Daze Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Saw this indet. vertebra with fused armor plate for sale and would like to know what it's from, is it crocodile or maybe turtle? Never seen anything like this before, is this common? Location: Kem Kem, Morocco Size: 7,5 cm (2.95") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 this is the back end of a crocodile skull. Compare with this: Basically the section between the points marked 11 and 13. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Daze said: ... Never seen anything like this before, is this common? Basicranium -- one per customer. Here's a pathological (serious bone infection) example from a 'gator. You can see the armor-like dimpling on the dorsal view. 4 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...
Daze Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share Posted February 28, 2023 @jdp Wow never thought of that, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 5 minutes ago, Daze said: Wow never thought of that, thanks! You wouldn't till you've seen your share of crocodilian skulls (and fragments). The pair of holes--the upper temporal (or supratemporal) fenestrae--at the top back of the skull, behind the eye orbits, and just in front and either side of the tiny brain box is a very distinctive feature of the crocodilian skull. The word "fenestra" is Latin for a small opening or window so that may help this nomenclature make sense. It's such a distinctive anatomical feature of the top back of the crocodilian skull that it was enough to let me know that there was a gator skull hiding in all this matrix at the Montbrook site in Florida. Cheers. -Ken 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daze Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share Posted February 28, 2023 @digit Impressive! And thanks, that was very informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Things like this are a mystery till you have some experience with them and then they are (hopefully) locked in so that you recognize them in the future. Cheers. -Ken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 darn... I knew the answer to this one and someone beat me to it. Nice piece. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now