MLG Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 (edited) I found this years ago on a beach on the east coast (North Carolina or South Carolina) - possibly Myrtle Beach. I always thought it was a type of lava rock, but then I took an anatomy class and noticed the vertebrae-like features. Any ideas? Is this a fossil? Bone? Rock? I would love to know what I have here. Thanks a bunch. Edited September 7, 2022 by MLG I saw tip to be more specific in the title Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debivort Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 It sure looks like one to me. One end looks convex, which suggests turtle, or maybe that end is a fused epiphysis? Hopefully others with more expertise weigh in. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meganeura Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 22 minutes ago, debivort said: It sure looks like one to me. One end looks convex, which suggests turtle, or maybe that end is a fused epiphysis? Hopefully others with more expertise weigh in. Looks like the "ball" section from a reptile - maybe gator? Mosasaur, even? Note: Not an expert, just spitballing. Fossils? I dig it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 It has a texture that suggests reptile bone, but it doesn't look like mosasaur. The attached matrix could be a clue to its geologic origin. More photos in different light would help. You can order the way they load in a Reply using the "+" symbol on the uploaded photos. Try to keep the views perpendicular to the vertebra. @Al Dente @sixgill pete @Boesse 1 1 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted September 8, 2022 Author Share Posted September 8, 2022 On 9/7/2022 at 8:50 AM, MLG said: I found this years ago on a beach on the east coast (North Carolina or South Carolina) - possibly Myrtle Beach. I always thought it was a type of lava rock, but then I took an anatomy class and noticed the vertebrae-like features. Any ideas? Is this a fossil? Bone? Rock? I would love to know what I have here. Thanks a bunch. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 On 9/7/2022 at 8:50 AM, MLG said: I always thought it was a type of lava rock, but then I took an anatomy class and noticed the vertebrae-like features. It is definitely a vertebra. What is strange about this fossil is that there is a nice rounded ball side, but not really a socket on the other side. I'm guessing the socket side is damaged and abraded. It might be a croc vert but that is a guess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted September 8, 2022 Author Share Posted September 8, 2022 3 minutes ago, Al Dente said: It is definitely a vertebra. What is strange about this fossil is that there is a nice rounded ball side, but not really a socket on the other side. I'm guessing the socket side is damaged and abraded. It might be a croc vert but that is a guess. Is this not what you consider a socket? This is the opposite side of the rounded side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted September 8, 2022 Author Share Posted September 8, 2022 8 minutes ago, Al Dente said: It is definitely a vertebra. What is strange about this fossil is that there is a nice rounded ball side, but not really a socket on the other side. I'm guessing the socket side is damaged and abraded. It might be a croc vert but that is a guess. Tried to get a bit better pics of that area… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 @Harry Pristis @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 51 minutes ago, JohnJ said: @Harry Pristis @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon I believe it is a centrum from a mammal vertebra. Many mammals can be eliminated, but once limited to a few of the proper size, it's guesswork. 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted September 9, 2022 Share Posted September 9, 2022 Definitely a vertebra, either procoelous or opisthocoelous (i.e., definitely "ball and socket"), though the socket is both worn down and may have had a pathology by the looks of the bevelled edge around it. (source) As the location allows for both Cretaceous and Pliocene finds (I believe), there are quite a few possible candidates this vertebra could've come from. In an attempt to narrow things down, I do think the degree of vascularization of the cancellous bone is rather high and probably osteosclerotic, indicative of a marine animal. However, lacking experience with mammals I find it difficult to rule those out. In any case, I don't believe this to be crocodilian, as in that case the "ball"-end of the vertebra would've been more elongate (but correct me if I'm wrong, @jpc). Rather, the waisted, elongate shape and wings coming off of the side of the vertebra remind me of an anterior lumbar mosasaur vertebra - though the centrum faces seem too round for that (which, however, is more typical of crocodilians again)... (source) Here's a Texan lumbar mosasaur vertebra, which I believe would've been located further posteriorly than the OP's specimen would've: @Praefectus? 2 '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 More sharing options...
Boesse Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 The extreme convexity of the one side strongly suggests croc to me, likely Deinosuchus. Mosasaur vertebrae don't usually have any fossae on the sides and the anterior/posterior articular faces are about as concave/convex as a contact lens. I think the concave part is unusually flat looking because of damage along the edges. My vote is for Deinosuchus or some other large croc. For what it's worth we've got somewhat more complete vertebrae from Myrtle Beach that look like this that we've identified as Deinosuchus owing to the large size. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 Very impressive... VERY... bringing this level of knowledge and expertise... @MLG Thanks for hanging on to this fossil and providing all the great photos.... 1 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 Always enjoy an interesting fossil and the bit of knowledge that it generates which gets archived here for others to learn from. Cheers. -Ken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted September 10, 2022 Author Share Posted September 10, 2022 Thank you ALL so much for all of your input. It has really meant a lot. I appreciate your time and expertise. You all have really made my day… This thing has been hanging out with me for a long time, and I have been wondering what it is for so long. Thank you! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 That's kinda what we do here. Hopefully, you'll get out and do some fossil hunting near you in Texas and post some images of more recent finds. Cheers. -Ken 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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