hunter Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I found this bone 200 yards east of Beaufort Inlet, NC. It was lying between the low and high tide mark on the beach at Shackle ford Banks. I believe the heavy surf from Hurricane Hanna washed it ashore. It is approximately 8 1/2 inches wide and 2 inches thick. Your help in identifying this is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Hunter Blount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metopocetus Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I think it is actually a Mammoth or Mastodon cervical vert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunter Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 I think it is actually a Mammoth or Mastodon cervical vert. where could I take it to get a positive ID? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I agree it look like mammoth or mastodon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 where could I take it to get a positive ID? Check this out: ... EDIT: deleted.. (yours has lost the processes to the surf). Nice find! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 NICE!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Man Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I agree,mastodon or mammoth. I found one like it, at the Fossil forum trip to the Peace river.Yours is bigger than mine though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunter Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 I have spoken with several locals and marine bilogist from the area and they all seem to believe It may be a whale vert. I am going to contact some the paleotgology department overf at east carolina university . Several locals have told me about whaleing villages in the area I found the bone. I will keep ya posted on what I find. thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 I've never seen a whale vert look anything like that. They are normally more cylindrical and long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metopocetus Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 I've never seen a whale vert look anything like that. They are normally more cylindrical and long. And the cervical verts of whales are normally oval in shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunter Posted September 24, 2008 Author Share Posted September 24, 2008 Hunter what you found is a cervical vertebra from a fossil whale. The cervical vertebrae are found in the neck region of a whale skeleton. Bones which are washed up on beaches are always difficult to determine since we are unsure from which offshore deposit they have come from. Several different age deposits may be exposed off a single beach. Vince Best regards Vince Schneider Vince Schneider Curator of paleontology North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 11 West Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27601 (919) 733-7450 ext 720 the official determination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metopocetus Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Good to know, and nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bj aurora Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 I have been collecting for 10 years in Lee Creek, and thus I have many whale vertebrae, but I have never seen one so elongaed. I bow to Vince Schneider's expertise and experience in many areas, and I value his opinion in identifying fossils, but I would like to know which cetacean specie he attributes this elongated vertebra to. Please enlighten me as I have many vertebra that I would like to identify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 That is a awesome find!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 i likes it. i likes it a lot. that's one mammoth whale vert. bet when that whale got a sore neck, two advil did NOTHING for it... sorry. can't help it. it's my job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
va paleo Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 it most likely a vert form Basilosaurus Basilosaurus had huge vert the Smithsonian museum of Natural History this a Basilosaurus on exhibit it neet it had huge ribs but thing is no Basilosaurus that i know of this been found in NC but relative of the Basilosaurus have been found in SC so my be it washed up form SC i would email pictures 2 this guy of it he knows more about Basilosaurus then any one ales Phillip Gingerich here email gingeric@umich.edu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makoken Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 I found this bone 200 yards east of Beaufort Inlet, NC. It was lying between the low and high tide mark on the beach at Shackle ford Banks. I believe the heavy surf from Hurricane Hanna washed it ashore. It is approximately 8 1/2 inches wide and 2 inches thick. Your help in identifying this is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Hunter Blount I tend to agree that it is a whale cervical(neck) vertebra with the discs fused to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoRon Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Definitely a whale cervical vert. I have found similar ones in N.C. rivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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