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Where do I belong?


caldigger

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Got this on a hunt today. Mid. Miocene, Round Mountain Silt Member, Temblor Formation. California.

It is 5cm long, 3.5cm wide, 2cm thick.

I am presuming whale, but don't really know. It seems strange to me in that the channels that would carry nerves or blood vessels are going perpendicular to the way it would set in the spinal column.

One of the channel openings looks to be partially fused off which may have pinched nerves or blocked off blood supply.

Any thoughts as to where on the critter it belonged and if indeed it is whale or not?

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Could it be something like a caudal vertebra or a disk from a small odontoceti ? I remember a biology class years ago where we looked at some different verts and there was a caudal from a Bottlenose Dolphin that looked similar.

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That title is a loaded question.. :hearty-laugh:

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Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

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11 minutes ago, Natalie81 said:

I'm not sure but maybe a intervertebral disc? 

 

Natalie 

Mammals do have nerves passing through them. One of mine has been surgically altered to reestablish the condition. :) 

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From the title, I was expecting a very existential post...

-Christian

Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy!

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

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Cool find. It looks to be small enough that I wonder if it is in the size range of pinnipeds as well as small cetaceans? Totally out of my depth here (not new for me). I'm hoping that @Boesse might have something authoritative to add.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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I have a few like this from MD I think, I called it caudal.

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“...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

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@WhodamanHD is correct - this is a caudal vertebra. This one is from a small dolphin. These rectangular vertebrae are the terminal caudals from inside the caudal fluke where the vertebrae rapidly transition from being oval, tall, and narrow to being square-shaped and eventually low and rectangular like this as the fluke flattens out.

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2 hours ago, caldigger said:

Thanks Bobby and to everyone else that gave their input!

 

But just to be fair, @fossilsonwheels got the label as to caudal first. :)

In fact he did. Kudos on the ID @fossilsonwheels!

“...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

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4 hours ago, caldigger said:

Thanks Bobby and to everyone else that gave their input!

 

But just to be fair, @fossilsonwheels got the label as to caudal first. :)

Thank you. Call it a lucky guess lol

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