Odontocete

[CH4ShotCaller]

Here's a partial odontocete skull found in the Lincoln Creek Formation of Washington state, early Oligocene. Found by James Goedert. I stepped over it while asking him about paleomagnetic measurements or brands of coffee, he turned to answer and spied it! Nice find. 

[Neanderthal Shaman]

Wow! All I can ever find in that formation are tusk shells and snails (which I love, don't get me wrong!)

 

Is this Grays Harbor County or Lewis County? I do all my collecting in Lewis. Not trying to encroach on any secret spots, would just like to know what the potential for the area is!

[CH4ShotCaller]

It's in Grays Harbor county on private property. If you're finding shells, you're searching marine sediments and that's a good sign. I suggest searching nearby streams and any exposures. I heard years ago of a site near Vader, I never found it.

[Shellseeker]

15 hours ago, CH4ShotCaller said:

Here's a partial odontocete skull found in the Lincoln Creek Formation of Washington state, early Oligocene. Found by James Goedert. I stepped over it while asking him about paleomagnetic measurements or brands of coffee, he turned to answer and spied it! Nice find.

I am feeling kind of foolish typing this.... I do not know a lot about whale/dolphin skull because it is pretty rare in my hunting areas,  but I have found plenty of whale ear bones, jaw, teeth...  If I picked this up and looked at it closely,  I would likely toss it back... as some sort of rock concretion...

 

Please mark it up and tell me what you see that tells you it is marine mammal skull. I am trying to make sure if I see it in Bone Valley,  I will recognize and keep it.   Thanks,  Jack

 

 

[FossilNerd]

5 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

I am feeling kind of foolish typing this.... I do not know a lot about whale/dolphin skull because it is pretty rare in my hunting areas,  but I have found plenty of whale ear bones, jaw, teeth...  If I picked this up and looked at it closely,  I would likely toss it back... as some sort of rock concretion...

 

Please mark it up and tell me what you see that tells you it is marine mammal skull. I am trying to make sure if I see it in Bone Valley,  I will recognize and keep it.   Thanks,  Jack

 

 

Don’t feel foolish Jack. I am in the same boat. I can’t make heads or tails of the piece. 
 

I have no reason to doubt the OP’s ID. Odontocetes are waaaaay out of my wheelhouse, and I won’t presume to know the first thing about them.

 

However, like you I am curious as to what features would make someone go “Wow! A partial odontocete skull!” I’m pretty sure if I picked it up, I would have chucked it back in the scree.

[CH4ShotCaller]

The location and age (early Oligocene), plus the exposed broken teeth with skull fragments. Red:teeth, yellow & green: skull, Blue: ear bone. 

 

My first glimpse, I knew it was bone, but Jim Goedert pointed out the teeth and earbone. I'm always learning. He's called me 'Grasshopper' a few times.

[Shellseeker]

8 minutes ago, CH4ShotCaller said:

The location and age (early Oligocene), plus the exposed broken teeth with skull fragments. Red:teeth, yellow & green: skull, Blue: ear bone. 

 

My first glimpse, I knew it was bone, but Jim Goedert pointed out the teeth and earbone. I'm always learning. He's called me 'Grasshopper' a few times.

Thanks,  I learned something new today.  My mind was attempting to make the entire piece fit somewhere on a whale skull.  I was looking at the texture outside of the colored circles,  seeking those textures I would recognize as whale bone.

As you might guess,  I do not see any early Oligocene fossils in South Florida....

Quote

They have ears, but they don't listen. They have eyes, but they refuse to see. If their minds were not closed, they might see with their eyes; they might hear with their ears; they might understand with their minds.

 

[CH4ShotCaller]

2 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

Thanks,  I learned something new today.  My mind was attempting to make the entire piece fit somewhere on a whale skull.  I was looking at the texture outside of the colored circles,  seeking those textures I would recognize as whale bone.

As you might guess,  I do not see any early Oligocene fossils in South Florida....

 

A majority of fossils from our location are surrounded/encased in calcium carbonate concretions. We find some that are fully exposed through mechanical means, but are also damaged. Here's a partial dolphin skull found in a gravel bar that tumbled for miles. 

[jpc]

I can see the bones, but if jim goedert says it is a skull, then it is a skull

Edited August 15, 2022 by jpc