Calvert Cliffs Vertebra

[BrowniesMix]

Hi all -- I think I've found my first reptile vertebra down at the cliffs, but I'm not certain. It looks somewhat similar to some photos of crocodile verts that I've seen... or is it perhaps a sea snake? Am I on the right track, or way off?

Possible a cavity for a blood vessel?

You can also view a small 3D photo at http://seene.co/s/TTdBaB/ with most current/updated web browsers.

[Tennessees Pride]

Sir, it does resemble Crocodile & Sea snake vertebras...the rounded part of the specimen at first site does look vert-ish...but i'm just not fully convinced it is a vertebra. Still, you have made an excellent find.

[RichW9090]

Way too big for any seas snake. It does look like croc. It is a vert.

Edited May 18, 2014 by RichW9090

[BrowniesMix]

Thanks for your replies!

My eye is relatively untrained, but this doesn't look all that worn to me -- would the pedicles connecting this to the vertebral arch have been incredibly thin? I can see where they once might have been, but the area looks mostly smooth, like nothing has broken off or worn away... unless I'm looking in the wrong place.

Regardless, excited to have my first croc fossil of any kind!

[Troodon]

Not uncommon at Brownies beach. Your processes are missing and they are relatively thin and will easily break. If your interested in seeing better specimens go to the calvert museum on Solomons Island it will give you a great representation of what you are finding on the cliffs.