Big ole bone- north Texas ?

[John S.]

Thanks for the input joe. It could be. It's a solid 8-9 inches of dense bone as seen from the back. Then the front side has the mess of bone/crystals mixed together.

Other side

Edited February 1, 2016 by John S.

[JarrodB]

If this turns out to be Tylosaur it could answer a question in a fellow members post on how big do Mosauar verts get.

Edited February 1, 2016 by JarrodB

[JohnJ]

Thanks for the input joe. It could be. It's a solid 8-9 inches of dense bone as seen from the back. Then the front side has the mess of bone/crystals mixed together.

Other side

Man, you need to get that one over to Polcyn.

[believerjoe]

That latest picture throws off my thinking. And would make it the largest known mosasaur vert ever! Lol. Odd. I hope you get some info, but maybe you should give me the gps location of the find so I can help sort this whole mess out........

[John S.]

Haha you guys are killing me! Good times. I haven't heard back from mike yet but I'll sure make a visit soon.

[believerjoe]

I will see him next week, but he should answer you before then. If not, I will wear him out about it! lol

However, I am afraid that with no outer bone texture and such, you are going to struggle with this one. Hard to determine the actual shape even. Don't get me wrong, I hope it is whatever you want it to be. I am scouring the internet for pics.

[JohnJ]

Haha you guys are killing me! Good times. I haven't heard back from mike yet but I'll sure make a visit soon.

I will see him next week, but he should answer you before then. If not, I will wear him out about it! lol

However, I am afraid that with no outer bone texture and such, you are going to struggle with this one. Hard to determine the actual shape even. Don't get me wrong, I hope it is whatever you want it to be. I am scouring the internet for pics.

I keep trying to make a monster Tylosaur humerus out of it.

[John S.]

It def plays with the imagination

[supertramp]

Could it be a huge Tylosaur vertebra?

Hi john,

those on the left (post 21) seem to be the clasts (maybe also crystal fragments) of a polygenic conglomerate with the bone being part of it. Is it possible considering the geological pattern of the region?

ciao

[John S.]

Hi john,

those on the left (post 21) seem to be the clasts (maybe also crystal fragments) of a polygenic conglomerate with the bone being part of it. Is it possible considering the geological pattern of the region?

ciao

Yes I think you are correct. However it is bone throughout as you can see on the last picture. I can see bone and crystal mixed together.

Edited February 2, 2016 by John S.

[Ptychodus04]

Do you know what zone of the Britton you are in? The matrix on the piece looks to be the typical light colored mudstone present in the Sciponoceras gracile zone.

Also, 5-8 miles as the crow flies is far enough from the Woodbine to significantly reduce the possibility of redeposition from an upper Woodbine deposit.

[John S.]

Thanks Kris I'm not exactly sure what zone. It was in the creek bed and the exposure varies a lot. What is your opinion on this piece?

[Ptychodus04]

Thanks Kris I'm not exactly sure what zone. It was in the creek bed and the exposure varies a lot. What is your opinion on this piece?

I'm at a loss for what it is.

What's the likelihood of you getting the matrix prepped off? That may be the only side that has some identifying features remaining.

[John S.]

I'm not sure Kris that crystal and bone are all mixed in together. Mike Polcyn just said it may be a large plesiosaur vert. He said the hole may be one of the foramina..

An example of a large one:

Edited February 3, 2016 by John S.

[JohnJ]

Mike's suggestion has some merit.

Several years ago, I took these poor images at the Texas Memorial Museum of a partial plesiosaur from Denton County, TX. The vertebrae were quite large on that specimen. You can see a little of it below the mosasaur in the link above.

[John S.]

Very cool thanks for posting that John. This bone was also found in Denton County and just a few weeks ago I found a flipper bone of a plesiosaur in a different section of the creek. I'm just trying to wrap my mind around the size.

[JohnJ]

Check out the size of some of the vertebrae and bones on page 12.

[John S.]

Wow those are rather large ; )

[believerjoe]

So post pictures of them together for a bone comparison. They should have the exact same preservation. Sounds plausible. I don't think the size is the issue. I think having them near each other might be the only chance of calling it something. Or finding more! Do we think it is creek beaten or the outer bone layers didn't mineralize. Can hope these got in the creek and there is better just sitting there waiting for me, I mean you, to find it. lol

If you decided that you want help looking for it, then I would be willing to help. I know how that sounds, but I could only give my promise that I would stay away otherwise. I am too lazy to go beyond that.

[John S.]

Thanks for the offer joe. I think this piece was a random find and was in the creek for a long time. The flipper bone was found in a separate section far away and it is fairly small. Likely from a juvenile. It is in much better shape and was a recent deposit.

Edited February 4, 2016 by John S.

[believerjoe]

Well I don't think that is a plesiosaur propoidal. Did you get id's on it? I would have thought that was way too flat. I had a bone verified to be a juvenile propoidal and they are pretty thick. Don't get me wrong, it could be, but what I thought I learned needs to be enhanced. lol

[John S.]

I was told that by Polcyn and Everhart. They seemed pretty confident. I researched it quite a bit. It looks like they vary a bit with all the different types of plesiosaurs and the like.

[believerjoe]

If they say then works for me! Nobody knows everything about anything! lol

[John S.]

Ha the more I get into this the more I realize I know very little ; )

[Twinlukers]

Nice John!!! I only find guns in Dallas!! Lol

My profile picture proves it.

Cool find.