Another Wood vs Bone Query

[tekknoir]

Hi again Fossil Forum. 

Picked this one up while I was out collecting petrified wood, but it certainly looks more like bone to my amateur eye. What do you think? Found in Dona Ana county, New Mexico.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by tekknoir
reordered pictures

[tekknoir]

Darn, 70 views and not one opinion... Is the jury out or did I just post something really boring?  I was thinking maybe a skull fragment from some small mammal based on color and size (doesn't look dark enough to be dino from what I've seen.) The last three microscope pictures are from the smooth side shown in the first picture. It looks porous and boney to me, but I'm admittedly clueless when it comes to bones or maybe-bones. I'm not ruling out wood or funky rock just yet.

 

If FF has a guide on this sort of thing, or if someone has some bonafide-bone for me to compare to, that would be really helpful!

[FranzBernhard]

4 hours ago, tekknoir said:

Is the jury out or did I just post something really boring?

I had also a look - no idea! Hence not many suggestions .

@DPS Ammonite? Thanks!

Franz Bernhard

[JohnJ]

4 hours ago, tekknoir said:

Is the jury out or did I just post something really boring?

 

Additional images of focused details in natural light are always a good way to generate more scrutiny.

[tekknoir]

18 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

 

Additional images of focused details in natural light are always a good way to generate more scrutiny.

I don't think I can get anything better on the microscopic side (my equipment is limited...), but hopefully these additional pictures help!

[DPS Ammonite]

It looks more like wood than bone. What is the age of the rocks in the area?

[JohnJ]

I agree with @DPS Ammonite.

[Mark Kmiecik]

I'm leaning towards geological from what I can see, but not ruling out wood.

[tekknoir]

1 hour ago, DPS Ammonite said:

It looks more like wood than bone. What is the age of the rocks in the area?

It was found in the Camp Rice formation (learned that today lol) which is Pleistocene. I've also found marine fossils which I believe to be Pennsylvanian or Permian based on the fusulinids I've seen. Wood is extremely common and that was my first thought when I picked it up, but it looks and feels very different from the usual specimens I find, which is what brought me here.