Old bone

[johnzon]

Can anyone help me identify this bone and from what animal it came from.

I found the bone about 30 years ago when I was a kid.

It was found at the mouth of a sandy creek in the far north of Australia in the Northern Territory.

It doesn't appear to have any marrow and it quite chalky. I did anatomy years ago at Uni but this has be stumped.

[mith]

http://radiology.usc.edu/Presentations/ ... irdleb.jpg

part of the pelvis? Not sure what animal...

[JackBean]

On first sight I would agree, but...
so, the part on second picture is sacrum? On first picture illiac fossa (the part, which is on third picture pointing up)? Or are these parts the pubic bones?
(sorry, I don't know the english names)

But I don't have much experiences with other than human bones...

[johnzon]

I initially thought so too but there is no acetabulum.

After some discussion with colleagues we were thinking a cervial spine. Perhaps the vertebral column has broken off?

[JackBean]

So, what do you think, that are the big surfaces on sides?

[johnzon]

http://img.medscape.com/pi/emed/ckb/ort ... 5-1002.jpg

Part of the anterior and posterior tubercle. I have no idea! That is why I thought I would see what others come up. The large bit in the middle the spinous process?

The bone is obviously quite worn from tumbling in the ocean but if it is part of the spine it would also have been from something very large.

If I have no joy here I might take it to the local Museum. I am really curious to know it is and what it is from.

[JackBean]

To me,it does not seem, that you could join two such pieces together like vertebrates. Also, the part, which should probably be the spinous process seems to be expanded in the end, like if there were joint...

[johnzon]

I sent it to a friend that works in the museum. This is what he wrote.

It is a mammal's occipital condyle - surrounding the entrance hole to the brain case. the broad collar of bone surrounding it (which is a fragment of a larger plate plate) and the large size suggest it is a young / juvenile whale. which species i wouldn't know, but bigger than a dolphin (too big for a young horse / cow, for example). in young mammals, the bones have not sutured, so fall to bits when disarticulated, and this is just a fragment of the larger occipital condyle plate.

Thanks for your responses.

[britney12]

mammal's occipital condyle!?!?
who would have thought, but your friend is a some kind of specialist and I'm ready to agree
interesting case anyway