Mystery bone – from above, originally uploaded by dunrie.
I have a doctorate in biology. But I studied plants and insects. And neither plants nor insects have bones, so I’m officially excused from having to know what this is.
We first thought it was a cranium, but it didn’t seem to have the characteristics I’d need to key it out on online keys. Anyway, I’m completely stumped. The “eye sockets” seem much too small to be….pretty much anything. I’m hoping one of my bio-friends knows the answer. Bueller…? Bueller?
Note 9/6/2007: this appears to be an avian pelvic girdle – thanks AnnaBess! We’re guessing a cormorant, which would make sense given the number of cormorants out on Waquoit Bay and the Vineyard Sound.
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2 responses to “Whose bone is this, anyway?”
I’m fascinated by and curious about the row of holes along the top and wonder what their function could be.
I can’t get a sense of the teeth of the creature (which might serve to help identify it more easily) because the forward part of the bone is difficult to make out clearly.
For some reason, the shape makes me think of a weasel, but I don’t even know if they’re around these parts.
From AnnaBess:
I think it is actually an avian pelvic girdle – what you took for eye sockets would actually be where the femurs attach. However, with out really looking into it more I can’t say for certain, but definitely not a cranium of any mammal or other creature I have seen. Where did you find it – the cabin? I would say a bobwhite quail or something like that would be my guess.
AB