Unidentified Bones

[tintock]

Can anyone help me identify this partial skeleton? My mate found it on a beach today and he's worried about foul play!

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z284/tintock/UnidentifiedBones.jpg

 

[JonathanD]

Looks like a dog to me. What size was it?

 

[launditch1]

Its not human mate!

 

[tintock]

Its not human mate!

Aye, I'm trying to reassure him of that lol!

Looks like a dog to me. What size was it?

He reckons that the visible skelton was about 4.5ft long.

 

[Toddy]

Have a look at these seal and dolphin skeletons..........do either seem familiar ?

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Seal-Skeleton-Teaching-Chart-Posters_i2370029_.htm

cheers,
Toddy

 

[tintock]

Aye, good shout Toddy!

Not a dolphin, I don't think, as it there seems to be a hip bone present. There's loads of dolphins around the Angus coastline mind you, but it could certainly be a seal - the length would be about right.

 

[firecrest]

Not a dolphin it has a pelvis.

This is a dog pelvis

I cant find a descent picture of a seal pelvis but there seems to be a femur still attatched in the picture, its possibly too long for a seal but I really cannot tell, im certainly no expert at bones.

 

[Toddy]

More images of a seal skeleton here

http://www.theboneman.com/pinnipedskeletons.html

Somewhere I know I have a comparative mammalian skeleton analysis, and I can't find it. Sorry

cheers,
Toddy

 

[smoggy]

I think tody's first link showing the seal makes the ID, does for me anyway....pelvic and femur (?).....as to which sort of seal....?

Smoggy.

 

[tintock]

Aye, I think that puts the "seal" on it (ouch!). Thanks for all your help on this ID.

 

[smoggy]

Thanks for posting tintock....I do like these type of posts...not only fun but educational too

Smoggy

 

[Wayland]

Looks like a seal to me.

I was pulling teeth from a seal carcase near Dunstaburgh a couple of weeks ago and it's about the right size.

 

[tintock]

Thanks for the additional comments, folks - my mate is much relieved that he hadn't stumbled on a murder scene!