Peace River distal phalanx ID

[Meganeura]

Found this distal phalanx from something just now - camera lens is foggy so apologies for the poor pics. Wouldn’t have known it was a distal phalanx had I not seen the picture @Harry Pristis posted yesterday. It’s about a half-inch in length - 17mm or so.

 

[Harry Pristis]

I think it most resembles a sloth claw core.

 

[Meganeura]

1 hour ago, Harry Pristis said:

I think it most resembles a sloth claw core.

 

That small??

[Meganeura]

@Harry Pristis some better pictures:

[Harry Pristis]

I was noting the resemblance to a ground sloth claw.  Maybe it is, maybe it's not.  It's quite worn.

Do you believe that ground sloths were born already full-size?  

 

 

[Meganeura]

Just now, Harry Pristis said:

I was noting the resemblance to a ground sloth claw.  Maybe it is, maybe it's not.  It's quite worn.

Do you believe that ground sloths were born already full-size?  

 

 

 Absolutely - they pop out full size, of course!

But really, I figured a juvenille would still be significantly bigger - but I'm not exactly a sloth expert by any means. Regardless, I've sent pictures of it to Hulbert to see if he has any input! I'd love if it does turn out to be sloth - that would be such an awesome find.

[Joe_17]

4 hours ago, Meganeura said:

 Absolutely - they pop out full size, of course!

But really, I figured a juvenille would still be significantly bigger - but I'm not exactly a sloth expert by any means. Regardless, I've sent pictures of it to Hulbert to see if he has any input! I'd love if it does turn out to be sloth - that would be such an awesome find.

Keep us posted 

[Meganeura]

18 hours ago, Joe_17 said:

Keep us posted 

Oh I responded in the wrong thread, whoops. He said "The general anatomy of the distal phalanx (=claw core) is the type found in rodents and carnivores. Based on size most likely from a smallish carnivore, such as a raccoon."

[Meganeura]

@Harry Pristis so i've been doing some research to see if I can figure out what the claw core is from - my closest bet seems to be that it looks like a spectacled bear claw core (Albeit a very small one) - over a raccoon claw core, since raccoon claws appear to be much more curved. Obviously my specimen is worn, but is there anything that would rule it out one way or another?

[Harry Pristis]

For comparison:

 

[Meganeura]

7 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said:

For comparison:

 

In that case, if anything I'd say it fits Canis over bear or raccoon. Perhaps coyote? I'd say dire wolf, but the likelihood there is... extremely slim, of course.