Can someone identify this bone?

littley | 11:01 Mon 16th Feb 2009 | Animals & Nature

8 Answers

I found a bone in the garden which I originally thought might be part of a skull. On closer inspection, we thought it might be a larger animal's vertebra, due to the hole right through it. Here is a link to the album with the pictures of the bone:
http://picasaweb.google.com/littley1974/Garden Find?feat=directlink
My fiance's 8-year old son is holding the bone, so you can get an idea of the size.

Hope someone can identify, or refer us to another website that could help?

Thanks

Sue

Cat question! :O)

Cat attacks ankles!!! - ow!

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Milvus

looks like a neck vertebra (sheep?)

wildwood

Mmm... I don't think it is a vertebra, it looks more like the bottom part of a skull.

Milvus

I still think it's a neck bone, the two smooth pads either side of the central hole (for the spinal column) make me think it's the Atlas bone (this allows movement up and down) the next neck bone is the Axis which allows left and right rotation.
A good diagram and picture is here: http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/ bio201_McKinley/f7-30c_axis_and_atlas_p_g.jpg

sqad617

A guess,,,basi-occiput. Jagged edge would suggest that it is cinnected to the skull (occipital bone) and the smooth condyles would suugest articulation to the 1st cervical bone (Atlas....occipito-atlantic articulation)

Sorry best I can do.

Milvus

good point sqad

littley

Question Author

Thanks very much for your answers - my family will be fascinated to read them!

With best wishes,

Sue

Noweia

It looks like the base of a skull. Picture 1 shows the occipital condyles and foramen magnum, where the spinal cord exits the cranium.

Picture 3 shows the end of the top of the skull. the crest thing down the middle is the sagittal crest, and where the person's left middle finger is sitting is the nuchal crest.

Because of the large sagittal crest, the animal was probably a carnivore or sorts. With the size I'd say maybe fox?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasmic/406691525/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pomphorhynchus/32 1993627/in/set-72157594419477365/