Turtle rock...

[curious kat]

...here's the rock that appears to be a turtle. It's not perfect & does have some damage. The under side has a depression that looks like it may have been used for something. It's shown from 3 views.

 

[outlawatheart]

no that's cool miss kat!thnx for posting.

 

[tomclark]

looks like a fossil vertebra centrum

 

[GatorBoy]

Yup

 

[rock]

looks like a fossil vertebra centrum

from what type of animal?

 

[GatorBoy]

My guess would be whale

 

[curious kat]

Thanks everyone....you're welcome outlaw! And tom, gator & rock you guys are funny....but it kinda does look sorta like that....

 

[outlawatheart]

it looks very flat to be a whale but does look like some kind of vertebra

 

[GatorBoy]

Not trying to be funny at all.
Pretty positive it's a vertebrae not a carved turtle

 

[GatorBoy]

There is the possibility that it's from an ancient giant shark.

 

[monsterrack]

I agree with the others it looks like a vertebrae from an old fish type of creature. I would show it in the fossil section, I bet those guys will know. Tell them what part of the country you found it in and someone will hit on it. Great find

 

[curious kat]

......OMG....guess maybe the joke's on me? ......wow...what can I say...sorry guys !!! Never would have thought of that in a million years, will look into it. How can you tell if it is one? Looks just like rock/stone! What about the hot needle test? Darn thing looks like a turtle....

 

[GatorBoy]

The collagen material that you would burn with a hot needle test has been completely replaced in a fossil.. by minerals in the ground.. Essentially it is a stone in the image of a vertebrae.

 

[smokeythecat]

Definitely a fossil vertebra. It does, however look like a turtle! Nice find.

 

[curious kat]

Thanks GatorBoy for enlightening me on that! Sorry again for thinking you guys were joking. I looked at some shark vertebrae and they have "rings" like a tree & I don't see any on this...would it still be from a shark? Like outlaw said, it's not thick like a whales is, so guess not whale?....Do you think this could be a vertebrae that was re-tooled by someone? On the ones I've googled, they have a much smaller hole in the center, this one is about the size of a man's thumb.

 

[GatorBoy]

I would post it in the fossil forum.
Or just generally search large vertebrae fossils in your area.
Vertebrae are different shapes depending on what section of the spine they were in... And in the case of shark they are actually hardened cartlidge and can be distorted by pressure overtime...until fossilized.

 

[curious kat]

Good info. GB...thank you. Will post it there now....

 

[GatorBoy]

You're very welcome what state are you in?
You might want to take a look at www.oceansofkansas.com

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm still thinking its a prehistoric shark and any evidence of rings has long been worn off of that piece I think most of the exterior surface is missing and that also widened the indention in the middle

 

[curious kat]

I'm in NM and I'll check out the site you posted. Wow, maybe shark?.....I like sharks...scary but interesting, again thanks for your help Oh, I posted it and mentioned you, hope that's alright?