New Members Malani Posted September 26, 2016 New Members Share Posted September 26, 2016 Is there anyone in San Luis Obispo County who can identify a fossil we believe to be a substantial section of whale vertebrae found in our Templeton vineyard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 @Boesse Give it a bit, and Bobby may check in. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Yes Melani, you have found a section of cetacean vertebral column. Actually these are found in the vineyards around here more often than you might think. The western Santa Lucia's are prolific with whale bones and show up all the time in those concretions and loose in the soil. Some have found huge sections of ribs and skulls as well. Nice example you have there. Unfortunately, a good majority of these things end up as yard art and go to waste due to erosion. By the way, I am in Paso. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Thats amazing! Caldigger that is indeed a waste! "Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe" - Saint Augustine"Those who can not see past their own nose deserve our pity more than anything else." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Looks like the tail vertebrae to me. I can't take it further. Nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 Not much more I can help with here - they are indeed caudal vertebrae of a large cetacean, likely a baleen whale or a large odontocete such as a sperm whale. My guess would be the Monterey Fm. or perhaps the Paso Robles Fm. (not intimately familiar with the local geology, but these are the two units in the region that produce large concretions with articulated remains in fine-grained matrix). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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