Kasia has returned to grace the blog with treasures from her Abaco beach-combing from the Delphi Club and further afield. Expect more shells, more sea glass… and more mystery objects. We have already had part of a RAY’S PALATE and a PACIFIC ANGARIA SHELL that had somehow arrived on the shores of Abaco. There’s a long thin WHITE BONE, as yet unidentified (no suggestions yet). And now this extraordinary item…
To which my answer is “not the faintest idea”. My guesses are (1) a fossilised vertebra of some medium-sized creature (2) a fossilised ‘soft’ rock that worms have been at (but why only on one side?) (3) a bread roll that went disastrously wrong in the baking…
All suggestions welcome, preferably via the COMMENT box (so others can view them); or to rollingharbour.delphiATgmail.com (spam guard: convert AT to @)
STOP PRESS Mystery quickly solved, thanks to Colin Redfern who says “This is part of the remains of a colony of Petaloconchus worm-shells (molluscs). They attach to rock or coral, and the colonies can be quite large.” Colin’s website includes some examples from his archive, one chunk being very similar to Kasia’s 
ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO 
Hi Kasia, I agree it does look like a ‘Almond sticky Bun’ gone wrong in the oven too much yeast! what an unusual object and the creature that created it. Keep up the brilliant beachcombing,
Regards,
Trish Finfdlater
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Hi Trish, very good to hear from you. At last. Surely some stories and pics from your last visit to DCB? Belated congratulations to you and Alex on your bones bonanza… XX rh
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This is part of the remains of a colony of Petaloconchus worm-shells (molluscs). They attach to rock or coral, and the colonies can be quite large. Some larger fragments from Abaco beaches can be seen at http://www.bahamianseashells.com/featured.html
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Many thanks, Colin – lucky I didn’t offer a prize, with you as beach-news monitor! You’ll see I have revised the shells section, so thanks also for your advice on species and subspecies. Best, rh
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It looks like the inside of an ear drum or something… Or maybe I’ve spent too much time in the doctor’s office staring at those weird posters.
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Hi Farah. The first suggestion! Thanks. Good thinking, but of what? Not human at that size – or indeed at all – I hope. And wouldn’t it be more squirly, intricate and delicate if an ear interior? Maybe your Doctor had the wrong posters up, perhaps meant for a zoo? ATB, rh
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