Fossil Fragment, Likely From Skull.

[Darren Garrison 3]

This is a fossil fragment that I found on Myrtle Beach (or possibly Edisto Beach) in South Carolina somewhere around 15 years ago. Every once in a while, I come across it in my beachcombing hoard and wonder what it might be. I found this site while trolling through Google Images looking for similar pieces (not that I saw a similar piece on this site.)

From the complexity of the shape, I can’t envision it as being anything other than a skull fragment; from the size and thickness, it must have been from something fairly large. It has a flattened surface, a curved depression that may have articulated with something, and an area with three deep grooves with ridges between that must have had some muscle attached to or passing through them.

Scale is in inches. Any clues?

[Darren Garrison 3]

Since everyone seems to be baffled, here's a crude stop-motion animation that could be helpful.

Plus details of the testure of the flattest surface.

[ckmerlin 41]

Hmm this is difficult without having the specimen in hand. Saying that you have done a great job to try and show as much detail as possible , Im nowhere near being an expert but it could be part of the Sphenoid region of a skull

Im sure someone with far more knowledge than I will chip in soon. I think this maybe one for Rich

wish I could help more sorry

best regards Chris

[abyssunder 5,574]

I also used animated gif in one of my older thread (Asian tooth),with the same reason as you.I think a sample in motion could reveal other details than static images,sometimes images are the necessary but not sufficient condition for a good ID. I'm inclined to believe it`s a skull fragment but I'm not convinced of this.

[RichW9090 352]

It does appear to be from a large skull, but based on those pictures I can't say what it is. Maybe elephant, maybe whale? Bobby should take a look to see if he can place it.

[Darren Garrison 3]

Bumping because I have a brief video that I made for a Facebook group (which so far has no answers.)

 

https://youtu.be/bsNi1d2YwAA

[Brandy Cole 11]

I'm a complete novice here, so I'm probably way off base, but something about the way the lines kind of crimp together reminds me of some of the large turtle fragments I've seen, almost like a nuchal scute.  It may not be shaped quite right for that, and I'm not sure how common turtle fossils are in your area.  Just throwing my two cents in since there hasn't been much response yet.

[Plantguy 736]

Hi Darren, now that piece has some strange worn/broken features doesnt it--interesting!.

 

When I first saw it I was wondering if those linear features were shark feeding damage as it just looked like just a very beat up fragment of unidentifiable bone--im still not sure. My 2nd thought was some type of whale periotic and those are canals but I was hesitant with so many visible bone cells--it just doesnt have the dense/looking bone most of mine show but I started to look at some pics I had and compared it against a baleen petrosal fragment that Bobby had identified awhile back. It has an interesting similarity to yours as but that's all I say as my brain sees/creates all kinds of structure/shapes/possible ID's sometimes. Anyways, for what its worth you got my two cents...

I'll copy Bobby here and maybe he has a moment and can look at this thread. @Boesse

Good luck with it..

Regards, Chris 

[Plantguy 736]

7 hours ago, Brandy Cole said:

I'm a complete novice here, so I'm probably way off base, but something about the way the lines kind of crimp together reminds me of some of the large turtle fragments I've seen, almost like a nuchal scute.  It may not be shaped quite right for that, and I'm not sure how common turtle fossils are in your area.  Just throwing my two cents in since there hasn't been much response yet.

Thanks for bumping this again. Yep there are some weird Trachemys and other nuchal ornamentation types but I think its something else...Here's a bunch of nuchals...

Maybe Bobby or someone else will recognize something....I love this strange stuff but sometimes the answer isnt readily apparent! 

 

Regards, Chris 

[Brandy Cole 11]

On 11/26/2020 at 11:00 PM, Plantguy said:

Thanks for bumping this again. Yep there are some weird Trachemys and other nuchal ornamentation types but I think its something else...Here's a bunch of nuchals...

Maybe Bobby or someone else will recognize something....I love this strange stuff but sometimes the answer isnt readily apparent! 

Regards, Chris 

Thank you!  Informative as always.  

--Brandy

[Boesse 1,739]

Hey all, thanks for tagging me, and sorry for the self-imposed exile. The cetacean bone in question is part of a cetacean squamosal - and despite being an expert on the subject, I can never quite seem to make them out from a few photos if they're even slightly broken, because they are WEIRD looking things. That being said, i think it could be from the dwarf cetotheriid Herpetocetus.