Australia's Science Forum

Anyone help identify this bone?
We are all stabbing in the dark

Was found at the highwater line on a beach on the east Coast.

Its about 16 cms across
The first two pics are the whole thing, the third pic is a close up of what looks like fontenels, running the whole centre of the bone, and allows for the bone to have a bit of bend and 'give' in it, like an elastic spring.
The last pic is a close up of the pointy end bits

Thanks sleuths

i've sent the photos to a scientist friend of mine, see what he comes up with!!!
I am intrigued now!

When you guys find out please post it because I'm intrigued too.

The Australian Museum in Sydney should be able to help,
if you contact them by phone then email photos.

My friend said it looks like it could be from a sting ray - but his advice was to email the australian museum if it is vital!

So would you like me to do that??

That would be great Narelle..
however its not at all essential. Someone found it and brought it into us
But everyone here is dying of curiosity

Maybe an unidentified species!

Ok, sent to AM to see what they think. Could only upload 1 photo, have said i have 3 more if they provide me with an email address.
here's hoping!

excellent narelle.. thanks

Now we are all agog.

We should run a competition .

R-S

I just googled stingray bones and it turns out they only have cartilage...

I think you will find it is part of the lower bony plate of a turtle.

Debbie

You might have to take out the prize , who knows?

After googling turtle bone images I think you are right on the money too, Debbie. Kicking myself because that was my first thought but I didn't follow it up! Ah well... such is life! I'm still interested to hear back from the Australian Museum via Narelle

I for one really enjoyed that thread. Well done Debbie That was just great.

Fascinating!

The AM provides a great quick service, and their reply was...........(we need a drumroll smiley )

Dear Narelle,

Thank you for your enquiry. Your bones are the rather weathered sections of the lower part of a sea-turtle shell. The shell plates have worn right down to the bony layer that provides structure underneath. These bony sections are called the hypoplastron. Here is a link to one such piece:-
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=sea+turt ... 29,r:0,s:0

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

Kind regards,

Martyn Robinson

Naturalist

Thankyou Rainbow-sky, thankyou Narelle, and CONGRATULATIONS Debbie, clever you

Chemtalk continually enriches my working life - gotta love it!

Thank You Narelle

Could you please thank the wonderfully helpful people at the museum for us?

I have to say that networking is a brilliant tool. We can find out anything , contact anyone on the face of the earth (and beyond! ) using our networks.

(remember only 6 degrees removed from any person on Earth..actually, I have never had to go beyone 3 or 4 Deg!)

Once again, thank you to ALL who participated in this thread of amazing discovery

RS