Opabinia Blues Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Hello, everyone! Welcome to my first post! After lurking for a while I’ve finally created an account because I have what I think is a fossil but I’m unsure of the ID. i bought this particular specimen from a rock shop in South Dakota, USA about five years ago. The guy who sold it to me said it was a section of mastodon bone, but obviously I don’t fully trust what comes from a guy at a rock shop. I am about 95% confident this is actually a chunk of fossilized bone, however, as it’s weighty, passes the lick test, and the internal spongy structure of bone is visible on either end. I apologize in advance as the tape measure shown is in inches. I could not find a metric ruler or tape measure anywhere in my house. At its widest points the specimen is about 13.3 cm by 8.5 cm by 3.5 cm. I know most of this info is vague and I don’t have an exact location for the original collection. Any help with even a broad ID for type of bone (if it is one) or what animal it could belong to is appreciated. It may also be worth noting (as it is not totally clear from the pictures) the longest edge of the fossil is relatively flat and smooth, I mention this because I feel it may be an important diagnostic characteristic. Thanks! “The worse the country, the more tortured it is by water and wind, the more broken and carved, the more it attracts fossil hunters, who depend on the planet to open itself to us. We can only scratch away at what natural forced have brought to the surface.” - Jack Horner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 I dont think there is enough diagnostic feature on this piece to throw out an exact creature it came from, but the preservation looks like it might be from the White River Badlands that has been exposed to the surface elements a while. Does it feel heavy for its size? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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