My Wife’s Beach Finds. Please Help.

[JonUte]

Hi Everyone!

 

My wife asked me if her finds look like anything.  Being ignorant, I told her I’d post them and see what the Experts say.

 

Here’s #1:  

 

Here’s #2:  

Edited December 13, 2023 by JonUte
Adding more items

[digit]

The first piece is reminiscent of the lines found on a ray mouthplate but the reverse side does not match what I'd expect from a piece like this. It could be a piece of matrix that was in contact with a mouthplate which is where the linear pattern may have been picked up from. The last two pieces could be showing spongy (cancellous) bone texture inside or it could be simply eroded matrix. The last piece looks most convincing as a possible worn fragment of a larger bone with smoother cortical bone on the surface. None of these show any familiar morphology and so even if the last two pieces are mineralized bone fragments there is likely not enough to hazard any guess as to a species or skeletal element.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Fin Lover]

Are the pictures labeled correctly?  It doesn't seem like the first two pictures could be different sides of the same item. 

[JonUte]

20 minutes ago, Fin Lover said:

Are the pictures labeled correctly?  It doesn't seem like the first two pictures could be different sides of the same item. 

Yes, they’re two sides of the same element.  They’re about 2.5 cm long, which told me they’re too big for a mouth plate.  I almost leaned toward a scute of some sort, but then pleaded ignorance and asked the Experts.

[JonUte]

Additionally:  It appears that I’ve been wasting your time.  In my defense, I’m genuinely curious and very new to this hobby/discipline.  
 

I apologize.

Edited December 14, 2023 by JonUte

[Fin Lover]

I don't think you're wasting anyone's time...we all have to start somewhere and people don't have to answer if they don't want to.  😉 I agree with @digit that the second picture looks a little like a ray mouthplate fragment (2.5 cm wouldn't be too large for a mouthplate) but the first picture doesn't.  I'm still struggling to get those two pictures to be of the same piece, but I would have to guess phosphate module based on the first picture.  Last one looks like bone fragment, but I can't be more specific than that.  Unfortunately, many small pieces of bone can't be identified.

[JonUte]

Mouthplate it is!  We have an identity after all.  I didn’t know about the matrix until today.  Most excellent learning opportunity!

[digit]

1 hour ago, JonUte said:

Additionally:  It appears that I’ve been wasting your time.  In my defense, I’m genuinely curious and very new to this hobby/discipline.  
 

I apologize.

No need to apologize. Knowledge transfer is one of the fundamental purposes for this forum. No sense gaining obscure knowledge about fossil types and then keeping it all to yourself. Knowledge is best when shared.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[val horn]

the last photo suggests turtle to me because it is flat and because it has large trabeculae

[Brandy Cole]

@val horn I agree, but am I correct in understanding that it's the same item as the two pictures above it?  Because the lines threw me on those.  Maybe a worn piece of softshell?