Another odd Florida boney scrap

[Plantguy]

So here's another unidentified Florida scrap I found a couple years ago. Age guess is Mio, Plio-Pleistocene. I had initially thought it might just be another broken piece off a vert and set it aside but having looked at the base? recently I'm wondering if it might be another crazy ear component or something else--maybe even a whale petrosal but I'm just guessing . Since its got so many weird surfaces/angles I tried to rotate it and give you a number of views...Seems to have a couple surfaces that appear to be undamaged and the last two shots show the base. About 50mm along the longest side. Any thoughts/ID's are much appreciated. Thanks! Regards, Chris 

[Plantguy]

Here's a petrosal photo that I thought has some similarity to my fragment...maybe throws the ID into the whale possibility bucket. OK I'm done guessing! Regards, Chris 

 

A new fossil species supports an early origin for toothed whale echolocation

·         Jonathan H. Geisler, Matthew W. Colbert & James L. Carew

Nature 508,383–386(17 April 2014) 

 

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v508/n7496/abs/nature13086.html

 

Extended Data Figure 2: Petrosal and tympanic bones of the holotype skull of Cotylocara macei (CCNHM-101).

a, Ventrolateral view of right petrosal articulated with the rest of the skull. Anterior is towards the upper left corner. b–d, Ventral, dorsal and lateral views of tympanic bulla. e–h, Ventrolateral, dorsomedial, dorsolateral and ventr…

 

[Shellseeker]

Chris,

My 1st unsure impression on photos #1 and #2  was Gator jaw. Looking at the last photos, I started thinking gator vert,  once gain without too much confidence.

If you are considering whale ear bones, time to ask @Boesseto take a look.  Jack

[Boesse]

Hey all - no idea what that thing is. I don't think it's an earbone, though. The specimen in the figure in the nature paper (Cotylocara macei) is actually at our museum, and the periotic is only about 3 cm long. The unidentified specimen could be a cetacean basioccipital fragment, but I'd have to see it in person for a reasonable ID.

[Plantguy]

5 hours ago, Boesse said:

Hey all - no idea what that thing is. I don't think it's an earbone, though. The specimen in the figure in the nature paper (Cotylocara macei) is actually at our museum, and the periotic is only about 3 cm long. The unidentified specimen could be a cetacean basioccipital fragment, but I'd have to see it in person for a reasonable ID.

Thanks Bobby. Appreciate the expert look. Understand the uncertainty. Hoping to get some photo stacking software at some point this year...Crisping up these photos alot might help a bit. Again. thank you. Regards, Chris 

 

6 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

Chris,

My 1st unsure impression on photos #1 and #2  was Gator jaw. Looking at the last photos, I started thinking gator vert,  once gain without too much confidence.

If you are considering whale ear bones, time to ask @Boesseto take a look.  Jack

Thanks Jack. I need to find something complete with better photos and make it easier and stop torturing you all! LOL. Regards, Chris