Need help to ID heavy bone

[CADmonkey]

Utah - My 7 year old came home with this from a nearby field. It feels heavy like and hard like a rock. Some thoughts from medical professional family members is possible vertebrae or hoof from an animal. Any ideas for ID are appreciated. I'm not looking to sell, just trying to figure out what it is for my son. For now I'll let him think dino fossil until proven otherwise. Haha.

 

I scanned it using photogrammetry and uploaded the 3D model to Nira for sharing images.

 

https://myangelprints.nira.app/a/Mx7xVt3HQGmeJHJUiaeirA/1

[rocket]

Looks cut at the end.

I would assume it is a modern one (some years or some hundred years) and remain from a slaughterhouse.

[CDiggs]

looks to be the distal tibia of a sub-adult mammal as the growth plate doesn't look fully fused.

1 hour ago, rocket said:

looks cutted at the end

I would assume it is a modern one (some years or some hundret years) and remain from a slaughterhouse

I have to agree, it does also look like it's been cut with a saw, and based on bone condition is probably fairly recent.

[Brandy Cole]

This looks like the distal epiphysis of a camelid to me. Maybe camelops?

 

Compare to the example on the far right side of the picture below from the following site.

 

https://bioone.org/journals/american-museum-novitates/volume-2016/issue-3866/3866.1/Osteological-Assessment-of-Pleistocene-Camelops-hesternus-Camelidae--Camelinae/10.1206/3866.1.short

[Brandy Cole]

On 9/18/2023 at 6:49 AM, CDiggs said:

I have to agree, it does also look like it's been cut with a saw,

In the side view picture at the bottom, it appears to me to be breakage and wear due to age rather than a clean cut.  I see several rough edges.

 

It's a different type of preservation than I typically see here in South Texas because a lot of our preservation comes from clay and stains the specimens a dark color, but I don't think the whiteness of the piece necessarily means it's modern.

 

Here are the wear/breakage indications that I'm talking about.

[Brandy Cole]

Here is a heavily mineralized specimen from my collection that I had ID'd as camelops for comparison.

[CADmonkey]

This is awesome feedback! I appreciate your insights as hinting what the species. I might have thought it was more modern if it wasn't for the weight and density it has. This find might just continue my boy's interest in fossils and dinosaurs.

Edited September 19 by CADmonkey

[CADmonkey]

This was found on a the last residential lot in the subdivision that hasn't been built on because of right-of-way issues of a commercial lot next door. From what I understand this should be reported to the land owner for decision of the ownership of the fossil and also the Utah State Paleontologist for scientific records and confirmation. I'm a little torn how this might go down with my 7 year old if he has to give up his find to the land owner.

[CDiggs]

I'm sorry, but this facet as well has clearly been cut with a modern saw and is not a natural fracture.

All my experience says modern on this.

Edited September 19 by CDiggs

[jpc]

I htink this is not at all a fossil... the cut shows us this is modern but old.  

[val horn]

I think a burn test should help determine if it is fossilized or not.  If exposed to a hot flame like a stove gas burner does it char and smell bad like burnt hair than it is modern.

iam no expert but I expect it to be modern because of the “cut”surface and the way the trabeculation looks.  To me the trabecular bone exposed on the cut end was worn after it was broken again suggesting more recent bone.  

[Brandy Cole]

If it's modern, I'd think bovine would be the most likely suspect then.

[CDiggs]

At the risk of beating a dead horse (or rather, a dead cow) here are side by side comparisons of a digital model of a distal cow tibia (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/tibia-cow-5b0ae9b9c1e5482f9a17170252a9ae2b) compared to the digital model provided. Black lines indicate where a band saw has been used to dismember the animal, first at the knee to remove the lower elements, then just above the epiphysis (end of the bone) to remove the diaphysis (shaft of the bone) with the tasty muscle, leaving behind the bit with all the less tasty connective tissue here. The degree of fusion in the growth plate indicate its a sub-adult. Call it what you like, I call it veal. Just to be clear though, I really don't want to ruin any kids dreams or spoil their passion, I just really don't want them to get their hopes up only to have them dashed down the line.

[CADmonkey]

24 minutes ago, CDiggs said:

At the risk of beating a dead horse (or rather, a dead cow) here are side by side comparisons of a digital model of a distal cow tibia (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/tibia-cow-5b0ae9b9c1e5482f9a17170252a9ae2b) compared to the digital model provided. Black lines indicate where a band saw has been used to dismember the animal, first at the knee to remove the lower elements, then just above the epiphysis (end of the bone) to remove the diaphysis (shaft of the bone) with the tasty muscle, leaving behind the bit with all the less tasty connective tissue here. The degree of fusion in the growth plate indicate its a sub-adult. Call it what you like, I call it veal. Just to be clear though, I really don't want to ruin any kids dreams or spoil their passion, I just really don't want them to get their hopes up only to have them dashed down the line.

I don't think there are any dashed hopes here. I showed this post to my son and he liked your explanation. For my 7-year-old, finding something like this is pretty cool whether it's modern or prehistoric. I appreciate the time you took to compile a side by side with the 3D models showing cut marks. I live in a town of agriculture, so a distal cow tibia would not surprise me. This newer subdivision we live in use to be farmland. In the end my son doesn't have to give his "fossil" treasure up for science.

There have been Camelop fossils found here in Utah so that was an interesting thought as well. It at least got us learning about the history of Camels in North America. I had no idea about that part of history until this week.

[Brandy Cole]

@CADmonkey Thanks for sharing with the community.  I hope you and your son continue to keep your eyes on the ground and share anything interesting you find.  

 

It's always exciting to see members and young people get a new interest in fossils, and posts like your item help us all learn more through discussion.

[CADmonkey]

Here is another perspective from a local paleontologists about this find.

"Your son has a good eye.  I sent this picture to one of our paleontologists, Don DeBlieux.  Don is familiar with mammalian biology.  He looked at the photo and fossil forum discussion.  Here is what he said: "As noted on the fossil forum it looks to be cut and I agree. That means it is most likely a slaughtered sheep or goat (looks too small to be a cow)." Don also said that it was not a juvenile animal.   Thank you for contacting us and please do not hesitate to send us photos of your finds in the future.  We really enjoy seeing these."

A neighboring property raises sheep in their fields. Perhaps this was one of theirs before the property was subdivided for our housing development. The subdivision map dates back to November of 2007 so it's likely at least that old.

Here is the a sketchfab model of a "shinbone (tibia) sheep".
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/shinbone-tibia-sheep-d72cc4a987424496bc04afc9587ce666