Jump to content

Unknown Vertebra in Venice


RescueMJ

Recommended Posts

Unknown fossil. Found in Pleistocene material.  Inland, Venice, Florida.  Specimen measures 65mm x 60mm. Smooth portion is 42mm high.  I have found both Equus teeth and alligator jaw in same location.  This item is a first for me.  It appears to be possibly a caudal vertebra?  Image 2 has a concave surface.  Image 4 has a convex surface like it would match up with another concave surface. I think I have seen a photo of it before somewhere but I don't recall. 

 

Thank you for your ID assistance.

-Regards,

Michael

p1.jpg

p5.jpg

p2.jpg

p3.jpg

p4.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Fossildude19 changed the title to Unknown Vertebra in Venice

I think gator. 

 

@Harry Pristis  @Shellseeker  @digit  @jcbshark

  • I found this Informative 1
  • I Agree 4

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The vertebra is procoelous, making it crocodilian. Not sure whether it's possible to differentiate crocodile from alligator just on the basis of a vertebra, but seeing as you mention having found other gator remains at the same location, I'd say alligator might not be a bad guess (assuming these were correctly identified as alligator rather than crocodile)...

 

Finally, I'm not sure whether you can determine the position along the spine this vertebra would've come from (I'm not familiar enough with crocodilians). But since the vertebra is still quite sizeable, and I don't see any attachment sites for either caudal ribs or chevrons, I'd say this is likely to be a dorsal, where the rib facets would've been located on the natural arch...

Edited by pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon
  • I found this Informative 4

'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say gator, around Venice it's fairly rare to find croc material:thumbsu:

  • I found this Informative 2

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree. I’m finding Equus mixed in with gator fossils. Found another vert yesterday similar to another post earlier. Equus or Manatee?

D44CCD4D-F9E4-4079-B98B-43E883F89296.jpeg

8AAA608C-5FE9-4732-B2ED-9FC8AB44D1F6.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...