I bought a tibia from the Valkenburg caves Kerstmaarkt last night (Because im so interested in anything biology) and I took it to my biology teacher today who said it was a fossil! Naturally, I find it very exciting, but it sucks because I cant identify what it went to. I DO know it's a tibia- the top is the knee socket, and on the bottom on opposiite sides are indentations for two ball sockets. In between those two is like, a raised ridge going from front to back. It's about 28 CM long...
2006-12-18 22:29:46 · 2 answers · asked by Mo 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
And if someone would answer.... My question is how can I determine what the hell it belongs to?
2006-12-19 02:13:16 · update #1
Paleontologists narrow these things down by examining the context in which the fossil was found - using the type of deposits (sratigraphy) to identify the age of the fossil, the type of environment, and the types of animals that lived at that time. This narrows down the possibilities, so the next step is to look at which animals had limbs of similar size, and shape. Then the final step really involves expert knowledge in anatomy. You might be able to get information on the web or at a library on the geological formations at the Valkenburg caves, and the type of fossils that have been found there. Palentology is just like the investigations on CSI.
2006-12-19 04:45:36 · answer #1 · answered by formerly_bob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This question is best answered if someone can actually have eyes on. Unfortunately, Jack Horner (famous paleontologist) isn't always on call. Try going to http://www.vertpaleo.org/. It's a website dedicated to Vertebrate Paleontology. There should be something there that might be able to further help you in your quest to find the original owner of that tibia.
2006-12-19 05:00:27 · answer #2 · answered by tixmeeoff 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋