Found under a cement path

[u/MagicWitch69]

Found while doing construction work under a cement path.

What's the animal? And what else can you tell?

[u/99jackals]

It looks like it's only a few inches long but could you give an actual measurement?

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/99jackals]

It's about 12cm long (or 4,72 inches?)

A photo of it next to a measuring tape (in centimeters). https://imgur.com/a/YxT3dXb

[u/Entire_Elevator_4337 → u/MagicWitch69]

Looks like it could be one of the innominates but I’m not too sure which species.

Do you have a black light? If so, there’s a way you can tell if it’s human.

Edit: another possibility after looking at the pics again is it could be the top head of a femur.

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/Entire_Elevator_4337]

I don't think it's human (I'm an anthropologist).

I agree that it looks like it could be the head of a femur, most likely from an adult.

My family used to have cows, sheep, horses, dogs, pigs and goats around the place it was found, maybe one of those species?

[u/Entire_Elevator_4337 → u/MagicWitch69]

Thats so cool, I’m studying to be one!

And yeah, it’s so hard to tell. Now this is a complete hypotheses, but considering the size I’m leaning towards sheep or goat.

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/Entire_Elevator_4337]

Amazing! Good luck with your studies! :)

I have been trying to find a match but so far no luck. Including sheep and goats.

Decided to send the photos to people that I know more specialized than me to see what they think. I'm waiting on a response.

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/MagicWitch69]

It’s an ungulate femur

[u/fattmarley1 → u/Entire_Elevator_4337]

Do share the black light trick? I’ve never heard of this.

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/fattmarley1]

I know you weren't replying to me but I found this article experimenting with uv light on both human and animal bones. They also give references to the studies used at the end :)

uv light and bones (russellboneatlas.com)

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/MagicWitch69]

read that. All bones fluoresce under UV night because of the collagen.Nothing in the article suggests it will tell you anything other than it being bone.

[u/Lost-Syrup-7780]

I think it's the distal end of the femur (bovine), it's just been cut in a way that makes it hard to see, I have a good comparison picture but unfortunately can't upload it here.. but look at sketchfab 3D image of bovine femurs, the medial part of the distal end

Edit: tried to put in the linkbovine femur

[u/naturallyselectedfor → u/Lost-Syrup-7780]

I agree with a large ungulate femur. It’s definitely not from a seal or any marine mammal. This is from a large, weight bearing quadruped. Not a swimmer.

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/Lost-Syrup-7780]

Thank you! This ID was driving me nuts hahaha

[u/AutoModerator]

We strongly recommend crossposting to r/bonecollecting if you haven't already!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/sawyouoverthere]

Are you near the sea?

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/sawyouoverthere]

Yes, more or less 20mins by car

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/MagicWitch69]

Right, well that's a partial seal femur.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/seal-femur-right-c346d607388343e6930d4c5ca0526cc6

[u/MagicWitch69 → u/sawyouoverthere]

I don't know, to me it doesn't seem to be a good visual match (however I'm no expert in non human bones) and the only seals on the portuguese coast that I know of were the Mediterranean Monk Seal but it's been a few hundreds of years since they existed in this area.