5
$\begingroup$

Found this on the beach at Trouville-sur-Mer in France, on 11 May 2018. It was laying in the sand, close to a trash can. Considering the strong smell of sand within the skeleton, it must have been near the sea for a very long time.

What species is this from?

Also posted on other identification websites and fora:

The length of the bone (the piece remaining) is under 12 centimeter.

The height of the only easily removable tooth (the smallest remaining one) is under 25 milimeter.

Old pictures in sunlight (all in low resolution & without measure bar):

Click the images for enlargement.

Update of 22 July 2018 (most in higher resolution & with measure bar):

This new set of pictures is archived at Wikimedia Commons.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side A, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 3

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side A, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 3.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side A, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 3

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side A, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 3.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side A, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 3 of 3

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side A, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 3 of 3.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 2

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 2.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 2

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 2.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, top side, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 3

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, top side, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 3.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, top side, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 3

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, top side, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 3.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, top side, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 3 of 3

File:Jaw with teeth (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, length smaller than 12cm, top side, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 3 of 3.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Smallest remaining tooth from jaw (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, height smaller than 25mm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 2

File:Smallest remaining tooth from jaw (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, height smaller than 25mm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 1 of 2.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

  • Smallest remaining tooth from jaw (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, height smaller than 25mm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 2

File:Smallest remaining tooth from jaw (lone animal bone) found on beach of Trouville-sur-Mer in France on 11 May 2018, height smaller than 25mm, side B, photographed on 22 July 2018 - Image 2 of 2.png

See Wikimedia Commons for a higher resolution.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ Can you do a close up shot of the teeth from above, so we can see the crown layout, that is one of the main ways to identify mammal material. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Jul 16, 2018 at 15:39
  • $\begingroup$ Sasquatch for sure :p. $\endgroup$
    – theforestecologist ♦
    Jul 17, 2018 at 1:42
  • $\begingroup$ @John I have now added new pictures, including the teeth from above. $\endgroup$
    – O0123
    Jul 22, 2018 at 20:51

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3
$\begingroup$

It would be great to have a scale bar in the photo, so that the size would be easier to determine. However, by the shape of the teeth, I will propose that it is the back half of the jaw of a pig. Here is an image from the National Maritime Museum:

Pig

This one is from Vanuatu and has a rather elaborate mesial portion of the jaw, but the teeth look very similar. It's virtually impossible to know the bone's age or species, however.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your answer. Yes, posting these images on Identification apps/websites/fora, I also became aware of the usefulness of a scale bar. Within a couple of weeks, I can take high-resolution pictures with a scale bar. --- Do you think any conservation archive, museum or researcher could be interested in analysing or conserving the specimen? How would I be able to find such an interested party easily? $\endgroup$
    – O0123
    Jul 16, 2018 at 14:19
  • $\begingroup$ without knowing what rock it came out of there is not a lot that can be done scientifically with what you have. Although someone might be interested in trying to figure out where i eroded out from. Contact the nearest natural history museum. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Jul 16, 2018 at 16:00
  • $\begingroup$ I agree with @John. Without additional provenance information, it's not much use scientifically. However that does not mean that a local museum would not be interested in it for display. $\endgroup$
    – kmm
    Jul 16, 2018 at 16:45
  • $\begingroup$ @kmm I have added new pictures, which show the bone with teeth from above and also feature a scale bar. Please update your answer if appropriate. $\endgroup$
    – O0123
    Jul 23, 2018 at 12:11

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .