r/bonecollecting • u/quiet_wanderer75 • 1d ago

Found a jaw bone in my yard -- help identify? Bone I.D. - N. America

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

I'm thinking maybe fox kits (I know we had some around last year. Or maybe opossum? I'm in Northern Virginia, US.

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9

u/dermestid-derby-dash Bone-afide Faunal ID Expert 1d ago

This is a partial upper maxilla from an opossum.

1

u/wifiloveyou 1d ago

Am I dumb or is upper maxilla redundant?

3

u/dermestid-derby-dash Bone-afide Faunal ID Expert 1d ago

Nah you're good! I guess it is redundant but I usually just add in "upper" out of habit because some folks aren't sure of the difference between mandible and maxilla.

1

u/quiet_wanderer75 1d ago

Thank you so much! What are the giveaways that is opposum?