December 4, 2008  
Trip Reports
  

  You are here:  Forums      
A quick note about the forums

In order to post on these forums, you must be a registered member of this site. Membership is free and open to all. Use the register link to apply.

Here are two links to posts dealing with how to post pictures on Black River Fossils forums.

1. How to Post Pictures on Black River Fossils Forums by ditchweezil

2. How to Post Pictures on Black River Fossils Forums by Daryl

  

Forums
SearchForum Home
  Fossils  Identification Help  Fish Bone Moder...
 Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
 
 5/2/2007 6:16:28 AM
User is offlinemosasaurfiend
11 posts


Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
Hi all..I have been wondering how one tells the difference between modern small fish bone and fossilized bone. I found this fish bone today and assume it is modern. If it was a fossil would it have mineralization some place showing? I have found fish verts and small sections of enchodus jaws but on bones like this, I can't tell.


 5/2/2007 6:29:12 AM
User is offlinemosasaurfiend
11 posts


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
Sorry but I didn't post the picture correctly, so I will add the link... thanks

Not sure the link will be here either, so just in case..it's the first 2 pics.

http://www.freewebs.com/mosasaurfiend/recentfossilfinds.htm


 5/2/2007 2:57:25 PM
User is offlineBigRedMeg
100 posts
5th


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil

It looks like a modern snake vertebra.

 5/2/2007 11:19:51 PM
User is offlinemosasaurfiend
11 posts


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
Thanks for the ID. I appreciate it...still going to keep it as I like how it looks.
 5/2/2007 11:44:43 PM
User is offlineBigRedMeg
100 posts
5th


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil

Snake vertebra are fairly rare, unless they're still in the snake.

 5/2/2007 11:55:29 PM
User is offlinemosasaurfiend
11 posts


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
BigRedMeg, I don't quite understand that. The bones look as sturdy as fish bones and their verts are commonly found. What is the reason, I am very curious to know? Now you mention that, can't think of snake verts (fossil) in any fossil collections online that I have seen.

Happy Hunting
 5/3/2007 2:06:02 AM
User is offlineBigRedMeg
100 posts
5th


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil

I have a few fossil snake verts. The majority that I have found are sea snake verts from the Eocene, but I have found a couple from Pleistocene land deposits. The land verts came from deposits that seem to have been swamps. If you think about it most snakes live on land in dry areas which diminishes their chances of becoming fossils. Snakes are tasty treats for a lot of land carnivores as well as birds of prey which also greatly diminishes their chance of becoming fossils. Snake vertebra are fairly fragile so they can be easily crushed, dissolved in acidic ground, or eaten by small rodents for their calcium content. Rodents looking for calcium is one of the reasons that you don't often see antler sheds laying around in the woods. The reason fish bones are relatively common is that they are deposited in water and are covered up by mud or sand which helps to preserve them, and even if 99% of all fish bones don't fossilize there will still be a lot of fish bones just due to the fact that there are a lot of fish constantly dying and leaving bones in the mud.

 5/3/2007 12:49:25 PM
User is offlinemosasaurfiend
11 posts


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
Yes, that all does make sense when I think about it. I should have thought of the calcium factor. I appreciate the information. I guess collectors are lucky to find what we do. Do you have a pic maybe on a back post of one of your fossilized snake verts that you could direct me to? I have tried searches but still can't find an image of one.
 5/3/2007 2:21:09 PM
User is offlineBigRedMeg
100 posts
5th


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil

I don't have any snake verts posted, but I found a site for you to look at. There is a super fossil snake at this link. http://www.sheppeyfossils.com/pages/julians_snake.htm 

 5/3/2007 2:42:39 PM
User is offlinemosasaurfiend
11 posts


Re: Fish Bone Modern VS Fossil
Wow, now that was amazing! Surprised just how many bones there were. Thanks for the link, visuals are the best to understand how those verts attached to each other also. It has started my day out right, so now I gotta hunt.
  Fossils  Identification Help  Fish Bone Moder...
Search  Forum Home        

Fossils
  

Artifacts
  

Formations
  

Home|Forums|Features|Contact Us|Go Fossil Hunting
Copyright 2008 by www.blackriverfossils.org Terms Of Use Privacy Statement