Help IDing beach find

[hav2fish]

Help ID'ing beach find

Found this on a Texas beach during a fishing trip. I'm always looking down and driving everyone else crazy. Usually manage to outfish them anyway. Turtle? Armadillo? Looks to be part of something's shell to me. From the side it appears to have pores like bone. Underside seems to have enamel on it. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[Worthy55]

Re: Help ID'ing beach find

That is a neural elememt from a turtle shell. What kind of turtle not sure sorry. 8) 8) 8)

 

[Harry Pristis]

Re: Help ID'ing beach find

That is a neural elememt from a turtle shell. What kind of turtle not sure sorry. 8) 8) 8)

I agree with Worthy.

A "neural element" are bones that occur down the mid-line of the turtle carapace. (As I think about it, mid-line is the only place to find bilateral symmetry in a turtle carapace.)

 

[hav2fish]

Re: Help ID'ing beach find

Thanks for the help/replies. That makes sense. It is very symetrical. I'm guessing turtles are one of those creatures that have not changed very much over time. I may do a little research on prehistoric turtles. This one is is definetely fossilized.