Fossil Identification Page- So What Did I Find?

TOOTH: MEGALODON SHARK

The most famous prehistoric shark, Carcharocles megalodon, nicknamed megalodon or megatooth, ruled the seas from about 17 million years ago up to almost three million years ago. The colossal predator reached lengths up to 60 feet, stretching as long as a school bus. The only marine animal ever to outweigh the massive megalodon is the blue whale, which weighs up to 200 tons, or just more than double the size of a megalodon. Paleontologists estimate the humongous shark needed to devour 2,500 pounds of food a day. 

Like the rest of its body, megalodon’s mouth was huge, too. Its jaws could open wide enough to swallow two adults standing side by side. The giant shark used its sharp, banana-size teeth to chow down on whales, dolphins, seals, and probably other sharks.

Because sharks are constantly shedding their teeth—they lose thousands of choppers over a lifetime—and because megalodons were found in warm waters across Earth, their teeth have been discovered all over the world. Scientists have found hundreds of megalodon teeth in oceans and beaches in multiple countries. Studying them has helped researchers learn more about these extinct animals, like the fact that megalodons likely spent most of their time in shallow waters close to shore.

Being the biggest, toothiest fish in the sea didn’t always protect megalodons from predators, though. Newborn megalodons, which were only about six feet long, were likely sometimes eaten by other adult sharks.

Megalodons were adapted to warmer waters and needed lots of enormous marine mammals to feed on. Paleontologists think that when the climate changed a couple of million years ago and other large marine mammals moved into colder waters, the megalodons were left behind without enough food to survive.

Meg teeth in SWFL can span from an inch to over 6 inches, with many in fragmentary form. They are identified mostly by size and the fact that they are serrated and have that trademark dental band, or bourlette. The most prized of all shark teeth, people come from all over the world for a chance to score a little piece of this monster with us!

TOOTH: EXTINCT LESSER WHITE/HASTALIS/MAKO

This shark, whose teeth can be found in deposits worldwide, lived from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. It has been historically classified as a broad-toothed mako shark (Isurus hastalis). It was then reclassified as Cosmopolitodus hastalis making it a type of extinct Mackerel shark.More recent research has reclassified it as part of the white shark lineage which would make the species Carcharodon hastalis. What classification is correct is still under debate leading to lots of different labels for these teeth, although many collectors still refer to them as mako shark teeth or hastalis teeth.

Teeth of this shark have been found up to 3 1/2" in length but teeth over 2 1/2" are uncommon and very rare over 3". They can easily be identified as they lack any serrations; the upper teeth are more broad and triangular and the lowers are more dagger like and skinny, usually with weak roots.

TOOTH: EXTINCT SAND TIGER SHARK SP.

Growing up to 10 feet in length, Sand Tigers are found in temperate waters worldwide along the coast, including the Eastern United States. They look ferocious in the water as they usually swim with their mouths partially open, showing rows of long and pointy teeth. These small teeth are ideal for grasping onto bony fish, which is their food source.

Sand Tigers are NOT related to Tiger Sharks. The extinct species varied, and thus individual Sand Tiger teeth are highly variable. As a result, the research is a little muddy on fossil sand tigers. 

Sand Tiger teeth are small, usually less than an inch in size, and have a distinctive shape. They have a long crown, small recurved cusplets (sometimes worn off), and long pointy root lobes with a deep nutrient groove. Some will cross the one inch mark, with the largest crossing the 1.75in mark. 

From isolated teeth, it's very difficult, if not impossible to distinguish one Sand Tiger species from the next, although the smaller versions are usually attributed to the extinct Short Toothed Sand Tiger. These are most frequently found on beaches although they do also turn up inland on creeks/rivers and some land sites. 

Associated: MEGASHARK VERTS

TOOTH: EXTINCT TIGER SHARK

Tiger sharks make their appearance in the Eocene. There appears to be two Eocene species, the more common G. latidens, and the less common G. eaglesomei. Both of these teeth look like smaller versions of the modern Tiger shark with simple serrations, while G. eaglesomei tends to have a taller crown.

In the Oligocene and Miocene, G. aduncus appears. These teeth, again, look like smaller and less robust versions of the modern Tiger shark. They also have simple serrations.

Another Tiger shark, G. mayumbensis, is possibly a late Miocene species. This shark had teeth similar in size and the complex serrations (serrations on serrations) of the modern Tiger shark, G. cuvier. It differs by having a noticably taller crown. G. mayumbensis appears to be short lived and restricted to Florida in North America. More research is needed on this odd species.

In the early Pliocene, G. cuvier, the modern tiger shark appears. This shark has large teeth with complex serrations.

Many tiger shark teeth are found in our screens. They are plentiful and very aethetically appealing. The variable species are often mixed. 

Associated: MEGASHARK VERTS

TOOTH: FALSE TIGER SHARK, CONTORTUS SP.

Physogaleus contortus is an extinct Tiger-like shark that appeared in the Oligocene and became extinct in the late Miocene, the time of the megalodon. This shark has a similar style to the tiger shark, although remains a very different tooth form. Their crowns are slender and twisted; ideal for a grasping dentition with a larger, extended tip. These sharks are very common in the Miocene, and are abundant in certain areas we hunt, and almost absent in others.  They are not very large in size, almost always under an inch.

The tooth on the bottom right is a fossilized "modern" tiger for comparison.

TOOTH: EXTINCT SNAGGLETOOTH OR HEMIPRISTIS SHARK

Hemipristis serra is an extinct species of weasel shark which existed during the Miocene epoch. While today's snaggletooth shark is not very large or dangerous, Hemipristis serra, which lived in the Atlantic Ocean during the Oligocene and Miocene, was considerably larger than its modern-day relative and had much larger teeth. Its total length is estimated to be with 6 metres (20 ft) long.

Marks made by the teeth of H. serra are often found on the bones of contemporary manatee and dugong lead some scientists to hypothesize that H. serra specialized in preying on these sirenians. 

The unusual teeth of Hemipristis serra are highly prized by collectors because they are often found in sediments in Southern Florida that yield extremely colorful fossil shark teeth. Their outstandingly large serrations make it a favorite and unique collectible fossil. Little else is known about the general appearance of H. serra, as there are no known fossils preserving its cartilaginous skeleton at present.

They are easily distinguished by their aggressive appearance and large serrations; the upper teeth are more triangular and the lowers almost appear to be a different species, resembling a sand shark, but distinguished apart by a large bump on the root. They range in size,  the largest known being over 2 inches in size.

Associated: MEGASHARK VERT

TOOTH: BULL SHARK SP.

Bull sharks have been around for a long time!  Reaching lengths of nearly 12 feet, Bull sharks are found in tropical and temperate coastal waters worldwide. They are known to eat fish, smaller sharks, small mammals, and sea turtles. Bull sharks can live in fresh water and can be found in coastal rivers and lakes where they give birth. One was found to have swum 700 miles up the Mississippi river! Due to their large size, nearshore habits, and the ability to venture into fresh water, they are responsible for the majority of shark attacks.

Bull shark fossils are common in Miocene and Pleistocene deposits of Florida. In Florida they are among the most common and largest Carcharhinus teeth found.

Upper teeth are broad and triangular with coarse serrations that get finer toward the tip of the crown. The distal heal is separated from the crown by a very weak notch and there is an obvious neck with a high root (Kent, 2018). The mesial cutting edge is relatively straight and does not have a notch between the heal and the crown. The roots have a short nutrient groove with nutrient pores toward the bottom of the root. 

ASSOCIATED: MEGASHARK VERTS 

TOOTH: DUSKY SHARK SP. 

The dusky shark, also known as the Bronze Whaler, is another large shark that can reach lengths around 11 feet.

This shark is not a Miocene species and is only found in the Pliocene to recent. Fossils are common in Florida and North Carolina.

The upper teeth are very triangular with "vertical or almost vertical distal cutting edges" and the tip of the teeth ‘deflect distally’ (Purdy et al., 2001). The roots are fairly wide and robust looking. Another key identification characteristic is many of the teeth have a very convex shaped cutting edge on the mesial side.

ASSOCIATED: MEGASHARK VERTS

TOOTH: LEMON SHARK SP. 

Probably one of the most common teeth we see, the Lemon Shark, Negaprion brevirostris, first appeared in the fossil record approximately 50 million years ago, beginning in the Eocene Epoch. 

This species is still alive today, hence the massive amounts found in fossil deposits. 

Lemons are distinctly in a letter t shape, but can be easily confused with bull shark lowers. Lemons have smooth to very weak serrated enameloid shoulders, where bulls have serrated enameloid shoulders.

TOOTH: BENEDINI SP., EXTINCT GIANT THRESHER SHARK

One of the most prized teeth to find, and almost 100 times as rare as finding a megalodon tooth, the Benedini were a species of mackerel (namely thresher) sharks that lived during Paleogene and Neogene.  Also known as "false makos" because they resemble a mako's tooth, they were primarily an offshore, pelagic  shark and hence, the teeth are very difficult to find although they have been found in USA, Japan, Australia and other remote places in the world. 

These sharks grew as large as 25 feet. Finding a Benedini is a once in a lifetime find for many, and they are large teeth,  sometimes as large as 3" or more. Often associated with megalodon deposits, your chances to find them here in FL as are good as any in the world. 

Associated: MEGATOOTH SHARK VERT

TOOTH: ALOPIAS LATIDENS, AKA THRESHER SHARK SP.

A quite scarce Florida shark tooth. Thresher sharks can get up to 11 feet in length, however almost half of its length is in its long tail. Modern Thresher sharks (A. vulpinus) are pelagic (open ocean sharks), and nocturnal. They usually eat small fish and squid. These fossil Thresher sharks probably had a similar behavior to their modern counterparts.
The teeth can be identified in smaller size, no serrations, with a curved root, similar to a Benedeni sp. tooth. They are also similar in shape and size to hammerhead and worn Gray shark teeth.  More common in the northern regions of the Peace, we hardly ever see these...probably also due to the pelagic nature of the fish (most deposits are from shallow seas). 

TOOTH: COW SHARK SP.

Cow sharks first appear in the fossil record in the late Cretaceous as the Hexanchus genus, while the Notorynchus genus first appears in the late Paleocene. They have not changed much in the 60 or so million years. Today, there are four extant sp. of cow sharks.

Due to their self-evident shape, fossil Cow shark teeth are nearly impossible to confuse with other shark genera. Lower laterals have a unique rectangular shape lined with cusplets, which become smaller toward the distal end. In front of the first cusp, or primary cusp, on the mesial edge, are serrations. The roots are generally thin and rectangular shaped. Uppers are generally more square-shaped than the lowers, have less cusps, and often lack serrations on the mesial edges. Upper parasymphyseal teeth (front teeth) consist of a single angled cusp and a narrow root. Cow sharks also have a unique lower symphyseal tooth (center tooth). These teeth are fan shaped. 

One of the rarest Peace River teeth to find, we had a record season with 6 coming out last year! The year prior, a customer found a symphyseal...the ultimate rare shark tooth trophy!

TOOTH: GREAT WHITE SHARK SP.

Anyone who has seen the movie “Jaws” may be obsessed with the screen version of the Great White shark. Great White sharks are a modern species which is believed to have developed from the Mako shark. In fact, they came from the Hastalis, often referred to as a mako shark tooth as well. 

Great White sharks are common predators in all the world’s major oceans. They primarily thrive along coastal waters. Great white sharks can be as large as 20 feet in length and weigh as much as 4,000 pounds. People surmised that they actually pushed the megalodon out of existence due to the need for less food intake.

Great white shark teeth are extremely valuable and in many cases rare, especially in the Peace River formation. We have been lucky to find a fair amount with our tours!

They can be identified by their course serrations, lacking of a dental band (bourlette), and size, reaching over 3 inches at max size. 

TOOTH: HAMMERHEAD SHARK SP.

There are two extant genera (Eusphyra and Sphyrna) with eight species of Sphyrnidae, Hammerhead sharks.  Most of the species have teeth without serrations.  The great hammerhead has serrated teeth and has the most robust teeth of the family with other hammerhead species having thinner teeth.  Several species can have both individuals with serrated teeth and other individuals with teeth that are not serrated.  

Fossil hammerhead shark teeth are found in any marine Miocene and Pliocene deposits. These include deposits along the entire east coast of the United States. However, they are less common than many other shark species. Also, due to their relatively small size (their teeth usually range from 1/4" to around 3/4"),  they are often overlooked. 

Hammerhead shark teeth have smooth cutting edges, and have a distinct notch on the distal side separating the crown and enameloid shoulder. This is often referred to as a "hammerhead notch" (Cocke, p.76). Their distal enameloid shoulder is another distinguishing characteristic. This shoulder is convex and often not serrated. Larger Sphyrna teeth can have week serrations on this shoulder. Hammerhead teeth also have a deep nutrient groove. 

TOOTH: NURSE SHARK SP.

Still an extant species,  the nurse shark is often called the couch potato of the sea, spending most of its day still on the ocean floor. It has been around for millions of years though- so it seems to be working!

A tiny little specimen of a tooth,  these are not only rare to find but often escape through screens, adding to the low odds of finding. Often smaller then a pinky nail, these teeth are triangular in nature,  with the central blade extending slightly higher than the serrations on each side. 

TOOTH: MEGACHASMA SP. AKA MEGAMOUTH SHARK

Megachasma teeth are an extremely collectable and rare tooth due to the pelagic nature, and size, less than a quarter inch! The Megamouth shark is a huge filter feeder and possesses a tooth with a very unique shape. Megachasma teeth are identified with a heavy root topped with a large spiked crown. Although this shark was a filter feeder, you would not want to confront these teeth! These teeth are of late Miocene-Pliocene age (4-6 million years ago). We have only seen ONE found...maybe you will be next!

TOOTH: COOKIE CUTTER SHARK SP.

A nearly microscopic shark tooth (~5mm in vertical height), these teeth are from the genus Isistius or more commonly known as the cookie cutter shark. These sharks are so named because of the distinct bite mark they leave behind on their prey. Cookie cutter sharks will latch onto their prey, which are often large bodied marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. The shark will then rotate its body rapidly, removing a circular (i.e., cookie-shaped) chunk of flesh from the prey that eventually heals.

Very rare and hardly EVER seen...keep your eyes peeled!

Pathological shark teeth are developmental abnormalities commonly found in the shark tooth fossil record that may be caused by a variety of reasons: genetic mutation, damaged or immature teeth. Nutrition, contact with a stingray and even birth defects are all causes of this phenomenon. Pathological teeth develop with distorted or disfigured crowns or roots, and collectors usually have little or no trouble recognizing them. 

From multiple tips to grotesque curves and bumps, these 'freaks' are a welcome sight in the screens!

BONE: MEGASHARK VERTEBRAE

Shark skeletons are composed of cartilage. Cartilage, the stuff your ears and nose are made of, is much softer than bone, and rarely survives fossilization. Because of this, entire fossilized skeletons of sharks are, generally, a rare find. 

The vertebral centra (centers of vertebra) are the densest part of the shark skeleton and sometimes fossilize. Vertebral centra are disk shaped. Processes would have come out of the large grooves in the sides of the centra, but they almost always do not survive fossilization. Vertebra centra range dramatically in size. Centra from a baby shark may only be 1/8" in size, while C. megalodon centra may be around 5 or 6 inches in size. 

One typically cannot determine a shark species based on isolated vertebra. However, they do come in two forms: Lamnoid form and Scyliorhinionoid form. 

 One has lots of "ridges" or septa running through the disk; this is indicative of Lamnoid Type sharks. The more solid looking forms are usually from Scyliorhinoid type sharks. The vertebra processes would have come out of the elongated holes in the centra.

BONE: BONY FISH VERTEBRAE/SKULL CAPS/SPINES/BONES

Florida's fossil record is teeming with fossilized fish bits, however, the shortage of complete skeletons means that identification relies on random bones here and there.

The skeletons of most bony fish are composed of many small bones, and while some parts such as the operculum (gill cover) do occasionally show up, most of them are too dainty to fossilize well. 

Common finds from the river and creek beds are fossil fish skull caps (usually from what is known as a sea robin), fish spines, tilly/ballast bones and tail bones. 

The most common would be the fish vertebrae,  which are identified separately from shark vertebrae because of the shape being oval rather than circular. They vary in size from the size of an eraser to the size of a small ball, which are usually attributed to large fish such as billfish. On occasion, fragments of fish bills are found as well.

BONE: BURRFISH/PUFFERFISH MOUTHPLATE 

The crushing mouthplates of Burrfish are found throught Miocene and Pliocene exposures along the East Coast. Upper and lower mouthplates are easily distinguishable. Uppers are round, while lowers are triangular in shape. A common type of Burrfish is the Pufferfish. They are notably small for the mostpart, although we have seen some specimens reach 2 inches long.

RELATED: BONY FISH FOSSILS, VERTEBRAE

BONE: CETACEAN VERTEBRAE (WHALE/DOLPHIN) & BONES

Fossil Whale / Dolphin vertebrae are a common find. There are different types of vertebrae depending on the position in the animals back.

The cervical vertebrae form the head and neck veretebrae. The thoracic vertebrae, or rib vertebrae, form the upper back. The lumbar and sacral vertebrae form the lower back, and the caudal vertebrae form the tail. 

The numbers of each type of vertebrae vary depending on the species of whale or dolphin. Some have only 41 verebrae, while others have 91 vertebrae!
Usually vertebrae have most of the processes (bony protrusions) worn or broken off, so only the central disk is left.
Often the genus or species of cetacean cannot be determined from an isolated vertebra, usually only the vertebra position can be determined.

Other bones from cetaceans can be found as wlel, most notably rib bones ( usually whale, identified by flat, thick, dense material). 

RELATED: WHALE TOOTH, DOLPHIN TOOTH

BONE: STINGRAY DERMAL

Rays have scutes under their skin for protection. These are sometimes found as fossils.

Ray Dermal scutes come in all shapes and sizes. The general look is a shiny scale that looks as if it's embedded into a piece of flat matrix. All of this is the fossil scute. They range in size from 1/4" to 2" and cam sometimes have multiple points that have fused together. 

Associated:  SPINE, MOUTHPLATE

BONE: STINGRAY SPINE

Rays have tail spines, or barbs, toward the base of their long whiplike tails. Sometimes fragments of these fossils can be found; sometimes they can be nearly full and as large as 6 or 7 inches. Very common finds.

ASSOCIATED: DERMAL, MOUTHPLATE

TOOTH:  STINGRAY MOUTHPLATE

Rays have modified teeth that form flat crushing plates. These crushing plates are adapted for eating mollusks and crustaceans on the sea floor. They suck their prey up like a vacuum and simply crush them between their upper and lower crushing plates.

Complete crushing plates are very difficult to find due to their fragile nature. Thus, fossil ray plates are usually fragmented, and these pieces are very common. There are multiple species of ray plates as well. 

ASSOCIATED: DERMAL, SPINE

BONE: ROSTRAL TEETH 

The rostrum, a large serrated 'saw,' is what gives the sawfish its common name. It is made of cartilage and is long and flat. The teeth along the side margins of the rostrum are not really teeth but rather modified scales. Different species of sawfish have rostrums and rostral teeth of different shapes and sizes. This anatomical feature is used during feeding and for defense. The rostrum is slashed in a side-to-side motion to dislodge invertebrates from the substrate and to stun schooling fishes. In addition, the sawfish can use its rostrum in defense against large predators such as sharks.

Rostral nodes or teeth are semi common, although usually looked past as bone shards or organic material. On rare occasions, the actual rostrum (or sections of) are also found. 

RELATED: VERTEBRAE 

TOOTH: DRUMFISH TOOTH/MOUTHPLATE

The fossilized jaw of a Pliocene drum fish is characterized by its intricate structure, revealing details about the dentition and feeding habits of this ancient marine species. Drum fish are known for their strong jaws and specialized teeth, adapted for grasping and consuming a variety of prey, including crustaceans and smaller fish. These teeth are often found and resemble small, compact pebbles, with the jaw providing an almost puzzle like platform for these little ovals. Some can be found still intact into the mouthplate.

RELATED: BONY FISH FOSSILS

BONE: WHALE EARBONES

Fossil Whale Ear Bones are commonly found in the Southeast USA. The anatomical name for this bone is Tympanic Bulla. These fossils average around 15 million years old (Miocene Epoch), which was a period when many recognizably modern animals evolved, and are often found with Megalodon teeth, who were thought to favor whales as a food source. 

Whale Ear Bones are more readily fossilized than other bones because they are denser. They were specially developed to protect the delicate auditory tissues of the animal. Whale Ear Bones differ from humans' in that they are specially adapted to hear underwater. 

There are different parts of whale ear bones that can be found, as well as smaller dolphin ear bones that look similar, but are recognizably different when compared, mostly by size. 

Associated: BONES, TEETH

TOOTH: EXTINCT DOLPHINS, ODONTOCETI 

Multiple species of whales and dolphins lived throughout the Miocene and into the modern times. Focusing here on the giant dolphins/ smaller toothed whales which swam around 10 to 15 million years ago, these teeth vary in size but can be quite large and differing in structure, from smaller odontoceti sp to larger, nearly whale sized dolphins, to sperm whales, they are prized and unique to find. 

Whale teeth usually have tell-tale rings around the core, and are quite brittle; dolphin and porpoise teeth have sharply enameled tips with curved roots.

BONE: DUGONG

Fossil dugongs are the most common mammalian fossils found in Florida (Hulbert, 2001), and of the several known species, Metaxytherium floridanum is probably the most abundant (Domning, 1988). Its dense and massive ribs are the most typical remains, usually found in pieces ranging from 1 to 4 inches (2-10 cm) in length. They can be recognized by their rounded shape and layered structure in cross section (Hulbert, 2001). 

After rib fragments, the most frequently found fossils are relatively dense portions of the vertebrae and the skull cap, the dorsal surface of the skull formed from the parietal and exoccipital bones. Several complete skeletons of Metaxytherium floridanum have been found, most in the phosphate mines of Polk County, but also an exquisite skeleton was found in the bank of a creek near Gainesville High School in Alachua County. From these skeletons it can be estimated that Metaxytherium floridanum was about 3 to 3.5 meters long in life.

Some lucky hunters sometimes find dugong ribs with large scrapes on them, almost always signs that they were eaten by the great megalodon shark, who favorited these animals as a food source. 

Associated: TEETH, BONES

TOOTH: MANATEE/DUGONG MOLARS

Manatee teeth are slightly newer than dugong teeth, with the later being as old as the Miocene, or the time of the megalodon.  Manatee fossils are mostly Pleistocene. During this time, Florida was submerged under shallow seas, providing an ideal habitat for manatees, dugongs and other marine creatures. Manatee teeth fossils are distinctive in shape and structure, featuring flattened, rounded crowns with ridges and grooves adapted for grinding vegetation. Dugong teeth are more rounded, almost resembling modern hog teeth, with the same function as manatee teeth...vegetative intake. Both are notably rare to find!

ASSOCIATED: DUGONG BONES

TOOTH: SEAL MOLAR

Extremely rare in Florida, we have had one specimen pop for a lucky digger with Fossil Recovery. Notable features of this rare tooth are a distinct crown. These fossils are Miocene/Pliocene in age. 

BONE: WRASSE SP. MOUTHPLATE 

Resembling a tiny cluster of little black beads, these mouthplates are from smaller reef fish known as wrasses. Often overlooked,  they appear periodically in smaller matrix while digging. 

ASSOCIATED: BONY FISH FOSSILS

SCUTE: GARFISH SCALE

Fossil gar scales are one of the many unique fossils that show up in Florida’s fossil deposits. They often mineralize into very unique color patterns with every scale being its own unique color and pattern. There is even evidence that some of the larger specimens have been utilized as spear/arrowhead tips by natives! They average around 1/2" to an inch in size.

Associated: BONES, TEETH, VERTEBRAE

TOOTH: BARRACUDA 

Many fossilized barracuda teeth are found in the Peace River of Florida. These type of fish teeth are easy to identify. They can grow large (greater than 1/2"),  and are very thin and triangular, usually with one sharpened edge.

ASSOCIATED: BONE, TAIL, VERTEBRAE

SHELL: BURROW CASING, AKA "INDIAN BEADS"

Although the name makes one think these finds are actually artifacts, they in fact are not.

These "beads" are the remnants of ancient burrows from invertebrates,  probably shrimp or shrimp like creatures. The smaller burrows are the best ones, actually and truly resembling beads.

Although there is no way to truly tell if natives used these for ornamental applications, there is always a possibility!  A common find in our local creeks, many fossil hunters collect these over multiple trips, and after some time string them up into necklaces ( which accent a nice big shark tooth pendant)!

Associated: SHELL CASTINGS, SHRIMP BURROWS

SHELL: SHELL IMPRESSIONS 

Shell impressions are, well, just that! These are the impressions of seashells into various rocks/matrix and have since left their fossilized 'footprints.' Very common. 

ASSOCIATED: SHELL CASTINGS

SHELLS: STEINKERNS

Steinkerns are the fossilized interiors , or castings, of what used to be shells. They can take the forms of gastropods, clams, mussels, barnacles and more. 

Basically, the shells have long since perished with time, and the stone casing (or 'steinkern') remains, hence the classification  of a trace fossil. 

SHELL: SHRIMP BURROWS

Shrimp burrows are very commonly found. Resembling long tubes with bubbly, textured surfaces, they can be in small pieces or as large as 12 inches or more! They are the interior walls of the mud burrows, fossilizedand deposited as tubes. For you fossil buffs, they can easily be confused with fulgarite, or fosslized lightning. 

ASSOCIATED: INDIAN BEADS

SHELL: ECHINOIDS AKA SEA BISCUITS

Echinoids have lived in the seas since the Late Ordovician, about 450 million years ago, which is about 220 million years before dinosaurs appeared. The remains and traces of these animals were buried in sediment that later hardened into rock, preserving them as fossils. The living representatives of echinoids are the familiar sea urchins that inhabit many shallow coastal waters of the world. Fossil echinoids closely resemble some living sea urchins, which helps us to understand how they must have lived.

The specimens in Florida represent Eocene to Miocene specimens,  and are often found in limestone deposits. 

ASSOCIATED: STEINKERNS

PALEOBOTANY: PLANT FOSSILS

While fossil plant remains are nowhere as abundant as the remains of fossil vertebrates, or invertebrates in Florida, they are nonetheless, an important part of Florida’s fossil record.

Other leaf impressions are seen in Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene clays. Petrified woods, represented by several different trees, are sometimes found in the same layers as vertebrate fossils. A good example is the vertebrate rich Bone Valley Formation of Polk, Hillsborough, and Hardee Counties which has produced sections of petrified tree trunks weighing hundreds of pounds.

We have had the luck with these, as two lucky diggers unearthed fossilzied pine cones from the Miocene in the river. A very desirable and scarce class of Florida history. 

CORPROLITES

In Florida we are digging in the Peace River system and encounter lots of alligator fossils. Apparently, gators digest their food (turtles, fishes, birds) so well that the bones are dissolved as well. Excess calcium that is not needed by the gator is expelled in their waste. Gator coprolites that we find (fairly regularly) have the consistency of drywall--quite chalky. This is likely what preserves them preferentially over other species.

On occasion,  we encounter other predatory corprolites, including some very old shark corprolites,  identified by being much harder and denser. 

TOOTH: ALLIGATOR

An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. The two living species are the American alligator (A. mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator (A. sinensis). In addition, several extinct species of alligator are known from fossil remains. Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago.

The name “alligator” is an anglicized form of el lagarto, the Spanish term for “the lizard”, which early Spanish explorers and settlers in Florida called the alligator.

Fossilized alligator teeth are quite common finds with us. They can come in dazzling arrays of marbled colors. Differentiated from croc teeth, alligator teeth are more blunt, straight and conical. We have found teeth as wide as they are tall, sometimes approaching 2 inches. Nothing says Florida fossils like a fossil gator tooth!

Associated: GATOR SCUTE, GATOR VERTEBRAE,  BONES

TEETH: FLORIDA SUPERCROC

Extinct Saltwater American Crocodile

Known as  Gavialosuchus Americanus, this Ancient Crocodile is from the Late Miocene Period and dated to an age of 5-7 Million Years Old.

These giant prehistoric crocodiles of Florida had a body length estimated to have been 31 feet (9.5M) and weighing in at 8800 lbs./ 4.4 US tons.

Thought to be fast swimmers, these long-snouted crocodiles were mainly fish eaters. Their crocodilian teeth were long and cone-shaped with a slight curve to them, which is the tell tale differentiate from the straight, more conically found alligator teeth. 

ASSOCIATED PARTS: scutes, bones,  dermals.

BONE: ALLIGATOR VERTEBRAE 

These are the tell-tale backbones of the alligator, most identifiable by the reptilian 'cup and ball' found on opposite sides of the vertebra.  Sometimes the verts will lack processes, or the branches of bone that extend off of the top, and sometimes they will be fully articulated. As always, since gators are and have been present for millions of years on the river, these are a common find. 

ASSOCIATED: TEETH, BONES, OSTEODERMS, CORPROLITES

BONE: ALLIGATOR OSTEODERM/SCUTE AND CROCODILE DERMAL SAMPLES 

Alligator osteoderms are a prized, yet common,  find on the rivers. These flat discs are usually wuth a deep stippling pattern and a central 'mohawk' and can range from thumbnail to palm sized. Alligators use these to catch sunlight on their backs and thermoregulate; they also act as armor. 

Crocodiles lack these distinct osteos, but have similar patterned patches that are often found in chunks, being samples of their thick skin that have fossilized. 

ASSOCIATED: TEETH, BONES, CORPROLITES 

BONE: EXTINCT SNAKE VERTEBRAE

There are many Fossil Snakes in Florida. Evolving from lizard-like creatures, the fossil evidence for snakes is weak. Some fossil evidence suggests that they evolved directly from a burrowing lizard. Losing its two legs it became streamlined for burrowing.

The largest of these modern reptiles may be the Anaconda of South America, reaching lengths of 33ft (10M) and weighing up to 550lbs. (250kg). Evidence from much larger snakes such as the titanoboa shows in the fossil record. 

Many fossil vertebrae of snakes can be found in Florida creeks and rivers and a number of them were likely rattlesnakes. The most common are around the size of a thumbnail. Easily recognized with the "cup and ball," snake verts are hard to spot in the screens, so keep a sharp eye!

BONE: EXTINCT TURTLE SHELL/BONE

Turtle fossils are very common in the peace river of Florida. The most common fossils are pieces of their shells, either the Carpace (top shell), or the Plasteron (bottom shell). Carpaces usually have more ornamentation on them than the plasterons. There were many kinds of turtles, including many sea turtles and land turtles. 

Pieces of turtle shells come in many different shapes. They are all very thin and flat. Carpace fragments have ornamentation on them (little dimples and grooves), while plasteron fragments are more plain looking. Neural carpaces run down the center of the shell and have the vertebra attached, and are easy to identify.

 The dimpled shells are usually associated with species of softshell turtles; the grooved ones can be attributed to smaller tortoises and land turtles, although there are some exceptions to both. 

Turtle shell fragments are some of the most common finds in our screens; they were numerous and successful in evolution, thus their prevalence in nearly all of the time periods that hold fossils from noth land and sea.

Associated: BONES

BONE: GIANT GROUND TORTOISE SPUR/PAD

Florida during the Ice Age was home to Giant Land Tortoises, similar to the ones now only found in the Galapagos. Often found parts include foot pads, leg spurs and shell fragments.

 There were a few different species of large tortoise in the Florida Ice Age. 

The spurs carry a caracteristic shape, and are also very dense. Foot pads are also quite distinct; with shell fragments usually distinguished by unusual large size.

ASSOCIATED: SHELL FRAGMENTS, CLAW CORES

BONE: TORTOISE SHELL FRAGMENTS

These are extremely common fossils on our tours. Some fragments of tortoise shells are massive, reaching dinner plate size! Usually identifiable by thick, porous material between parallel,  nondescript flat sized,  on occasion some shell frags will display lines. 

ASSOCIATED: SPURS, CLAW CORES 

BONE: TORTOISE CLAW CORE

These are giant claw cores from extinct ground Tortoises. Pleistocene in age, they wre identifiable by the 'shredded wheat' texture that is seen in animal claw core fossils, and have a single smooth back edge with two small neural holes on the underside. They are usually 1 to 3 inches long in size, and are quite scarce. 

ASSOCIATED: SHELL FRAGMENTS,  SPURS

BONE: TURTLE MANDIBLE

These are quite scarce. Varying in size based on species,  these are the lower jaws of a turtle/tortoise beak, all with that characteristic boomerang shape. If you're even luckier, a skull may pop out! Although turtle and tortoise fossils are relatively common, this particular fossil is very rare, if ever seen!

ASSOCIATED: SHELL, CLAW CORE, SPURS

BONE: BIRD CLAW CORE/BONES

Most birds have fragile, hollow-boned, generally small skeletons which are rare in the fossil record. Extinct birds with larger, more heavily built bones such as the "Terror Bird" are more likely to fossilize. We usually see large, long leg bones from water birds such as ibis, in the screens. 

On occasion, raptor claw cores are found. From larger eagle claws to smaller birds of prey such as falcons, these are rarw and highly prized. The one pictured above is from an eagle, and is roughly an inch and a half long. 

ASSOCIATED: BEAK FOSSIL

BONE: AVIAN BEAK FOSSIL

Extremely rare to find due to the brittle nature of keratin, the substance beaks are made of, these are highly prized finds! They are also characterically very light, oft mistaken as not being a fossil. 

The one shown above is the only example we have seen, and is likely from a Miocene sp. of cormorant. 

ASSOCIATED: BIRD CLAW CORE, BONES

SCUTES: GLYPTODON/PREHISTORIC  ARMADILLO-LIKE CREATURE

One of the most distinctive—and comical-looking-- megafauna mammals of prehistoric times, Glyptodon was essentially a dinosaur-sized armadillo relative, with a huge, round, armored carapace, stubby, turtle-like legs, and a blunt head on a short neck. As many commentators have pointed out, this Pleistocene mammal looked a bit like a Volkswagen Beetle, and tucked up under its shell it would have been virtually immune to predation (unless an enterprising meat-eater figured out a way to flip Glyptodon onto its back and dig into its soft belly).

The Glyptodon survived well into early historical times, only going extinct about 10,000 years ago, shortly after the last Ice Age, along with most its fellow megafauna mammals from around the world. This huge, slow-moving armadillo was probably hunted to extinction by early humans, who would have prized it not only for its meat but also for its roomy carapace — there's evidence that the earliest settlers sheltered from the snow and rain under Glyptodon shells!

Usually found are these disc like fossils, known as rosettes. They made up the main shell in a puzzle like pattern. If you're lucky, you may find more than one in a spot...we found 64 in one spot once!

ASSOCIATED FINDS: flex and tail scutes,  teeth, bones.

SCUTES: GIANT ARMADILLO

In ancient FL there was an extinct, giant 6+ foot Armadillo that weighed about 500-600 pounds. I

These are part of the group known as Edentata meaning “without teeth”. Most Armadillos have basic peg-like teeth, but with no incisors or canines. Their peg-like teeth have no enamel on them. This is an evolutionary trait from eating ants, grubs, and other soft bodied insects. Their teeth grow continually and never wear out.

Giant Armadillos had hundreds and hundreds of the bony scutes in either a rectangle or pentagon shape. These dermal ostroderms, or bony armor scutes, protected the animal from its enemies. The top of the head has scutes grouped together for a head shield. Rings of overlapping articulating scutes or osteoderms help form the shell or carapace of the body. 

Some osteoderms making up the carapace are movable and others are not. The movable osteoderms give some flexibility to the carapace in the living animal. These are known as flex scutes, as shown at the bottom left. 

 The tail has a complete covering of rigid grouped rings of osteoderms. These scutes or osteoderms are thinner and absent of the “rosette” pattern as found in another giant Ice Age Mammal Edentate, the Glyptodon.

The fossil evidence suggests that these animals migrated from South America by way of a land bridge to North America, starting in the late Pliocene period.

There has been more Armadillo fossils discovered in Florida, than any other place in North America.

Associated:  TEETH, BONES

TOOTH: EXTINCT HORSE SPECIES,  THREE TOED TO HOOVED SP. (MOLAR)

Fossil Horse Teeth are quite common in Florida. They vary in size and age but are usually found in black colored, 1 to 2 million year old form; sometimes found complete and sometimes in fragments. The molars vary from very short to quite long, spanning over 5 inches in some cases. 

The story of horses is a long and complicated one.  It began some 50 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch with Eohippus. Eohippus was not much like today’s horses. It was a dog sized herbivore that lived in the forests of North America. They also had no hooves, instead having 3 toes. These teeth are occasionally found and are usually smallest in size. 

In North America the story of the horse ended with the extinction of Equus about 7,600 years ago.

 In between true horses flourished in North America during the Pleistocene Epoch from about 2.5 million years ago until about 12,000 years ago. 

Associated: BONES, JAWBONES, TOOTH ( INCISORS)

TOOTH: EXTINCT HORSE SPECIES,  THREE TOED TO HOOVED SP. (INCISOR)

Fossil Horse molars are quite common in Florida, with the smaller and more delicate incisors a bit scarcer. They vary in size and age but are usually found in black colored, 1 to 2 million year old form.

The story of horses is a long and complicated one.  It began some 50 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch with Eohippus. Eohippus was not much like today’s horses. It was a dog sized herbivore that lived in the forests of North America. They also had no hooves, instead having 3 toes. These teeth are occasionally found and are usually smallest in size. 

In North America the story of the horse ended with the extinction of Equus about 7,600 years ago.

 In between true horses flourished in North America during the Pleistocene Epoch from about 2.5 million years ago until about 12,000 years ago. 

Associated: BONES, JAWBONES, TOOTH ( MOLARS)

BONE: EXTINCT HORSE SPECIES,  THREE TOED TO HOOVED SP. (ASTRAGALI)

The story of horses is a long and complicated one.  It began some 50 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch with Eohippus. Eohippus was not much like today’s horses. It was a dog sized herbivore that lived in the forests of North America. They also had no hooves, instead having 3 toes.

 These bones are the heel bones, known as an astragalus, and are usually smaller than an adult fist on the bigger side, with the smallest being only a few inches. 

True horses flourished in North America during the Pleistocene Epoch from about 2.5 million years ago until about 12,000 years ago. In North America the story of the horse ended with the extinction of Equus about 7,600 years ago. 

Associated: BONES, JAWBONES, TEETH

BONES: EXTINCT HORSE SPECIES,  THREE TOED TO HOOVED SP. 

The story of horses is a long and complicated one.  It began some 50 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch with Eohippus. Eohippus was not much like today’s horses. It was a dog sized herbivore that lived in the forests of North America. They also had no hooves, instead having 3 toes.

In North America the story of the horse ended with the extinction of Equus about 7,600 years ago.

The most commonly found bones are shown here; these include the phalanx (finger) bones, the ends of long leg bones, and vertebrae. 

Associated: BONES, JAWBONES, TEETH

TOOTH: COLUMBIAN MAMMOTH TOOTH FRAGMENT

Mastodons and mammoths belong to the order Proboscidea, which also includes the African and Indian elephants. The differences found in the teeth of the mastodon and mammoth are a testament to their different diets. The mammoth's teeth had long ridges, suitable for grinding grass. As is the case with all Proboscideans, a worn down set of teeth would be replaced by another, for a total of six sets during their lifetime.

Teeth are often found fragmented, in sets of plates, chunks,  or in rare cases, complete. A truly amazing fossil!

RELATED: IVORY

TOOTH: MAMMOTH/MASTODON TUSK FRAGMENT (IVORY)

Mammoths and mastodons had long, curved tusks and four molars at a time, which were replaced six times during the lifetime of an individual. It most likely used its tusks and trunk like modern elephants—for manipulating objects, fighting, and foraging. The tusks were made of ivory. 

Ivory has telltale patterns along the broken edges; we often tell folks to look for cross-hatching, known as Shraeger lines, that dictate the fossil to be ivory with certainty. The fragments are often smooth, light, and almost soapy feeling. 

RELATED: TEETH

TOOTH: MASTODON TOOTH/TOOTH FRAGMENT

Mastodons are any species of extinct proboscideans in the genus Mammut (family Mammutidae), distantly related to elephants, that inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of the Pleistocene 10,000 to 11,000 years ago.  Mastodons lived in herds and were predominantly forest-dwelling animals that fed on a mixed diet obtained by browsing and grazing with a seasonal preference for browsing, similar to living elephants.

Mastodons are often confused with mammoths. Mastodons are shorter and stockier than mammoths, with shorter, straighter tusks. Mastodons were wood browsers, and their molars have pointed cones that are specially adapted for eating woody browse. Mammoths were grazers, and their molars have flat surfaces for eating grass. Their teeth are often glossy along the cones with large enamel lines on the edges, and easily identified if in large fragments and are near complete form.

RELATED: IVORY, BONES

TOOTH:CAMELID/LLAMA 

The Giant Late Miocene “Giraffe Camel” lived in Florida during the Miocene Period 10-5 Million Years Ago. It had long legs and a long S-shaped neck, which gave the camel a height of 10ft. Considered fast runners, it had a pacing gait. This Miocene mammal lived in the grasslands. 

Other Prehistoric Camelids of the Miocene include three species of llamas or small camels. Nothokemas floridanus was of the early Miocene. Floridatragulus dolichanthereus was a strange early Miocene Camelid that had an unusually long skull and jaw. Oxydactylus was an early Miocene camel. 

The most commonly found prehistoric llama was Paleolama mirifica, "stout-legged llama", the one most closely related to modern llamas. It was a short, stocky-legged built llama that lived in the open grasslands, in Florida, and fed on grass and the leaves of bushes. It was most likely hunted by the Jaguar or Dire Wolf. It shows up in the Florida fossil record about 2 Million Years Ago, in the Late Pliocene. 

The other common llama fossil is the large-headed llama Hemiauchenia macrocephala. This prehistoric animal was a very tall and slender built llama standing 9ft. in height. 

Camel/llama teeth are often confused with bison or deer teeth to the untrained eye, although camel teeth are larger than deer teeth and bison teeth have a pronounced center rise to the side of the tooth, unlike the camelids. They are pleasing aesthetically and sometimes are found fully rooted. 

Associated: BONES, JAW

BONE: CAMELID ASTRAGALUS AND TOE BONES 

Pictured here are the most commonly found camelid bones. These include the astragalus, or heel bones, which are the rectangular bones shown here, and the distinct camel toe bone, shown next to it. 

The Giant Late Miocene “Giraffe Camel” lived in Florida during the Miocene Period 10-5 Million Years Ago. It had long legs and a long S-shaped neck, which gave the camel a height of 10ft. Considered fast runners, it had a pacing gait. This Miocene mammal lived in the grasslands.

Other Prehistoric Camelids of the Miocene include three species of llamas or small camels. Nothokemas floridanus was of the early Miocene. Floridatragulus dolichanthereus was a strange early Miocene Camelid that had an unusually long skull and jaw. Oxydactylus was an early Miocene camel.

The most commonly found prehistoric llama was Paleolama mirifica, "stout-legged llama", the one most closely related to modern llamas. It was a short, stocky-legged built llama that lived in the open grasslands, in Florida, and fed on grass and the leaves of bushes. It was most likely hunted by the Jaguar or Dire Wolf. It shows up in the Florida fossil record about 2 Million Years Ago, in the Late Pliocene.

The other common llama fossil is the large-headed llama Hemiauchenia macrocephala. This prehistoric animal was a very tall and slender built llama standing 9ft. in height. 

ASSOCIATED: TEETH, JAW

TOOTH:GIANT BEAVER

Sometimes we come across the tooth of one of the largest rodents to ever live, the giant beaver. Identified by well defined striations and nice, black enamel preservation, these teeth are difficult to find although they show up from time to time in our screens.

The giant beaver reached 6-8 feet in length and weighed as much as 500 lbs, about the size of a good size black bear. It would have looked similar to modern beavers and lived during the Pleistocene, first appearing 1.5 million years ago and going extinct about 11,000 years ago. It would NOT have been closely related to modern beavers.

One of the defining characteristics of the giant beaver were their incisors, which differ in size and shape than those of modern beavers. Modern beavers have chisel-like incisor teeth for gnawing on wood, while the teeth of the giant beaver were bigger and broader, and grew to about 6 inches long. These incisors would not have been as efficient at cutting wood, therefore it is possible that the giant beaver did not construct dams. 

A really awesome find even in fragmentary format!

Associated: JAW, BONES

TOOTH: GIANT GROUND SLOTH, VARIOUS SP.

Two million years ago, giant ground sloths munched and “lunched” their way across Florida. Standing up to 20 feet tall and weighing up to 5 tons, these massive herbivores dined on sweet gum, magnolia, yucca and live oaks.
 

This pre-Ice Age mammal died out 50,000 years ago. The last of the giant sloths became extinct 10,000 years ago. Some remains were found in caves along with evidence of human occupation. This led to the theory that early man might have raised these animals as a meat source. Climate change, disappearing food sources, viruses and human hunters are among the things that most likely contributed to the giant ground sloth’s becoming extinct.

Their molars are quite distinct for all of the species of the giant ground sloths  from prehistoric Florida during North America's last Ice Age.  Nearly cylindrical with defined growth lines are seen, with the entire enamel surface glossy from the natural process of the river current.  They have an oval shape overall and can be as small as a few inches and as large as 10+ inches. 

ASSOCIATED: BONES, CLAW CORES 

BONES/CLAW CORES: GIANT GROUND SLOTH, VARIOUS SP. 

Fossilized claw cores from prehistoric ground sloths are among the most desired fossils from the Ice Age.  These ground sloths were massive creatures and considered megafauna- many times larger than the slow tree dwelling species we are familiar with today- some were as large as elephants! The claw cores can range in size from 3 or 4 inches to as large as 20+ inches...and all have that characteristic shredded wheat look and feel. Pictured here are also some more commonly found sloth finger bones and vertebrae.  

ASSOCIATED: TEETH

TOOTH: BISON, EXTINCT /EXTANT SP. 

To identify a fossil bison tooth, look for a characteristic "selenodont" pattern with crescent-shaped cusps on the chewing surface, a prominent "stylid" (an extra enamel ridge) that becomes visible as the tooth wears down, and a generally large, robust tooth structure compared to other similar animals. Many people confuse horse teeth and even camel teeth with bison teeth, but again that prominent stylid makes all the difference. 

Two distinct species lived in Florida in the Ice Age; the extant species Bison Bison, and the extinct species Bison Antiquus. The teeth have minute differences and are very difficult to distinguish between. 

RELATED: BONES/HORN CORES

BONES: BISON BONES/HORN CORE

ASSOCIATED: TEETH

TOOTH: PECCARY MOLAR/TUSK

TOOTH: RHINO MOLARS/TUSK, TELOCERAS SP. 

TOOTH: TAPIR

Fossil Tapirs are very abundant in the fossil record of Florida. In fact, there may be more of these Prehistoric Tapir Skeletons found in Florida than any other place in the world.

This is a primitive hoofed browser with a trunk-like nose.  The short trunk is used to sniff out and guide vegetation into the mouth.  In general, they look like a large dark pig with a small trunk.

There are 4 species of Tapirs alive today, but most people are not too familiar with them, if at all.  The nearest relatives are horses and rhinos.

This “living fossil” had hoofed toes, with 3 toes on the back legs and 4 toes on the front.  They have evolved this adaptation over time and it gives them the ability to better walk in silt, clays and overall marshy ground.  Appearing in the Early Eocene around 55 Million Years ago, this ice age mammal was a member of the Perissodactyls, or “odd-toed” ungulates.

There are at the minimum, 6 extinct fossil species of Tapirus known to have lived in Florida.  These are:  Tapirus veroensis, Tapirus haysii, Tapirus lundeliusi, Tapirus webbi, Tapirus polkensis, and Tapirus simpsoni.

All have a full set of low-crowed teeth with distinct ridges, and chisel-shaped incisors; these are found in a decent frequency in our screens, the incisors considerably more scarce. 

Associated: BONES, JAW

TOOTH: TREMARCTUS FLORIDANUS, AKA FLORIDA CAVE BEAR TEETH

A rare find, these are a canine and a molar from the Florida spectacled bear, sometimes called the Florida cave bear  or the short faced bear. These were thought to be primarily a herbivore like the living South American spectacled bear,

but they are not closely related to the European cave bear, nor is there fossil evidence of a dependence on caves for denning.

These fossils are from the late Pleistocene, 

about 250,000 to 11,000 years ago in Florida.

TEETH: JAGUAR MOLAR/CANINES 

TEETH: SABRE CAT CANINES/MOLARS

TOOTH: AMERICAN LION

TOOTH: BOBCAT

TEETH: DIREWOLF SP.

TEETH: BONE CRUSHING DOG/BEAR DOG SP.

TEETH: ICE AGE DEER

Sometimes found individually  and sometimes still in the mandible, deer molars are a common find on our tours. They closely resemble camel teeth, but are obviously smaller and usually more prevalent. These are also Ice Age in origin. 

ASSOCIATED: ANTLER,  BONES

BONES: ICE AGE DEER ANTLER

A common find, these fossilized deer antler sections are from the Peace River formation of Florida. These date from Pleistocene period (approx. 11,000 to 2.5 million years ago). These likely came from a white-tailed or black-tailed deer and are not too different from those we still see roaming these same areas today. There are many pieces of different sizes that can be found; some have the basal portion, others are just shaft or tips. 

ASSOCIATED: TEETH, BONES

BONES: DEER LEG/ANKLE/HOOF CORE

Pictured here are examples of more commonly found  fossil bones of deer, including the astragalus or heel bones (more rectangular bone), portions of the leg bones,  and the smaller hoof cores,  which resemble claw cores in nature. 

ASSOCIATED: ANTLER, TEETH

TOOTH: CAPYBARA

Pictured are a few examples of the molars of an extinct Ice Age Rodent called a Capybara. Scarce tooth to find in any shape,  these are usuallybroken in the riverbeds and are not often found in good shape. A subspecies of these animals still live in South America, and are considered one of the largest rodents on earth.