk from millions of years ago , all Walrus tusks are ivory. In 1972, Governments got involved and banned the movements and sale of Ivory of many animals, including Walrus , to protect the animals from human greed. There is an exception if the tusk was created or acquired prior to 1972. I quoted Bobby's statement because 1) he is an expert on Walrus fossils and 2) indicates it probably was from an animal that died tens of thousands of years ago. Quote According to guidance published by the USFWS: "Raw walrus ivory found on the beach by non-Natives [that is, non-Alaska Natives, as defined by the Marine Mammals Protection Act of 1972] can only be possessed if tagged at a USFWS Office within 30 days of finding. This tagged ivory cannot be transferred to another owner without written USFWS permission." A full guidance sheet entitled "Walrus Ivory Dos & Don'ts," is available for download from the USFWS website. If I found this tusk, I would NOT be selling or in any way transferring it. Your friend should likely contact the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife Service for any restrictions. The penalties are serious and so are certain states that include New Jersey. 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 February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 The MMPA doesn't apply to fossils, which this certainly is (walruses haven't been native to the New Jersey coast since the Pleistocene). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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