PalaeoArt Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Hi, I was given this by a Meg-diver from South Carolina. Looks like a Whale Vertebrae but looks a little different. Didn't know if this might be the Axis? Any help would be great from experts in that area. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Well it's definitely a vertebrae, and it's size screams cetacean, small whale, large dolphin, or as you say just in a strange spot of the cord. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Alright so let's think about some things here: 1. It definitely has the shape of a vertebrae and judging by the location you were in most likely a mammal vert. Shark verts are circular like tree trunks. 2. I'm going to guess this is cetacean related and most likely a whale. There's no way a dolphin vert could get to this size and at this point I'm suspicious as to wether this is a whale vert or a manatee (sea cow) vert. Whale verts can become very large but what makes them confusing is segments of whale verts can appear similar to manatee verts if their side fins are missing. Here's a picture of a whale vert: That doesn't look like what you have. Here's a link to a manatee info sheet: https://etb-whales.blogspot.com/2012/03/origin-of-sirenians.html Look carefully at the verts section and it appears what you have may be exhibit F. a Trichechus manatus. That's my guess. You most likely have the inner portion and the inner space filled with matrix. I've seen this sort of thing happen before. Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Yeah, he's right. Sorry I'm a little rusty with some things. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njfossilhunter Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 It looks to be a Axis vertebrae to me ...rather worn and broken and not so well preserved TonyThe Brooks Are Like A Box Of Chocolates,,,, You Never Know What You'll Find. I Told You I Don't Have Alzheimer's.....I Have Sometimers. Some Times I Remember And Some Times I Forget.... I Mostly Forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 The texture seems more homogeneous than what I see in the cetacean verts that I have. I wouldn't have to take the second mitten off to count them though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Maybe @Boesse can shed some light on this one. 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...
Boesse Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 This is actually the basioccipital of a juvenile baleen whale. The two tubercles in the first photo are the basioccipital crests - which are thickened in baleen whales. The basioccipital is a bone in the basicranium that connects to the exoccipital posteriorly and the basisphenoid anteriorly. Here are figures from Mead and Fordyce (2009) showing the basioccipital in a juvenile bottlenose dolphin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Wow, never would have guessed. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalaeoArt Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Thanks everyone and particularly @Boesse for your thoughts. I agree, it definitely looks like the basioccipital of a baleen whale. Thanks for all the expert advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Yeah this one didn't exactly look like a vert but I had no clue what else it could be. Good find! Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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