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Showing results for tags 'tortoise carapace'.
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predator/scavenger puncture marks ???? in an Oligocene tortoise carapace
MarcoSr posted a topic in General Fossil Discussion
I was looking closely yesterday at my tortoise (Stylemys nebrascensis from the Oligocene Brule Formation) that I found on my sons’ M&M Ranch in Nebraska that finally made it to my home in Virginia this Saturday. You can check out the two below links which describe finding it and the four year time-frame to get it home to Virginia: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/65393-oligocene-tortoise-from-the-mm-ranch-in-crawford-nebraska/& http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/98983-my-stylemys-nebrascensis-tortoise-from-the-oligocene-brule-formation-of-nebraska/ I could see a number of rounded holes on the carapace. I started to measure the distance between the centers of the holes and determined that there were four pairs of holes with 45mm spacing between centers of three sets of holes and 44mm spacing between centers of the fourth pair. I don’t think that this could be coincidence so I believe that the holes may be puncture marks from the canines of a predator/scavenger. Below are pictures of two sets of holes: Do TFF members think that these are puncture marks from a predator/scavenger? If so, what animal or animals could have made them? I looked at skulls found on my Virginia property from extant mammals like skunks, possums, raccoons, coyotes etc. Most were under 23mm canine spacing. The coyote skull had the largest canine spacing at 40mm. So if the marks on the carapace of my tortoise are from a predator/scavenger it was a decent sized animal. My sons have the skulls of a good number of the predators/scavengers from that Oligocene time period. I’ll have them check the canine spacing. They have 6 or 7 saber cat skulls and I’ll have them check the saber spacing also. Marco Sr.- 42 replies
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