DAG.66 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Hello, newbie here. I was digging in my flowerbed and found this. It is 5" long and about 1.4" diameter but not quite round. I'm near Tampa, gulf coast. Is there enough to hazard a guess what it is? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace river rat Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 A rib bone (fragment)from a dugong. Very common in the peace river, down here. They are very dense and lack obvious bone marrow as they acted as a ballast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG.66 Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Great! Thank you. Manatee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronzviking Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Welcome to the forum from another Florida member. With it's cylindrical and curved shape and size, I agree with dugong rib bone. Did your dog dig it up, Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG.66 Posted April 23, 2019 Author Share Posted April 23, 2019 Lol. I should have had a dog to dig up the flowerbed; maybe it wouldn't have cut the phone wire like I did. So I found fossil but now need to get the wire replaced. Oh well, maybe next time I'll dig up a meteorite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I'm pretty sure that it comes from a marine environment, according to the encrusting features. " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 It does look like it may have some marine encrustations on it so it might have originally been found offshore from the Venice area in the spot the call the 'bone bed'. Dugong rib bones are pretty common fossils (probably THE most common marine mammal fossil found in Florida). This is due to the fact (already stated) that the bones are solid to the core with no cancellous (spongy bone marrow containing) tissue at their center. These heavy solid bones were indeed used as ballast for the dugongs in the same way as our modern day manatee have equally solid bones to counteract a thick blubbery layer. Being very common fossils, it is easy to accumulate large caches of these to give away as novelty fossils to those unfamiliar with the fossil riches of Florida. I have a big bag of them at the moment destined as little 'paleo paperweight' gifts for some friends. It is possible that the former owner of your property had some dugong ribs and put them out in the flower garden (I've known others to do this with larger common fossils) and you've rediscovered it. Generally, not too common to find the fossil layer directly under the topsoil here in Florida. Usually, you have to go down 10-15 feet to get to the fossils which is why we let waterways like the Peace River excavate the fossil formation below grade and accumulate the fossil material into gravel beds for us to hunt through. It is also possible that when they built your house they may have built up the grade of your foundation by pulling fill from a drainage pond nearby to keep the property high and dry. This could also be the source of (displaced) fossils at the surface. BTW: Welcome to the forum! You are right in the center of some great fossil hunting areas here in South Florida. If you are interested in fossils, you'll find lots of information here on the forum to get you up to speed on what can be found in your general area. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG.66 Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 (edited) Ken, Thank you for the great information! Very interesting. I bet you are right on about displaced fossils brought up with fill dirt. There is a pond behind the houses in the loop of our subdivision and our house sits considerably above the street. Likely built up from the hole and brought fossil along. Thanks again! Edited April 25, 2019 by DAG.66 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Yup. Sounds about right for Florida subdivisions. Lots more fossils to be found in Florida if you actively hunt for them. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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