Turtle Shell ID

[Kathi]

The only information I have about one of these is that it is a pond turtle shells and came with other Miocene aged fossils. Help please and thank you

[Opabinia Blues]

The first one looks like a partial crocodilian osteoderm to me, not turtle. See some examples in the reference image below.

 

 

 

Source:

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-vertebrate-fossils/species/alligator-olseni/

[Al Dente]

This one looks like a ray dermal denticle.

 

 

[digit]

1 hour ago, Opabinia Blues said:

The first one looks like a partial crocodilian osteoderm to me, not turtle.

Indeed. The honeycomb texturing does look a lot like an crocodilian osteoderm but the bottoms of those are usually very smooth and flat. Softshell turtles (Apalone sp.) have very textured outer surfaces. Your object is quite worn and it might possibly be from a softshell:

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=apalone+carapace+fossil&tbm=isch

 

Agreed, that the second one is definitely a ray dermal denticle. 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[jpc]

the bottom side of the first one is certainly not croc scute.  Croc scutes and soft shell turtle shell pieces can be tough to tell apart when they get worn like this one, but I am in the soft shell camp.  

[Kathi]

So appreciate the help, jpc, Ken, Al and Opa Blues! :O)