Type Of Bone Structure

[bigworm]

Hello,

im trying to identify a large fragmented vertabrea I found, I have emailed so many pictures to museums with all info I had, but so far most have said that it's probably bipeodal.

there is a lot of marrow or honeycomb structure exposed and a lot of bone surface and my question is this: is there a way to distinguish between carnivors and herbivores through the type of bone structure ( size, shape, direction?) just thinking that two different types of food would produce some sort of difference in bone growth?

the bones are from England and roughly 130 myo

I'm really hoping there is a way u can tell the difference. Please help

thanks

[Fossildude19]

Pictures, please.

Regards,

[bigworm]

Hi tim, I put pics on here a few months ago and no one really replied, it is as I say fractions and a large

Part of vertebrae ( very crushed) but really I would just like to know if there is a way u can tell the difference in bone structure?

Thanks

Alex

[tmaier]

Function determines bone histology more than whether it is carnivore or herbavore. Some bones are light weight and some are dense, depending on what the creature needs.

The study of bone growth and structure is called histology.

Here's an interesting book, but it cost money.

http://muse.jhu.edu/books/9780520955110

But if you just search the internet for histology, you should find some good free reading material.

[bigworm]

Thanks. I will read up.

[Auspex]

Hi tim, I put pics on here a few months ago and no one really replied...

Here is a link to the original post: LINK

[painshill]

It is sometimes possible to determine herbivorous from carnivorous diet via the histology of post-cranial fossil bones. There is usually at least some kind of indication in the degree and arrangements of vascularization in both the bone cortex and periosteal tissue. But you would struggle to find a reliable relationship outside a family group of animals of similar ages (adult vs juvenile) or between different families because growth rates, lifestyle and other factors may obscure the relationship. But of all the postcranial bones you could pick for examination, vertebrae are down towards the bottom of the list. Where differences exist, they’re usually most apparent in the long bones of the limbs and you need the bones to be sectioned for microscopic examination.

Even chemical analysis for mineralogy may not show much difference. Unfossilised carnivore bones usually have a significantly higher lead content than herbivores, but that won’t necessarily hold true for fossil specimens which are mineralized. You’re then into calcium isotope analysis as probably the most reliable methodology.

[tmaier]

Most of the time it is easier to identify an unknown fossil by abandoning the question of "What is this?" and asking the question of "What lived in my fossil hunting area at this time?" A thorogh study of your zone often leads you to stumbling over the answer.

[jpc]

Tyrannosaurs have a very distinctive texture to the inside of their dorsal vertebral centra. I can't tell from your pix what part of the very you have, and I don't know if that texture continues into the neural arch. It is often described as 'honeycomb' and that is a pretty good description. I would say further that there are large honeycomb holes in there that you could almost fit your pinky into, and the honeycomb walls are very thin.