Reply To: Whale fossils on the beach

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#23686
Lee Cone
Participant

It’s pretty difficult to identify species material from beach finds.  I was curious the location and guessed maybe the California coast because of the kelp and mountains in the background?  I find very similar-looking material in the coastal rivers around Charleston, SC (SE U.S.).  Judging from the dog footprint they are not from a huge whale, but it appears to be a very nice assortment of vertebrae from different parts of the skeleton.  At least two thoracic, and several lumbar,  a few caudal.  From the size variation I think that several individuals may be represented here, and one small vert may be porpoise.  I, too, would guess baleen on the whale ones.