Medial Phalanx

[Shellseeker]

5 years back, I found a small bone from a jaguar that increased my respect for small bones and started me down the identification process. It has a spot for claw retraction and overall a medial phalanx can be IDed as such.

 

Fast forward to yesterday. I have been visiting the Peace River and connecting creeks, trying to find places to hunt without much success.  DEEP, FAST, FULL of gators.

But I am persistent and found access and even a few fossils:  an Equus earbone, a nice hemi upper tooth and an unknown toe bone plus a smattering of other shark and Ray teeth. Now I can recognize a Medial Phalanx although it is only 1/2 the size of the Jaguar.

I realize that it is Harry, Nate, and those other Florida toe bone hunters who find this interesting. But it does give me an opportunity to show off this: Small but almost perfect out of the clay layer... My 2017-2018 Season has STARTED!!!!.   

 

[Harry Pristis]

 

I'd guess that the phalanx is reptilian, perhaps turtle.  Not necessarily a sea turtle, but use these for comparison:

 

 

[Shellseeker]

Thanks Harry, @Harry Pristis

I felt that I would be depending on you for this one.  Outside of coming out of clay, I was not positive that it was a fossil versus modern.

I have stared at it and your ventral right side view above... really close.

Is there a reason why it could not be any of the numerous fresh water terrapins that abound? Would all not have an extremely similar bone?    Jack

[Sacha]

Jack, let's see the horse ear bone. I've never heard of that before!

 

PS Remember all your fossil friends when you're out prospecting!! We're at home mowing the lawn or even worse!

[Shellseeker]

4 hours ago, Sacha said:

Jack, let's see the horse ear bone. I've never heard of that before!

 

PS Remember all your fossil friends when you're out prospecting!! We're at home mowing the lawn or even worse!

John,

I was in your situation exactly !!!! mowing the lawn and worse. I had to find some better pursuits, and roaming the rivers and creeks is definitely better. Most of my hunting buddies ask if I was out of my mind and I responded YES !!!!

 

Photos below -- only a few finds but it is in great shape... Usually very worn without this level of detail.  A lot of hunters toss them back...

 

[Harry Pristis]

22 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

Thanks Harry, @Harry Pristis

I felt that I would be depending on you for this one.  Outside of coming out of clay, I was not positive that it was a fossil versus modern.

I have stared at it and your ventral right side view above... really close.

Is there a reason why it could not be any of the numerous fresh water terrapins that abound? Would all not have an extremely similar bone?    Jack

 

Tho bone preservation looks right for a fossil out of the clay.  Could be a freshwater turtle, but I expect to find marine fossils in that phosphatic clay.  I don't have so many of these phalanges that I can be confident one way or another.