Shellseeker Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 I went out hunting today, needed the exercise. Predicted afternoon showers, but warm and sunny all morning. I was doing pretty well, constant finds of Bull, Dusky, Tiger shark teeth, mixed with Osteoderms from Alligator, Armadillo, Glyptodon. About 1:30, getting ready to kayak back to my truck in order to beat the rains, I saw something that I did not recognize in the sieve. xx I turned it over and over trying to figure out what it might be... When I saw this next edge, I thought I knew... But maybe I was incorrect. What do you think it is... But I am running out of time.... I spotted a VERY small tooth, complete with roots.... I have a guess but I see what others think. Then a 1st timer for me... and one of my favorites, a Cetacean ear bone and a big one at that... These were all in the same sieve... along with a couple of shark teeth and a large Gar Fish scale... Really fortunate... I left after this sieve because I knew the next sieve likely would not be as good, and if I kept digging, I would get drenched.... 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Meganeura Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 First one is Probiscidean enamel, right? Mastodon or Gomph from the looks of it. And that’s a very pretty little deer tooth! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
PODIGGER Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Would think the first is mastodon. Link to post Share on other sites
Shellseeker Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 4 hours ago, Meganeura said: First one is Probiscidean enamel, right? Mastodon or Gomph from the looks of it. And that’s a very pretty little deer tooth! 4 minutes ago, PODIGGER said: Would think the first is mastodon. Yes, that is the crux of the matter. Once I saw the 2nd photo, I knew it must be Mastodon or Gomph. Is there sufficient detail in the 3rd photo to lean one way or the other ?. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/63498-mastodon-or-gomphothere/&/topic/63498-mastodon-or-gomphothere/?p=664438 I managed to acquire this one from @Harry Pristis recently, and had a small Gomph of my own... On the tooth, size alone would seem to dictate deer. Just working on the position upper/lower, left/right, M1/m1 ? or The 3rd one looks fishy to me. Maybe @Al Dente has insight or experience... The ear bone I believe is our favorite whale in SW Florida... Kogiopsis 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Al Dente Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 48 minutes ago, Shellseeker said: The 3rd one looks fishy to me. Maybe @Al Dente has insight or experience... Might be a ray denticle. Do you have a photo of the other side? Link to post Share on other sites
hemipristis Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 (edited) 1 hour ago, Shellseeker said: The 3rd one looks fishy to me. sturgeon. genus Acipenser Edited February 4 by hemipristis 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Meganeura Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 2 hours ago, Shellseeker said: Yes, that is the crux of the matter. Once I saw the 2nd photo, I knew it must be Mastodon or Gomph. Is there sufficient detail in the 3rd photo to lean one way or the other ?. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/63498-mastodon-or-gomphothere/&/topic/63498-mastodon-or-gomphothere/?p=664438 I managed to acquire this one from @Harry Pristis recently, and had a small Gomph of my own... On the tooth, size alone would seem to dictate deer. Just working on the position upper/lower, left/right, M1/m1 ? or The 3rd one looks fishy to me. Maybe @Al Dente has insight or experience... The ear bone I believe is our favorite whale in SW Florida... Kogiopsis I’m thinking the deer tooth is a deciduous premolar! Link to post Share on other sites
Shellseeker Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 2 hours ago, Al Dente said: Might be a ray denticle. Do you have a photo of the other side? Here is the back... Also found this Buckler.... I think I will have to consolidate... these are fragile... 2 hours ago, hemipristis said: sturgeon. genus Acipenser Fantastic, Thank you !!! Assume it is a scale ? Is this also fish.... I cleaned it off and it seemed similar Link to post Share on other sites
hemipristis Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 (edited) On 2/5/2023 at 4:40 AM, Shellseeker said: Here is the back... I think I will have to consolidate... these are fragile... Fantastic, Thank you !!! Assume it is a scale ? Sturgeons are ancient armored tanks. Their scales have evolved into essentially body armor. I'm not sure where "scale" ends and "dermal scute" begins. The flakiness (similar to fish bones), spongiform texture (seen in your piece in one corner), and the sometimes quasi-geometric shape are key. Here is a complete modern version (photo courtesy of Elasmo.com). BTW, yours is a sweet one! Edited February 6 by hemipristis 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hemipristis Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 On 2/4/2023 at 1:40 PM, Shellseeker said: Also found this Buckler.... Is this also fish.... I cleaned it off and it seemed similar These I don't recognize. Link to post Share on other sites
Shellseeker Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 On 2/4/2023 at 10:19 PM, hemipristis said: Sturgeons are ancient armored tanks. Their scales have evolved into essentially body armor. I'm not sure where "scale" ends and "dermal scute" begins. The flakiness (similar to fish bones), spongiform texture (seen in your piece in one corner), and the sometimes quasi-geometric shape are key. Here is a complete modern version (photo courtesy of Elasmo.com). BTW, yours is a sweet one! I was so pleased when you Identified this for me. I had no clue!!!! I went back to this location in the last couple of days and found MORE of these dermal scutes, 2 broken ones and this 58 x 40 x 7 mm one... They are VERY fragile... Sturgeon, wow. I am picking these out of a Florida creek. These are freshwater fish, so my current shallow creek must have been far different whenever this Sturgeon was making a home there...Just thought you would enjoy this photo, Ken also @digit Link to post Share on other sites
Meganeura Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 On 2/9/2023 at 10:47 PM, Shellseeker said: I was so pleased when you Identified this for me. I had no clue!!!! I went back to this location in the last couple of days and found MORE of these dermal scutes, 2 broken ones and this 58 x 40 x 7 mm one... They are VERY fragile... Sturgeon, wow. I am picking these out of a Florida creek. These are freshwater fish, so my current shallow creek must have been far different whenever this Sturgeon was making a home there...Just thought you would enjoy this photo, Ken also @digit This one is surprisingly similar to my Tarpon scale in size and shape! Though I know Tarpon are salt water fish - just interesting comparison to think about. Very pretty scales Jack! Link to post Share on other sites
hemipristis Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 On 2/9/2023 at 10:47 PM, Shellseeker said: I was so pleased when you Identified this for me. I had no clue!!!! I went back to this location in the last couple of days and found MORE of these dermal scutes, 2 broken ones and this 58 x 40 x 7 mm one... They are VERY fragile... Sturgeon, wow. I am picking these out of a Florida creek. These are freshwater fish, so my current shallow creek must have been far different whenever this Sturgeon was making a home there...Just thought you would enjoy this photo, Ken also @digit Very nice! theyre like potato chips, I warn you: you will be unable to stop picking them up haha. Your second find there is another complete one. Good stuff Link to post Share on other sites
hemipristis Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 20 hours ago, Meganeura said: This one is surprisingly similar to my Tarpon scale in size and shape! Though I know Tarpon are salt water fish - just interesting comparison to think about. Very pretty scales Jack! I’d love to see the Tarpon scale! Link to post Share on other sites
hemipristis Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 On 2/9/2023 at 10:47 PM, Shellseeker said: I was so pleased when you Identified this for me. I had no clue!!!! I went back to this location in the last couple of days and found MORE of these dermal scutes, 2 broken ones and this 58 x 40 x 7 mm one... They are VERY fragile... Sturgeon, wow. I am picking these out of a Florida creek. These are freshwater fish, so my current shallow creek must have been far different whenever this Sturgeon was making a home there...Just thought you would enjoy this photo, Ken also @digit Sturgeons may be anadromous. They can be found in fresh, estuarine and salt water 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Meganeura Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 3 hours ago, hemipristis said: I’d love to see the Tarpon scale! Keith, you’ve seen it before! I’ll send better pics of it to you this evening though if you’d like. Link to post Share on other sites
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