Awesome day at Peace River FL... Need help IDing this vertebrae...

[Idelond]

Yesterday was awesome.... A day trip on Peace River never fails... Had some great finds... By the way, did all my search by "Fossil Noodling"... Spent all day just feeling around the floor with my hands and feet...  It's my new favorite way of looking for fossils... =)

P.S.... Need help identifying the vertebrae. Thanks.

[Harry Pristis]

"Noodling" can be hazardous in any river, even the Peace River.  There are broken bottles in those river bottom sediments.

[Idelond]

I know... Was trying to be as careful as possible....  It has a little risk.

[Harry Pristis]

I don't think I have ever grubbed with my hands in the bottom of the Peace, but I've done that many times on other river bottoms.  One alternative to avoid slashed fingers is a stubby garden cultivator -- the sort that has 4 metal tines.  You can drag those tines through the sediment instead of dragging your fingers.  You can feel it when a tine hits something interesting.  Add a lanyard to your wrist, and leather gloves, and you'll be ready to score.

[Shellseeker]

Unfortunately,  I do not recognize the vertebra.  However,  I have been hunting the Peace River for 15 years... It is not horse, bison, cow, llama, or marine mammal.  Looking at the size,  it might be Armadillo,  Sloth, Glyptodon  family...   would suggest you do an internet search with each possibility..  i.e "Fossil Armadillo Vertebra"...     That is what I would try while waiting for identification.

[Bone Daddy]

I love verts and have a box full of them. Having said that, I don't know what this one is. It's not dugong and I don't think it's deer. I found a sloth vert once, but it didn't look like this. I'm stumped. Nice find.

 

[fossilus]

Reminds me of sloth caudals that I've found. I would follow up on what @Shellseeker suggested focusing on caudals. You can tell it's a caudal by the tiny neural canal which you would only find in a tail bone.

[Idelond]

Thanks everyone.... Gonna do more research as a caudal bone...  =)

 

[Idelond]

On 4/10/2022 at 6:10 PM, Harry Pristis said:

I don't think I have ever grubbed with my hands in the bottom of the Peace, but I've done that many times on other river bottoms.  One alternative to avoid slashed fingers is a stubby garden cultivator -- the sort that has 4 metal tines.  You can drag those tines through the sediment instead of dragging your fingers.  You can feel it when a tine hits something interesting.  Add a lanyard to your wrist, and leather gloves, and you'll be ready to score.

 

Got me one of these...