Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'delphinid'.
-
Hi all, Back again with a new ID request. Found a mammal bone in the surf of Asbury Park, NJ (USA); this area overlies and regularly exposes fossils from the Kirkwood formation which is known to have been a near-shore marine environment laid down during the early Miocene. The surf also occasionally reveals Pleistocene mammal bones as well as those of modern animals (have found bone bits and crab parts at various stages of fossilization for reference which makes it difficult to decide what's Neogene and what's Quaternary). My initial hunch was that this was a worn marine mammal rib and posted it to a local Facebook group with that in mind. It's very dense with minimal porosity (it was at the tide-line closest to the wave action where dense bone collects and was basically getting pulled back in by the coming high tide) which said dolphin or manatee bone to me. The responses I got were varied though. Some believed it to be a tooth due to an dark, enamel-like layer at the top of the 'top' of the specimen (it's 10cm or nearly 4 inches tall so that's a pretty big tooth). My assumption at that point was it might be Squalodon or some other odontocete from the Miocene. Another person believe it be specifically a incisor from the giant beaver Castoroides (based on the vertical striations) which would place it roughly Pleistocene in age. The final opinion, and the one that is prompting me to message here, confirmed my initial hunch that this is a rib fragment from a Miocene delphinid. I know that marine mammal fossils are relatively common on this forum and there are several experts that lurk around here... anyone have a clue? I've attached images of the specimen in question. It's ~10cm/~4in 'tall' and ~1.5cm/~0.6in 'wide' for reference. Sorry about the sand in the bone, it's basically impossible to get that out at this point. Will also take more pictures if needed.
- 6 replies
-
- castoroides
- delphinid
- (and 5 more)
-
Charleston, South Carolina delphinid ear bone
Brett Breakin' Rocks posted a topic in Partners in Paleontology - Member Contributions to Science
I finally made it out in July to a location near Charleston I am always mentioning, but had never personally visited. After 3 dry years of no ear bone periotics they started showing up in triplicate this summer. Probably was able to discern their shape better after seeing so many examples. Not much else showed up for me that day save a few tiny teeth. But it led to my first, albeit small donation. Common or Scientific Name: Odontoceti indet. (delphinid periotic ear bone) Geologic Formation: Undetermined - ( Fossil dredge from this site typically contains Oligocene Ashley Formation, Lower Miocene Marks Head Formation, Lower Pliocene Goose Creek Limestone, and Pleistocene Wando Formation ) Geologic Age: Undetermined - Oligocene (?) But potentially Pliocene - Pleistocene Region the fossil was found: Charleston, South Carolina Museum or University that received the fossil: Mace Brown Museum of Natural History at the College of Charleston Reason for donation: Well preserved and perfect for the fossil survey. Found and donated (July 23, 2019) to Dr. Bobby Boessenecker Dr. Bobby Boessenecker - " Ashby (Gale) and I (but mostly Ashby, since he's out more often) have been putting together a collection of riverbank ear bones from West Ashley, Johns Island, and Mount Pleasant, and this is quite a well preserved one that would go nicely into the eventual paper. "- 3 replies
-
- 5
-
- charleston south carolina
- delphinid
- (and 3 more)
-
From the album: Sharks and their prey ....
Delphinid Dolphin Tooth Savannah River Savannah, Georgia© Matthew Brett Rutland
-
- delphinid
- dolphin tooth
- (and 3 more)
-
I am not sure what this goes to but was really curious being it was not as thin as I would expect from a fish. The second picture is the underside. Per request, I have added a few more images, I hope this helps. Thanks for everyone's input as always!