darrow Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) This is a turtle shell fragment I collected today from Galveston Bay dredge spoils. (Late Pleistocene Beaumont formation) Is this a partially healed bite mark or some sort of pathology? Edited February 15, 2021 by darrow forgot the pictures 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkdoctor Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 A very interesting piece. I hope you find someone that can get it modelled or scanned. I would venture that you are looking at shell rot or ulcerations. https://theturtlehub.com/map-turtle-shell-problems/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Perhaps a scar left by one of the barnacles that evolved to encrust turtle shells. Cylindrolepas and Stomatolepas may be examples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 13 hours ago, darrow said: Is this a partially healed bite mark or some sort of pathology? Have a look at this specimen. You can see the puncture mark from the gator tooth has pushed a plug of the shell inward flaking away a section of the inner surface. It would have been a non-fatal injury or at least one that did not end in lunch for the gator or we'd have found coprolites instead of carapace fossils. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/111630-lucky-the-turtle/&do=findComment&comment=1244718 Cheers. -Ken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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