JohnBrewer Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Title says it all really. Am I right in thinking a plesiosaur vert is thicker? How can you tell if you can only see the top or bottom but not the thickness? Thanks John John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowpoker Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 I'm pretty sure that "method" would work, Ichthyosaur vertebrae are very small, usually, while the plesiosaur was far larger and thus required heavier and thicker vertebrae to support it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 What if they're the same diameter say from different parts of the reptiles? John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowpoker Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Well than you could look at a complete vertebrate section online and work out whichever one your vertebrae matches. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) I did that before I posted and looked for some time. Maybe I'm stupid. :/ The two top ones were described as plesiosaurs and the bottom ones ichthyosaurs. Edited January 30, 2016 by JohnBrewer John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 They look to be hard to distinguish from the ends... From the sides, I think Plesiosaur vertebrae are longer in proportion. 1 "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 More sharing options...
jpc Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Ichthyosaur verts are shaped like poker chips and certainly concave on both ends... plesiosaur verts are much thicker than a poker chip, and have two little foramina (holes) on the bottom surface. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Thanks to all of you for your imput! John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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