PE Karpinski Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Hello everyone! I am an amateur fossil hunter, I live near Lake Erie and go there several times a week looking for fossils, quartz, anything of interest. A while ago I found a single vertebra right at the shore, and picked it up immediately. Upon closer examination I saw it was fossilized (or at least I think it is! Please correct me if you think otherwise, I'm still learning!) I love having things like this in my collection but I do understand that identifying much of anything from one vertebra would be very difficult, but I figured I would post here anyways just in case. If anyone knows what this could be from or wants more information, please post below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PE Karpinski Posted March 26, 2019 Author Share Posted March 26, 2019 Here is the ventral view as well, it would only let me put the five pictures in the post above. I don't know if this is overkill for posting pictures, but I figured giving you a view of each side would give you a good idea of the overall size and structure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vieira Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Looks like a fish vertebra. wait for more opinions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daves64 Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Welcome to TFF! +1 for fish vertebra. Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I am in for fish vert as well. I don't think it is fossilized, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DatFossilBoy Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 +1 for modern fish. As for the pictures, there are never enough so you took the good decision with the different views . Regards and welcome to TFF!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Modern fish bones are usually pretty light. If it really seems stone like you might try tapping it lightly against something. I would use my teeth, but a spoon will do. The pitch of the sound would higher if it is mineralized. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PE Karpinski Posted March 27, 2019 Author Share Posted March 27, 2019 Thank you so much for the warm welcomes, everyone! I was thinking it was a fish vertebra as well, I'm glad for the confirmation. As far as modern versus fossilized, I tried tapping it like @Rockwood suggested and it does seem rather high pitched, especially in comparison to some modern fish bones I have. So it may be fossilized. But thank you all so much for the replies, and I look forward to learning more from this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 It's a nice one. "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 There is another test that I find distasteful, but it may help. You can try burning an edge of it with a lighter. Stink is a positive indicator for modern bone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 On 3/27/2019 at 3:54 PM, Rockwood said: There is another test that I find distasteful, but it may help. You can try burning an edge of it with a lighter. Stink is a positive indicator for modern bone. Touch it in an inconspicuous spot with the pointed tip of a white-hot pin. No smoke or stink = rock. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 20 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said: Touch it in an inconspicuous spot with the pointed tip of a white-hot pin. A pin will not stay hot enough to do the burn test on bone. The burn test needs an open flame. 1 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...
Mark Kmiecik Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 4 minutes ago, ynot said: A pin will not stay hot enough to do the burn test on bone. The burn test needs an open flame. It will if you keep it constantly within the flame of a mapp gas torch as you use it. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 1 minute ago, Mark Kmiecik said: It will if you keep it constantly within the flame of a mapp gas torch as you use it. No, it does not. If You have to keep the pin in flame while making the test, why have the pin there? 1 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...
Mark Kmiecik Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 Just now, ynot said: No, it does not. If You have to keep the pin in flame while making the test, why have the pin there? Ok Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilus Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 One thing I believe this thread is missing is the fact that lake Erie is very young, after the last glacial maximum. Really no chance this vertebra is mineralized. The glaciers would have destroyed this vert if had any age at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 11 minutes ago, fossilus said: One thing I believe this thread is missing is the fact that lake Erie is very young, after the last glacial maximum. Really no chance this vertebra is mineralized. The glaciers would have destroyed this vert if had any age at all. Perhaps not if it were plucked and carried in a fortunate manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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