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This description is from Dan, the museum’s curator of vertebrate zoology. He’s chosen a selection of objects that represent the most fascinating animals in the Museum’s collections, that we’ll be sharing here – and
on hmns.org – throughout the year.These bones, part of the Attwater-Westheimer collection, represent the fourth specimen record of Manatee (Trichechus manatus) for the state Texas. They were collected prior to 1929 at San Jose Island, Aransas County.
For years they were passed over as part of a ‘vat of dolphin [Tursiops truncatus] bones’ which Attwater probably collected on the beach at San Jose Island concordant with collection of disarticulated dolphin skeletons.
This finding was important enough for HMNS staff to publish (2001. Tx. J. Sci. 53: 292-294).
You can see larger and more detailed images of this rare specimen – as well as the others we’ve posted so far this year – in the photo gallery on hmns.org.
I HAVE HAD FOR 30 YEARS A VOMITING SPATULA FROM THE TAINO INDIANS,THIS IS I BELEIVE MADE FROM A MANATEE RIB,IT IS VERY ORNATE. IF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE –GOOGLE VOMITING SPATULA-IT WAS USED BY THE TAINOS TO PURGE THIER BODIES OF FOOD SO THEY WOULD BE PURE ENOUGH TO PRAY TO THIER GODS-ON THE FRONT IT HAS ONE OF THIER CROUCHED DOWN “GODS” CUT INTO AND THRU THE BONE WHERE HIS ARMS ARE-HAVING LIVED IN THE CARRIBEAN AND TRAVELED ON BOATS- I COLLECT NAUTICAL ANTIQUES-IT WAS FOUND I WAS TOLD DEEP IN A CAVE IN THE TOWN OF SAMANA ON THE COAST OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WHERE I USED TO LIVE,CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE EVER SEEN ANOTHER ONE LIKE IT OR CAN GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION.THIS IS A QUALITY ARTIFACT IF YOU GIVE ME AN E-MAIL ADRESS I WILL SEND YOU SOME PICTURES I HAVE. THANK YOU, CARL PEGEL
Hi Carl, Thanks for your comment! You should have an email from me with more information.