Expert: Ralph Salier - 2/26/2009

Question
hi Ralph,

about 10 years back, i found this bone when i was visiting the salton sea in southern california. i have always wondered what it might have come from and i am not to sure who i should ask so i hope that i am right in asking you for help.

i took several pictures of it, here are links to them
http://tinyurl.com/c3dkqz
http://tinyurl.com/b6q5by
http://tinyurl.com/br7tuk
http://tinyurl.com/a9kf24
http://tinyurl.com/apjg2k

Answer
Hi Ginger,

Sorry it took some time to get back with you.  This may be the vertebra of a bison. The website below shows the bones of the bison.  

http://lamar.colostate.edu/~lctodd/thoracic.htm

There are also some kinds of cattle that have these kinds of vertebra as well like Brama Bulls.

If you have a museum of natural history or science near where you live, they may beable to pinpoint age and sex from the bone as well.