ID Help Needed - Cretaceous Vertebra - Monmouth Co., NJ (Wenonah Fm.)

[Masonk]

Hi All,

I found this Vertebra in Monmouth Co. over the weekend. Original assumption was Mosasaur, however @frankh8147 suggested it could possibly be another marine reptile. I'll happy regardless of the outcome because it's my first large vertebra from NJ. 

 

I'm sure Frank will weigh in here or on FB, however thought I'd throw it out to the forum for opinions. If any additional photos are needed, please let me know.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I took photos with and without magnification.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10 by Masonk

[Fossildude19]

@Carl

[patelinho7]

Hard to tell for me seeing as it is beat up but I'm not seeing enough curvature on either end to convince me of mosasaur. 

[Carl]

There's not a lot to go on there but maybe just enough. The flat articulations strongly suggest a plesiosaur vertebra. And the internal texture certainly doesn't disagree with that.

Edited July 10 by Carl

[Masonk]

Thanks, all!

 

I did receive feedback on my Facebook post from Frank, as well as Dana Ehret from the NJ State Museum. They both also seemed fairly confident with plesiosaur.  

 

Beyond excited with this find. Thanks again!

[Masonk]

1 hour ago, Carl said:

There's not a lot to go on there but maybe just enough. The flat articulations strongly suggest a plesiosaur vertebra. And the internal texture certainly doesn't disagree with that.

 

Carl, would it be safe to narrow this down to Cimoliasaurus magnus based on location, or were there other species of plesiosaur that can be found in Monmouth?

[Carl]

15 hours ago, Masonk said:

 

Carl, would it be safe to narrow this down to Cimoliasaurus magnus based on location, or were there other species of plesiosaur that can be found in Monmouth?

Although Cimoliosaurus is the genus you'll see all the time for these beds, it's a nomen dubium. The name was assigned for several neck vertebrae, which are not diagnostic. In other words, Cimoliosaurus us a useless name because elasmosaur vertebrae don't really look different from species to species. This can only be identified as far as Elasmosauridae.

[Masonk]

6 hours ago, Carl said:

Although Cimoliosaurus is the genus you'll see all the time for these beds, it's a nomen dubium. The name was assigned for several neck vertebrae, which are not diagnostic. In other words, Cimoliosaurus us a useless name because elasmosaur vertebrae don't really look different from species to species. This can only be identified as far as Elasmosauridae.

Thanks, Carl! You've echoed Frank and Dana's comments on my FB post. Great minds. 

 

I really appreciate your feedback and help!