Calvert Cliff Croc bone?

[Miocene_Mason]

Looking for confirmation here, is this a croc skull bone or osteoderm? I was putting all my Brownies beach finds into one box and I saw it and immediately picked it up, I don’t know how I missed it! Croc material is pretty uncommon on the cliffs, so if even this one inch bit is croc I’d be super happy!

[The Jersey Devil]

Definitely resembles a piece of Croc skull, though the bottom looks a bit strange.

[PaleoRon]

Looks like a sturgeon scute.

[Miocene_Mason]

29 minutes ago, PaleoRon said:

Looks like a sturgeon scute.

Now that would be even cooler!

[jpc]

Looks crocky to me.  

[Miocene_Mason]

Okay then, I’ll bring in some more experts to clear it up, how about

@MarcoSr @Al Dente 

for starters, sorry to bother y’all. 

[ynot]

Maybe @Jesuslover340 will have an idea, She likes crocodiles.

[MarcoSr]

Below are pictures, starting at the left, of a piece of a Miocene croc jaw (2"X4"), Miocene croc scute (3 1/2"X5"), and a partial Miocene sturgeon scute (2"X1 1/2") for you to compare your specimen to.  All of the croc scutes and sturgeon scutes that I have are smooth on the back unless damaged.  Most of a croc's jaws and skull are pitted and wavy (like my croc jaw specimen) except portions of the snout and skull which have a pattern similar to a scute ( like my croc scute specimen) especially the top of the skull between and behind the eye sockets.  From what I can see in the pictures, your specimen looks like a small piece of the top of a croc skull to me.

 

 

 

 

Marco Sr.

[Miocene_Mason]

4 hours ago, MarcoSr said:

From what I can see in the pictures, your specimen looks like a small piece of the top of a croc skull to me.

Thanks! That confirms it being my first piece of a croc from the cliffs! 

[MarcoSr]

58 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said:

Thanks! That confirms it being my first piece of a croc from the cliffs! 

 

The best way to confirm it would be to take the specimen to a museum like the Calvert Marine Museum where they can see the specimen in person.  From the pictures, it is possible that the specimen could be a damaged sturgeon scute.  A sturgeon scute would be lighter than a piece of croc skull.  So you really need to feel the weight and look closely at the back side to be certain.

 

Marco Sr.

[Haravex]

Also plus 1 for crocodile scute possibly skull don't want to jump that far ahead as not confident enough with my crocodiles 

[Jesuslover340]

You have ny vote for it being a piece of croc skull Now go find the rest of it! 

[Miocene_Mason]

On 5/27/2018 at 3:41 PM, MarcoSr said:

 

The best way to confirm it would be to take the specimen to a museum like the Calvert Marine Museum where they can see the specimen in person.  From the pictures, it is possible that the specimen could be a damaged sturgeon scute.  A sturgeon scute would be lighter than a piece of croc skull.  So you really need to feel the weight and look closely at the back side to be certain.

 

Marco Sr.

I may do that, though I’m feel that croc is right.

 

On 5/27/2018 at 7:11 PM, Haravex said:

Also plus 1 for crocodile scute possibly skull don't want to jump that far ahead as not confident enough with my crocodiles 

Thanks!

 

47 minutes ago, Jesuslover340 said:

You have ny vote for it being a piece of croc skull Now go find the rest of it! 

Thanks!

I’ll certainly try! 

[JohnBrewer]

Croc for me too. Found a few today from a known croc location in the U.K.