Jump to content

megaholic

Recommended Posts

Since nobody is out digging bone valley due to the high water I decided I should go yesterday. Had a great day. (as you can see below) I don't want this to turn into a show and tell, so I will just say this came from bone valley Fla yesterday, and I would like some help with the ID.
The large carnassial is 12 X 25 X 13mm crown height. The small tooth is 17 X 9 X 9mm. The jaw bone averages 20mm wide along the area of the teeth. Sadly it is broken off right at the foramen for the large canine, other wise it would have truly been a prize find. My suspicion is that it is jaguar. Too robust for the panther, and too small to be lion. (P. atrox)
What do you think? Should I have stayed home?

post-5963-0-16371900-1407715271_thumb.jpg post-5963-0-53260900-1407715272_thumb.jpg

post-5963-0-70236600-1407715273_thumb.jpg post-5963-0-90191400-1407715274_thumb.jpg post-5963-0-94678200-1407715275_thumb.jpg

post-5963-0-05627000-1407715277_thumb.jpg

"A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What fauna is this from in the Bone Valley, or do you not know? If it is the classic Palmetto Fauna, it won't be a jaguar - no jaguar from the Late Hemphillian. Rhizosmilodon fitae, recently described from that fauna, is jaguar sized, but is a Smilodontine. The length of m1 ranges from 21.5 to 23 mm. so yours is a bit larger than the known sample. Also from the same fauna is Machairodus catacopsis which is larger than Rhizosmilodon.

Machairodus catacopsis lower m1 rangs from 32.0 to 35.6 mm in the sample from the Coffee Ranch in Texas, so it is appreciably larger than your specimen.

The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jaguar, I agree. In the image, 0.90" = 23.0mm.

some cat lower carnassial lengths:
Domestic cat: 7.8mm
Lynx rufus: 11.0mm
" " 11.5mm
" " 11.8mm
" " 12.4mm
Lynx rexroadensis: 14.3mm
Felis concolor: 15.2mm (western form)
" " 16.4mm (Florida panther)
Panthera onca: 23.0mm (Florida jaguar)

post-42-0-83604500-1407730677_thumb.jpg

post-42-0-66850400-1407730720_thumb.jpg

http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page

 

What seest thou else

In the dark backward and abysm of time?

---Shakespeare, The Tempest

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Harry, if it is Pleistocene, that is a possibility. It is not a possibility if it is from the Palmetto. Still waiting for Megaholic to say if he knows what the age is.

The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a fantastic find! Fragment or not, carnivore material like this is very uncommon and the teeth look pristine. You should be very happy with this one.

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't help with the ID but great find nonetheless!

Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's the cat's meow! :wub:

"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

Thanks to all for your comments and help.

In reply to Rich, I do believe it to be Pleistocene.

"A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"In reply to Rich, I do believe it to be Pleistocene."

Then Harry is undoubtedly right.

The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...