SE Texas - wide vertebrae

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

I found this vertebrae fragment the other day. It's completely mineralized. I had to look at my other vertebrae and don't have one similar where the body is this flat and the articular facets are that far out.  Perhaps because of all that is missing... it is throwing me off but I don't have anything to compare it to and couldn't find one online.  I'm just curious as to what it belongs to. Its not in the greatest shape but it's interesting.  Any thoughts?

Edited July 2, 2023 by johnnyvaldez7.jv

[grandpa]

My friend, I continue to be amazed at what your stretch of the river produces!

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

@grandpa Thank you. I've only gone up river a very short distance for everything I've ever found. I think it's time to go the other way now. 

[grandpa]

7 minutes ago, johnnyvaldez7.jv said:

I've only gone up river a very short distance for everything I've ever found. I think it's time to go the other way now. 

Oh yeah, get your exploring mojo in bloom and go both up and down that river. You seem to be in a real hot spot and I can't wait to see what the margins of your current exploration zone expose.  Who knows? You may be in an exceptional zone of greatest production, or that zone may extend on either or both sides of your spot and perhaps (I can't imagine) be even more productive!  Get out and explore while you are young and you can.  The day may come when you cannot - the old man says..  But always, always balance your love of fossils with your love of family.  Family comes first - always.  But I'm sure I don't need to even say that.

[digit]

Cool looking vert. From what little I know about vertebrae, I'm thinking the widely spaced articular surfaces either side of the centrum might indicate a cervical (neck) vert. @Harry Pristis have you seen verts like this before?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

@digitHead on it looks wide like a sacrum. But it can't be that. This is an example of a sacrum to compare to my original specimen 

Edited July 2, 2023 by johnnyvaldez7.jv

[Mahnmut]

I agree with sacrum sacral vertebra, what makes you think it cannot be?

I just looked close enough to realize that your last pics are not the same item, just an example for a sacrum. Still I think the first item maybe from the sacral region, it differs widely how many and to what degree sacral vertebrae fuse.

Best Regards,

J

Edited July 2, 2023 by Mahnmut
second thought

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

@Mahnmut I dont know the terms but I guess it's because I see a sacrum continuing from the front all the way to the back in one solid piece. My bone seems small with a face and a back. I don't see the round face on the back side marked B in the whole piece. Hope these pics help my explanation. I'm probably not seeing it correctly. And you are more than likely 100% correct. I haven't seen the internals of a sacrum at that break point in this last picture. And actually that curve would be outward in the last picture. 

Edited July 2, 2023 by johnnyvaldez7.jv

[digit]

Good theory and shows you are open to possibilities.

 

As far as I know the fused vertebrae that form the central section of the sacrum no longer have actual articular surfaces--they are lost in the fusion. As such, I don't see your first bone being part of a sacrum as the articulating surface (B) looks to smooth and functional. Pretty cool sacrum as the follow-up object.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

@Mahnmut Thank you for your thoughts.  I'm sorry I should have mentioned that the additional photos were an example. I went back and edited it. 

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

@digit Thank you. That information is real interesting.  

[Mahnmut]

Hi,

I do not think this is a fragment of a sacrum, but thought it may be a from more or less the sacral region. The triangular shape made me wonder if it was something from between the sacrum and the tail, but looking at some references I see that in most animals, the caudal vertebrae start narrow directly behind the sacrum. The closest thing I found was a horse lumbar 6 vertebra, the one directly in front of the sacrum. I am really not sure about this ID, its the closest I get.

https://veteriankey.com/the-back/

Best Regards,

J

Edited July 2, 2023 by Mahnmut
spelling