What about creating a useful tool together to determine enigmatic bones?

This afternoon, in Compiègne’s lab, as yesterday, we found bones and fragments which make us think about something: oh, yes, I already saw that, and I already had difficulties to find what it is! That kind of bones, or pieces of bones, we find once a year or once every several years.

So, we thought about the following idea: take photographs of any rare, strange and boring bones that are always very hard to determine.

Snout bone of pig.

The first example in my mind is the snout of pig bone, which I enjoy showing to the students I train. The second example comes from F. Poplin: a long time ago, he solemnly presented to us a heart bone from a stag or a beef he had just obtained, with his own special speech. Never seen again in my fauna from elsewhere, and as I forgot what it looks like ... you can add hyoides pieces, epiphyses or coxal bones fragments...

Here is the idea, that we are immediately going to realize in CRAVO, and I suggest that everybody looks for that kind of things in his bag. Then take some photos and send them to me or directly to the website. I will create a new heading called “determination” in “tool” to prepare that, and finally we will file them by type or category.

We all have some ability to help one another. Human capacities, photos or anatomic parts, this rubric will allow us to share these precious resources.

Some idea for the determination plates to be realized: . Little bones of pig “Sus scrofa domesticus” . Mysterious of rare bones (snout of pig or heart beef bone...) . Little bones of birds (specially cock and goose) . Bone fragments hardly identified . Skeleton of rare/special species: for example 22-weeks horse foetus.

You will surely have other ideas and you can reply to this article for suggestions. All photos and documents are welcome.