SoreBack Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Hello Folks, This came from the NJ Cretaceous this weekend and I was wondering if this could be a vertebra or is it wishful thinking and a concretion. Thanks in Advance, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 That's a vert alright. Maybe Whale? Hopefully others can help with a true ID. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Based on your other material, It's a shark or ray centrum. They can be tough to differentiate. Nice. It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Vert for sure. Nice job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoreBack Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Thanks guys! It was one of those objects that demands a second look. I'm just glad I didn't toss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Aren't shark verts a perfect circle? This seems a bit oval to me. It could just be the angle of the pics though. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoreBack Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 It's definitely ovoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 lets see the other edges please, tiny plesiosaur vert? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 It's pretty worn. It still could be a shark vert. And I've even seen bony fish verts with this general shape. Still, I'd lean a bit toward non-shark chondrichthyan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 One side looks a bit rounder than the other so maybe it's just gotten crushed and was deformed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Could it be from an amiid (bowfin)? "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I have gotten shark verts from the Moroccan Cretaceous that have deformed into more of an oval shape, probably due to the pressure of the material over it in deposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I guess I should of said Chondrichthyes vertebral centrum. This is a funkitized version of what you may have. I have learned that the distinction between ray and shark is difficult to determine so I'm going with Squali for mine. LOL It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 The other views. In hand of a paleontologist I've been told it is likely a shark vertebral centrum It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) The more I look at it, the more it looks like amiid. I will stick with not shark. Edited September 23, 2014 by PFOOLEY "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 The condition of the vertebra does make an id difficult but I agree with Mike that it looks more fish like to me, like amiid, and not shark or ray. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Aren't shark verts a perfect circle? This seems a bit oval to me. It could just be the angle of the pics though. Charlie Shark verts can also be oval and they can be circular or oval with flat spots. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
non-remanié Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Vertebrae like this are regularly found in NJ late cretaceous marine deposits. Any non-marine material is exceedingly rare and these vertebrae are not. Ischyrhiza, Ischyodus, and a few batoids are common in the same layers. ---Wie Wasser schleift den Stein, wir steigen und fallen--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Ok I give, could someone point out to me the reasons for fish and not Chondrichtheys? It would help a lot Thanks Jeff It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Ok I give, could someone point out to me the reasons for fish and not Chondrichtheys? It would help a lot Thanks Jeff Not sure I understand the question, Jeff. Can you rephrase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Thanks carl, I am wondering how to discern between the two classes being discussed as an ID for Soreback's vertebrae post. Amiid's (bowfin) are of the Class: Actinopterygil (ray finned fishes) sharks and rays are of the Class: Chondrichthyes What characteristics in the fossil would lead one to decide either way? It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Some nice pictures of Amia vertebrae HERE , as well as some other cool things. "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Thanks carl, I am wondering how to discern between the two classes being discussed as an ID for Soreback's vertebrae post. Amiid's (bowfin) are of the Class: Actinopterygil (ray finned fishes) sharks and rays are of the Class: Chondrichthyes What characteristics in the fossil would lead one to decide either way? I can't claim to know them extremely well but I know they can be quite similar. I'm just always wary of snap IDs that call these things shark verts when there are a few other options. Of course, sharks are always the best choice because they are so common, but that doesn't prove they are shark verts. Just being cautious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoreBack Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 Thank you for the link P! Just a glance at it and I now know that a scute we have is crocodilian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I'm trying figure out the difference between the two classes as related to vertebrae. My proclamation of squali was more in jest than anything else. I see the similarities and am wondering what the differences are Thanks for any replies. Jeff It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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