• Question from:Stephaine

I found this vertebrae bone today and I have looked everywhere and can not find out what bone this is. I found this picture, yet no name of the bone. All they say is it is about 2.5 long and 1 inch wide. Do you know what bone this is or where i can find out what bone it is.

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animal bone.jpeg 

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  • Horniman Museum, London, UK
  • Posts: 1,105

Hard to be sure from the photo provided and without knowing whereabouts you found it. However, it looks like the atlas vertebra of a carnivorous mammal, most similar to a dog I think, but possibly a seal.

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  • At home in Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England
  • Posts: 942

BTW., the atlas is the neck vertebra that is right up behind the skull, and the skull rorates on it. Nice find!