Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Greetings, In Manatee County, Florida I recently found this very large piece of whale skull with the ear bone STILL ATTACHED!! The entire piece is about 1 foot long and 1 foot wide (30.48 cm) and the ear is 3” long or 7.62 cm. I did not know that was what it was when I brought it home as it was completely packed with material. (I just knew it was a very large and very heavy bone). I found out it was actually an amazing discovery about 20 minutes into cleaning it when the perfectly preserved ear bone started showing through the material. I have found countless whale bulla fossils but it never occurred to me that it was actually possible to find an ear still attached to the bone. It sounds dramatic but I felt the closest I ever have to fainting when I first saw it lol. Do you think this is a scientifically important discovery? I don’t see any examples online. Looking for help in confirming the species please. I did find a whale tooth in the same spot I can post if that would help. @Boesse Thank you, Marie 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
val horn Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 I dont know. I would maybe contact Richard Hulbert at the University of Florida, or the Calvert Cliffs Marine Museum in Maryland. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 12 hours ago, val horn said: Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Very interesting!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Wow... that looks awesome! I cant tell if thats matrix supporting it and wonder if the actual attachments/supportive elements are still there in place. Look forward to what the 2 doctors say. Fantastic find! congrats! Regards, Chris 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 In the meantime : @Boesse Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Pareidolia : here Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoffy Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Years ago i found a whale skull that had both ear bones. FLMNH was interested in it so I donated it. If you need Richard Hulberts email to send him pics let me know. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Congratulations, Marie.It just does not get better then this... 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 8 hours ago, Plantguy said: Wow... that looks awesome! I cant tell if thats matrix supporting it and wonder if the actual attachments/supportive elements are still there in place. Look forward to what the 2 doctors say. Fantastic find! congrats! Regards, Chris Thanks, Chris! I just found an article that says whale bulla is not attached to the bone rather embedded in soft tissue and that soft tissue can indeed fossilize but it’s very rare. So I am also wondering if the lighter stuff is matrix or if it could actually be fossilized part of the whale.. It clearly has a different texture than the bone. It is extremely hard and there are some shell imprints in it. I am so curious too but I obviously won’t attempt to remove any of it in any way, in case it’s part of the actual specimen. I also realize now it’s probably what’s holding the ear in place…so many questions.. Yes, we will have to see what the Dr. Says! -Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 1 hour ago, hoffy said: Years ago i found a whale skull that had both ear bones. FLMNH was interested in it so I donated it. If you need Richard Hulberts email to send him pics let me know. Wow that’s crazy! Did you find it in Florida? Did they get a positive ID on it? I found Richards email…it’s listed online. Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 27 minutes ago, Shellseeker said: Congratulations, Marie.It just does not get better then this... Thanks a lot, Jack! I appreciate that. I agree, this thing is just too cool. I had a shovel in my car thankfully, it took me a while to dig it out of the rock hard shell/clay. Here’s a pic of how I found it and a pic in the trunk of my car (still not knowing at that moment what it was) I love a good surprise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahnmut Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 17 minutes ago, Reebs said: Thanks, Chris! I just found an article that says whale bulla is not attached to the bone rather embedded in soft tissue and that soft tissue can indeed fossilize but it’s very rare. So I am also wondering if the lighter stuff is matrix or if it could actually be fossilized part of the whale.. It clearly has a different texture than the bone. It is extremely hard and there are some shell imprints in it. I am so curious too but I obviously won’t attempt to remove any of it in any way, in case it’s part of the actual specimen. I also realize now it’s probably what’s holding the ear in place…so many questions.. Yes, we will have to see what the Dr. Says! -Marie Very cool find! Concerning the soft tissue preservation I would not expect to much though. Its true that the bullae are only connected to the skull by soft tissue, and they seemingly tend to fall out often before being embedded. Still it is also possible for a dead whale to get embedded relatively undisturbed with their bullae in place without the soft tissue fossilizing. Still, I would have loved to find this and am curious where it goes! Best Regards 1 Try to learn something about everything and everything about something Thomas Henry Huxley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 Here are additional photos of whale fossils found in the same spot. Including a long piece of whale jaw, 2 more ear fossils, and 2 teeth. I will ask dr. Hulbert if they are associated. I wonder if all the jaw and ear bones belong to one animal or if there were multiple buried here. With the exception of the whale fossils, this site is almost entirely all shell fossils. -Marie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahnmut Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Did you say 3 bullae? Try to learn something about everything and everything about something Thomas Henry Huxley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Hi Marie, I am glad you see insights from both Dr Hulbert and Dr Boessenecker. This is Bobby's specialty... I really hope he sees this... The jaw bone is Baleen whale, http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/89699-a-peace-river-bone/ 3rd photo from bottom in a Baleen whale earbone, different from toothed whales. The teeth are from Kogiopsis .sp, I have many of them ... You can search Kogiopsis on this forum. So, you have a mixture of some toothed whale and some baleen whales at this site. I envy you, Jack 3 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Some Comparisons, Your 2nd last photo is REALLY interesting... request more photos 2 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 22 minutes ago, Mahnmut said: Did you say 3 bullae? 3 bones total I believe to be ear related (not all specifically the bullae) …If they were all the same part I’d automatically know it’s more than one whale The first ear bone is the one I posted originally.. attached to the skull. The second and 3rd are photos #3 and #4 above. Jack identified #3 as baleen whale ear and I thought the piece below it #4 (with the holes going through it) was also an ear component. My question about more than one whale was answered (thanks to Jack) there is both toothed whale kogiopsis and baleen whale at this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 @Shellseeker Jack, thanks for the helpful examples and information on the pieces above. I am about to step out for the day and will post more pics soon. …do you think the original ear/jaw piece in question could possibly be kogiopsis? -Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 1 minute ago, Reebs said: @Shellseeker Jack, thanks for the helpful examples and information on the pieces above. I am about to step out for the day and will post more pics soon. …do you think the original ear/jaw piece in question could possibly be kogiopsis? -Marie Maybe, and that would be fantastic !!!! Bobby is the one likely to tell us... There are minimal associated fossils for Kosiopsis floridanus, yours could be close to the best !!!! The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 3 minutes ago, Shellseeker said: Maybe, and that would be fantastic !!!! Bobby is the one likely to tell us... There are minimal associated fossils for Kosiopsis floridanus, yours could be close to the best !!!! Gosh, how exciting. I’ve been hoping that’s what it was for that exact reason. Thanks again for your responses and sharing your knowledge. -Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Marie, I keep on looking and I keep on finding. This one was a gift about a year ago from my very good friend, @jcbshark about a year ago in a hunting area that you and I may have seen each other. Bobby identified it for me. I am wondering if your 2nd last photo is a broken off section of this earbone. (just trying to live up to my footnote ) 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbshark Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 Wow, stunning find Marie, Congrats Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reebs Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 3 hours ago, jcbshark said: Wow, stunning find Marie, Congrats Thanks Jeff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoffy Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 On 6/19/2022 at 10:33 AM, Reebs said: Wow that’s crazy! Did you find it in Florida? Did they get a positive ID on it? I found Richards email…it’s listed online. Thank you very much. I found it in the Peace river. It's only been id as Cetotheriidae, maybe with the Peace River project some interest will develop. I just found the pics today but construction took out my fiber line. I'll post pics maybe Friday I hope. If your earbone is attached that should be skull not jaw. Nice find. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoffy Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 For comparison as found and partially prepped 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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