Mammal Bone..?

[MonkeyDr]

Hey guys! Hoping someone on here can help me ID this bone. I know it's not exactly a fossil but, if anyone has any idea what this may be please let me know. I found it on the beach at Sanibel Island, Fl this past summer, this is the gulf coast of Florida in the US (for those of you unfamiliar with Florida). Sorry, I tried using the link to the map but it's broken.

Either way, I've heard everything from "cow" to "cetacean" to "human." Although I really doubt it is the third (or hope it is not)...as a Biologist this seems like a rather clunky and oddly shaped bone to find washed up on shore. My curiosity has gotten the best of me after having it look at me for 6 months as I work.

Someone, anyone...ideas?

Edited February 12, 2013 by MonkeyDr

[DeloiVarden]

Someone will answer soon, don't worry. Wish I could be of more help, but I am sure there are some florida folks who are more familiar with modern verts.

[worthy 55]

Is it two pieces? B)

[RichW9090]

It is a sea turtle vertebra.

Edited February 12, 2013 by RichW9090

[MonkeyDr]

It is two pieces! Sorry for late post.

[MonkeyDr]

It is a sea turtle vertebra.

You sure? I just googled and it does look very similar.

[RichW9090]

As I always tell everyone, IDs from a photograph are always suspect. But yes, I'm pretty sure.

Rich

[Nomen Venator]

I don't think it is a cetacean, but to me it resembles that of an artiodactylan, possibly a deer, but Rich could be right, might be a turtle.

[RichW9090]

All my modern turtles went to Tennessee, so I can't provide a good photo. Could not find a decent photo on Google, either.

[RichW9090]

Following my own advice else where, two things scream turtle to me. First the sea turtles often have the neural arch loosely sutured to the centrum, as this one does. Second, in the last photograph, you can see that the centrum articulation is double-lobed - another turtle chracteristic, and not found on any mammal (the axis and atlas of mammals have double articulations, but of a very different nature).