rapp beach bone

[Rowboater]

Tried a different beach on the Rapp.  Not many shell fragments, lots of gravel and small rusted metal pieces.  Found three tiger shark teeth, but no others (odd, don't usually find those). Looking for an ID on the 3" bone in the photos below.  When in doubt I guess turtle, but my nephew who was really into fossil hunting 30 years ago, guesses dolphin neck or tail?

[Rockwood]

I can easily see it being a partial atlas vertebra from a cetacean. 

[FossilsAnonymous]

1 hour ago, Rockwood said:

I can easily see it being a partial atlas vertebra from a cetacean. 

I agree.

[Rockwood]

Here is an example.   Atlas vert

[Rowboater]

52 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

Here is an example.   Atlas vert

Thanks Rockwood!  Great!  So a piece of the first cervical vertebra?  Would be great to find a whole one, of course, but neat to find something  that can be IDed! 

[Rockwood]

15 minutes ago, Rowboater said:

So a piece of the first cervical vertebra?

Better leave the question mark in. Pieces this small can be tricky.

[Rockwood]

@Boesse Have an opinion on this one ?

[Boesse]

More likely this is the transverse process of a posterior cervical vertebra or perhaps a thoracic - they will have those weird dimpled articular surfaces, but the atlas never does. HOWEVER, major kudos for zeroing on cetacean neck vertebrae.

[Rockwood]

On 12/9/2018 at 6:29 AM, Rowboater said:

but my nephew who was really into fossil hunting 30 years ago, guesses dolphin neck

I had help. 

[Rowboater]

11 hours ago, Boesse said:

More likely this is the transverse process of a posterior cervical vertebra or perhaps a thoracic - they will have those weird dimpled articular surfaces, but the atlas never does. HOWEVER, major kudos for zeroing on cetacean neck vertebrae.

Thanks all!  Great to have experts on this forum.