Possible Crocodilian? jaw fragment

[Plantguy]

Hey gang, still going thru old fragments and found this piece that I'm wondering about. Hope there is enough to confirm crocodilan due to the small elongated pits/foramen and maybe rule out any sea turtle jaw/dentary/skull possibilities. 

 

Shell pile find. Probably Plio-Pleistocene based on the types of shells found with it. Its approximately 8cm long X 1.7mm wide. It has a small channel/groove along its length that tapers to down to almost 1mm. Also shows a large foramen? that connects to this channel/groove/foramen? thru the flatter side of the bone. Its got many distinctive elongated small pits/foramina? that are only 1-2mm long and none that appear to be larger. 

 

I was hoping it was a sea turtle dentary/jaw fragment as that's what I'm looking for in the box of scraps but I cant find any matching comparative photo. I'm not smart enough to say really one way or the other and defer to you all. Is there anything visible that screams crocodilian or what part it may actually be from? Just doesnt seem very robust and seems very thin to me but I've not seen alot of reptile material... Aside from teeth/osteoderms is there anyway to distinguish gator from croc bones that show this kind of pitting? 

 

Ok here's a general picture 1st and then I flipped the specimen around in some in better outside lighting. Then some closeups of the pitting. 

 

Lastly, a view of the canal like structure that runs the entire length of the piece and seems to be possibly connected to a larger opening/foramen? on the flat side?

 

 

Hoping this is an easy one for you bone folks. thanks for your thoughts!

Regards, Chris 

 

 

[Harry Pristis]

It certainly looks like 'gator mandible . . . maybe a bit of splenial where it meets the dentary or angular.

[jpc]

Those holes you have in the photo that has a 2cm scale bar sure look crocish.  I don't think the spenial has any of those, though.  I am working on one right now in the ole fossil lab.  Maybe I can compare this to mine when I get a chance.

[caterpillar]

I also think that the splenial has no ornamentation. It is a bone from the inside of the mandible and it is smooth. I'm thinking more of a piece of angular

[hemipristis]

33 minutes ago, caterpillar said:

. I'm thinking more of a piece of angular

Looks straight to me. 

[jpc]

7 hours ago, hemipristis said:

Looks straight to me. 

I don't know... look at the 5th photo... he is holding it an an angle there.    : )

 

I am looking at our modern alligator skull and jaws here at the museum and I cannot make an ID on this piece, but I am still convinced it is crocodilian lower jaw piece

Edited May 4, 2022 by jpc

[Plantguy]

Thanks all. I appreciate the insights! I'll keep poking around the crocodilian pubs even more so now as its quite enlightening. 

Regards, Chris 

[jpc]

as long as we are making word jokes.... is there really a pub where crocodiles hang out?