Article For Fcolc Newsletter

[Shellseeker]

Recently I posted some finds on TFF, and my Fossil Club of Lee County President, Bill Shaver, asked me to write an article for the December Newsletter... I do not claim certainty on some of my speculations, but felt that some might like to read this attempt to raise interest in new club members and also give some kudos to TFF. SS

Seeking a Predator

When I kayak on the Peace River looking for a likely fossil location, I frequently have a desire locked deep in my subconscious that says this could be the day. This could be the day when I find a special fossil: maybe a mastodon tooth; maybe a sloth claw; or maybe an extremely rare predator fossil from a dire wolf or saber cat. One fossil buddy has a very large Jaguar canine and another has a Dire Wolf carnassial. In the spring of 2012, I found a broken Jaguar carnassial and I returned to a close location on November 8^th as the water depth receded. On this day I was “prospecting”, seeking a new location as I was probing for gravel about 8 feet off the east bank of the Peace River. A couple of inches of sand covers about 8 inches of gravel which is on top of 8 inches of gray clay. Usually I put 4 or 5 shovels full of gravel in each sieve-load, but on the 3^rd shovel of the 1^st sieve, there was a odd looking bone. I stopped and then danced around the river with glee: it was a perfect 3 inch Sloth claw, likely from Megalonyx leptostomus. But that is another story for another article. Naturally, I returned to the same hole to find more, but after another 3 hours, I had found a few small shark teeth, and one small odd looking bone which was complete and heavily mineralized. The size is 1.25 inches or about 40 millimeters. One end reminded me of a raptor toe bone which I had found in 2011. (Photo #1 below)

For any fossil that I do not recognize, I ask Louis Steiffel at the next FCOLC meeting OR I take a couple of photos and ask the experts on The Fossil Forum.com. For new fossil seekers, this is a great resource to Florida fossil experts, rapid identification of fossil finds, and free registration. It took “Prehistoric Florida” (www.prehistoricFlorida.com) less than 3 hours to see my post and identify my find as a Jaguar Phalanx (a toe bone that attaches to the cat’s claw). This was just the start of my education on feline phalanx bones. Prehistoric Florida added some details: “The bone is a medial phalanx; this bone is located directly behind the claw. The reason it is offset a little bit is allow the claw to retract.” He also gave me some web pointers to Medial Phalanx fossils from Smilodon Fatalis (Photo #2) and Panthera Onca both on his website.

Another Fossil Forum expert “Harry Pristis” provide a photo of numerous Jaguar Proximal Phalanx fossils and a pointer to a very special articulated line drawing of feline foot bones (Figure #1).

I have shown my Jaguar Phalanx to a fossil buddy who has been searching the Peace River for 40 years and he gave me one more insight. This bone came from a left paw. So did the Saber Cat fossil Phalanx in Photo #2.

I am very pleased not only with this fossil but also with everything I have learned with help from my friends. If you are internet savvy, take a look at The Fossil Forum and PrehistoricFlorida.com. You will find a lot of pictures to aid identification and you might even find some fossils for sale.

Figure #1 has been adapted under “fair use” of the copyright laws from THE FOSSIL CARNIVORE Amphicyon longiramus FROM THE THOMAS FARM MIOCENE by Stanley J. Olson; Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Volume 123, No. 1; July, 1960. I may use this sketch for identification again.

[Auspex]

That's a great shout-out

[cowsharks]

Nice article - I learned something new again!

thanks,

Daryl.

[Ramo]

I like it. (www.thefossilforum.com)

[Auspex]

I like it. (www.thefossilforum.com)

Good job; got it!

[Plantguy]

SS, great finds, great info, nice to see acknowledgement of the resources and the help from everyone! Nice job. Regards, Chris