Dugong rib bone?

[Florida333]

Is this a dugong rib bone? Thank you.

[Florida333]

And one for luck...

[Coco]

Hi,

 

Could be... But don't forget to write where it was found and the age ! Can help us to help you !

 

Coco

[Troodon]

Certainly has the shape of one.  Locality found and how large is your item?

[Sir.tommy.the.toad]

Looks  like one, is it really heavy for its size? if it is heavy then yes it is. I find them all the time up here in Gainesville.

[digit]

The best view that could have confirmed this is the one angle you didn't specifically show--the broken end. Dugong rib bones (like their extant cousins, the Manatee) have completely solid rib bones. Instead of the spongy (cancellous/trabecular) material inside--often referred to as the bone marrow space--Dugong rib bones are solid bone. There is a reason for this--buoyancy! These aquatic "sea cows" are more than just a bit pudgy with a thick insulating layer of blubber as you might expect to find on sea mammals from polar regions. Without some heavy ballast these buoyant beasts would likely not be able to submerge to be able to find the sea grasses and other vegetation that comprises their diet. As a result, Dugong rib bones feel heavy for their size and are solid through to the center--some times with growth rings that make them resemble tree branches in cross section. Dugong rib bones are one of the most common easily identifiable bones from just a fragment due to this unique construction.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Florida333]

Sorry for insufficient info - still new to this - I thought that was the point of the tags in the posts. I found it on Caspersen beach Florida and it is heavy for its size. It's approximately 4" long x 1-1.5" wide. I believe this is from the Miocene to early Pliocene epoch. Here's a few pics of the ends. Thanks for the help.

[digit]

Not a problem. I failed to see the tags at the top. Tags are great for searching for topics in the huge library of posts we've accumulated here over the years. Always best to repeat location information in the text. Until you know what makes Dugong rib bones special (and easy to identify) you'd not have known what the key angle was for photography. With mystery (mammal) teeth it is always good to have an image from the side and the top (occlusal, chewing) surface. This one looks solid right through and looks to be Dugong alright.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Florida333]

Thanks Ken - and all!