Shellseeker Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Went out hunting on a prospecting trip, so my expectations were low. In balance, one of my hunting friends has been hunting the Peace River for 50 years and is one of the best at finding new productive locations. The best spot was also the last spot selected. I did not find many fossils, but the few I did find had excellent quality. First was a horse tooth (M3) and about 2 hours later, my last find seemed to match. Also a very nice Giant Armadillo Vert. Here is my ID request: This would seem to be an Epiphysis. but it is different (thickness, pattern) than the ones associated with whale that I have previously found.. All Suggestions appreciated.. Shellseeker 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I can not remember what they call those, but it is a disk from the spinal column of a juvenile whale.. Tony 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bone Daddy Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I have one almost exactly like that and had no idea what it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Based on the fact that I see no large inclusions I am going to rule out Chocolate Chip or any other candy type. Possibly a sugar cookie, or a snickerdoodle (my favourite!) Those were very common in the Pleistocene from what I hear. I would be more than happy to give it a solid lick, that may help to narrow it down exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Oh and FANTASTIC armadillo vert! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 The disc looks pretty thick for whale, at least it is quite a bit thicker than any of the ones I have personally found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 11 hours ago, ynot said: I can not remember what they call those... epiphysis 2 "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 That is a superb armadillo vertebra! Looks like fantastic preservation. "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 Thanks for the excellent and (even one humorous) feedback!! I also am amazed at the quality of an Armadillo vert. I have had some time to think about the Epiphysis. An Epiphysis is an unfused part of a mammals vertebrate, and sometimes those from Whales and Dolphins are called "Cookies". I have seen/collected a number of those marine mammal Epiphysis and so I think I know what they look like, This Epiphysis is somewhat similar to a marine mammal Epiphysis but different. It is nonuniform thicker and not circular pattern on the "flat" side. I am thinking it is from another mammal. I'll need to check this with Richard Hulbert, The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaholic Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Jack, I believe most any juvenile animal will have epiphyseal plates (growth plates) until the animal matures and they fuse to the cenrtum. I have a elephant cookie that I found in LuLu creek that is huge, and has that same light tan color as all the teeth from there. I doubt you can get a positive ID without the vert that it came from. Nice when you get a whole one. Dig gently! "A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 When I have a fossil to identify, I start searching and while this (Whale Carpal) may not be my fossil, it is a reasonable candidate, Usually I delay posting with interim data, but in this case, it is such a fantastic photo, I decided to share immediately!!! How about that Pisiform (B)? I also think that ynot may appreciate to identify some whale bones (humerus) he is finding. ATTRIBUTION: https://peerj.com/articles/1227/ Quote Figure 12: Carpal elements. (A) Complete, intact left pectoral limb of Inia geoffrensis (USNM 395602), showing all of the individual osteological elements in articulation. Carpal elements belonging to Isthminia panamensis (USNM 546125) include (B) a possible pisiform; and (C) a likely unciform, with (D) a close up of the carpal bones in (A), for comparison. 2 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Uh Yah! Neet diagram. Thanks Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Great whale bone photo, Jack. I agree with the others. From the few epiphyses I've found, this one matches well with the smooth slightly domed outer side and the radially patterned textured inner side where it would have attached to the end of the bone. I also agree that it will likely be difficult to exactly specify which bone of which species this capped off. All you can really tell with a separated epiphysis is that it came from a younger animal before this growth plate fused permanently to the bone when the animal stopped growing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyseal_plate Great quality over quantity at your new spot. Love the articulating Equus molars and sweet vert too. Cheers. -Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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