A toe bone with matrix

[Shellseeker]

I had a good day and then in the last 30 minutes found a bone that I did not recognize. That makes it a great day. I do recognize this as a toe bone.  and it is very likely to be a medial phalanx of an artiodactyl.  BUT...

 

At slightly less than 36 mm long, it is very unusual. The 1st photo was staring at me out of the sieve,  and I was pretty positive that I had not seen the like previously.

 

 

In searching for a Medial Phalanx,  I found this one in @Foshunter Gallary

Very similar but too big... I am looking for 1.5 inch ,not 2.5 inch in length.  But I have found Hemiauchenia gracilis fossils at this sight  !!!! Went to the UF collections database, and found the direct equivalent of my 1st photo !!! and closer to the same size, but definitely not similar...

 

 

That 1st photo is very unusual, I can only hope a TFF member has seen it before.

 

[Harry Pristis]

Looks reptilian to me, Jack.  Maybe a large turtle.

[Shellseeker]

8 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

Looks reptilian to me, Jack.  Maybe a large turtle.

Thanks, Harry.

I needed a direction to search and the feeling that an ID was not obvious to an experienced Florida collector.  Possibly @digit has seen similar at Montbrook.  Adding a couple of clearer images.

[digit]

32 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

Possibly @digit has seen similar at Montbrook.

Doesn't really match my concept of snapping turtle, giant tortoise or gator. Richard will be busy this week with a group of students but you might send some images over to him for comment.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[digit]

Showed photos to Jason Bourque at the fossil prep lab on campus. He quickly recognized it as gator from the wide flared proximal end.

 

And a good size one too he said.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Shellseeker]

5 hours ago, digit said:

Showed photos to Jason Bourque at the fossil prep lab on campus. He quickly recognized it as gator from the wide flared proximal end.

And a good size one too he said.

Cheers.-Ken

Thanks for the follow_up, Ken...  Maybe the fossil is a "pinky" ,  small bone for a larger animal.  I had sent the photos to Richard Hulbert....his response.

Quote

Looks like a proximal phalanx of an alligator to me. It is proportionally shorter than the proximal phalanges found on most of the digits of an alligator, but at least one (digit 1) has shorter phalanges than the others.    Richard

i am thankful to have an ID.  But I am always curious... Why is it so difficult to get a matching photo for such a common animal?

 

So, from a lot of people who should know, and searching the internet, I could not find a similar one.

1) ALL of the Alligator proximal phalanx on the UF Collections Database have no photos.

2) My searches on the internet came up with numerous photos of Alligator phalanx , none of which seemed to have a similar proximal end. Possibly the 1st digit proximal end differs from the other digit proximal ends...

3) I could not recall seeing a similar Alligator phalanx proximal end in my 15 years of finding alligator fossils...

 

I found this...

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Human-and-alligator-phalanges-From-left-to-right-a-human-first-proximal-manual-phalanx_fig1_262225999

Human and alligator phalanges. From left to right: a human first proximal manual phalanx; an alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) proximal pedal phalanx from ray 2; and a human intermediate manual phalanx. From top to bottom: (A) dorsal view; (B) ventral (palmar/plantar) view; (C) proximal view; (D) distal view; (E) lateral view. Scale bars each represent 1 cm. Specimens are from the Baylor University, Department of Anthropology skeletal teaching collection. 

 

So, it is the middle proximal end on plate C, that as digit 2 might be most similar.   Thanks for all who contributed..Jack

[Shellseeker]

Just adding this photo, so that an Internet Search Can find an "Alligator Proximal Phalanx" when it resembles this one.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Shellseeker