Ted37 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Spent a part of the day on the Potomac River. Found a vert of some sort. I believe possibly Alligator. Any info is appreciated. Also, is there a rule of thumb for the size of a vert approximates the length of the subject. I know I have heard a one inch shark tooth approximates a 10 foot shark. I had little luck with teeth except for the usual small stuff. I found a neat looking rock. I don't think its a fossil. Then a piece of iron or something. Here are some pics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted37 Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 more pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted37 Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 iron piece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted37 Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 The second rock pick above has a nickel at the top of the pic, to show its approximate size. Here is one more pic I had of the vert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 (edited) Perhaps it is positioning, but the vertebra lacks the typical “ball and socket” of reptilian vertebrae. The heart shape reminds me of a sirenian vert but you shouldn’t find those in Paleocene (which is what Purse is). If you were down river towards the bay, I would guess this is a miocene vert. Edited June 4, 2019 by WhodamanHD Grammatical error “...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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemipristis Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 42 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: Perhaps it is positioning, but the vertebra lacks the typical “ball and socket” of a reptilian vertebrae. The heart shape reminds me of a sirenian vert but you shouldn’t find those in Paleocene (which is what Purse is). If you were down river towards the bay, I would guess this is a miocene vert. Wait, you're a 'youth member'? Impressive 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' George Santayana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 7 hours ago, hemipristis said: Wait, you're a 'youth member'? Impressive Thank you, though I admit it may be due to taking time I should be doing actual homework to study things which I find vastly more interesting. I am 16. “...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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted37 Posted June 4, 2019 Author Share Posted June 4, 2019 Hello, Thank you for the response. However, when I look closely I do see the ball and socket, just worn down. It was up river towards Douglas Point. When I look up google images of alligator vertebrae fossils, I see what looks very similar to what I had found, including the heart shaped socket ( I see it worn down in the 2nd pic). Also, when I look up in Google alligators in the Paleocene there appears to be some. For example, one I found in the wiki, Wannaganosuchus. I am not saying that is what I have, but to me it looks like a worn alligator vert (but of course it could be something else) I does look very worn with parts broken off, however, I am new to fossils. Anyway, Ill have to do more research. Maybe, I will get some more responses to the post. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 1 hour ago, WhodamanHD said: Thank you, though I admit it may be due to taking time I should be doing actual homework to study things which I find vastly more interesting. I am 16. @WhodamanHD Wouldn't post secondary education allow a 16 year old to study things that are interesting?? Just a thought for a very knowledgeable young man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Ted37 said: Hello, Thank you for the response. However, when I look closely I do see the ball and socket, just worn down. It was up river towards Douglas Point. When I look up google images of alligator vertebrae fossils, I see what looks very similar to what I had found, including the heart shaped socket ( I see it worn down in the 2nd pic). Also, when I look up in Google alligators in the Paleocene there appears to be some. For example, one I found in the wiki, Wannaganosuchus. I am not saying that is what I have, but to me it looks like a worn alligator vert (but of course it could be something else) I does look very worn with parts broken off, however, I am new to fossils. Anyway, Ill have to do more research. Maybe, I will get some more responses to the post. Thanks again. I have had the fortune of finding an alligator vertebra at Purse. Though there are no described Paleocene alligators at Purse, they are certainly present. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told. Here’s a poster on crocodilians of the Aquia formation (typical of Purse and Douglas point). It doesn’t focus on verts though. Perhaps @MarcoSr can offer his insights here, he knows them better than I. “...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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 3 hours ago, minnbuckeye said: @WhodamanHD Wouldn't post secondary education allow a 16 year old to study things that are interesting?? Just a thought for a very knowledgeable young man. Not to hijack the thread, but I have done some online college course on things I find interesting (paleoanthropology, paleontology, bioarchaeology, etc). I’ve enjoyed them thus far! “...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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 1 hour ago, WhodamanHD said: I have had the fortune of finding an alligator vertebra at Purse. Though there are no described Paleocene alligators at Purse, they are certainly present. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told. Here’s a poster on crocodilians of the Aquia formation (typical of Purse and Douglas point). It doesn’t focus on verts though. Perhaps @MarcoSr can offer his insights here, he knows them better than I. The vert in this post looks mammal to me, possibly deer. @WhodamanHD How do you know that your vert is alligator? Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted37 Posted June 4, 2019 Author Share Posted June 4, 2019 @MarcoSr Thanks for the reply. I googled some deer verts and does have some similarities and certainly may be one. However, when I google the alligator verts, it looks more like an alligator vert then a deer vert to my simple untrained eyes. It does look like a fossil though (and not modern), do you agree? Are alligator verts absolutely impossible to be found at Purse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 1 hour ago, MarcoSr said: @WhodamanHD How do you know that your vert is alligator? I showed it to Dr. Weems at an MGS meeting, he gave it a look and said he thought it might be from one of the alligators based on the size and positioning. It will be going to the CMM when I find time to get there, and I’ll probably ask them what they think. “...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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 6 hours ago, Ted37 said: @MarcoSr Thanks for the reply. I googled some deer verts and does have some similarities and certainly may be one. However, when I google the alligator verts, it looks more like an alligator vert then a deer vert to my simple untrained eyes. It does look like a fossil though (and not modern), do you agree? Are alligator verts absolutely impossible to be found at Purse? The weight is a better gauge of a fossil vertebra for me versus how it looks. A fossil vertebra is heavier than a modern one. I can't get weight from pictures. I just don't see a ball and socket in the pictures. I've found a number of really worn croc vertebrae at Purse but the ball and socket were always still very evident. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 5 hours ago, WhodamanHD said: I showed it to Dr. Weems at an MGS meeting, he gave it a look and said he thought it might be from one of the alligators based on the size and positioning. It will be going to the CMM when I find time to get there, and I’ll probably ask them what they think. I would definitely go with what Rob told you. Marco Sr. 1 "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemipristis Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 14 hours ago, WhodamanHD said: Thank you, though I admit it may be due to taking time I should be doing actual homework to study things which I find vastly more interesting. I am 16. that sounds familiar... 1 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' George Santayana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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