This Friday I’ve decided to really challenge your identification skills with a single bone that I found in the Horniman’s collections.
There was no information of any kind with this specimen, although the material it shared a box with was acquired from the King’s College Comparative Zoology collection. That means that it could be from pretty much any animal on the planet. What do you think it is? (N.B. since it is tricky I’ve given you an image from every angle.)
As usual, you can put your questions, comments and suggestions below and I’ll do my best to respond during the day. Good luck (I think you may need it).
Zygoma 
Young ?
The line in picture three looks like the front line of the shinbone, but it looks more like a radius.
Yes indeed, it must be a fairly young individual since the proximal epiphysis is completely unfused and the distal is only just starting to fuse.
Your observations about it are spot-on, it is a radius, but it’s quite similar to the tibia in shape.
My first thought is radius, but it is quite thick compared to its length, so may be built for power rather than speed, I am going to have to wait for some clues from people with more stuff to compare it with.
That’s what I thought when I saw it and it eventually led me an idea about what it is.
O.a.?
I cannot for the life of me think what O.a. stands for in this context… It’s not what I think this is, but I would love to know in order to check!
I’ve sent you a Twitter DM, as I couldn’t come up with a cryptic clue that wasn’t so cryptic as to be undecipherable
For those wondering what O.a. was: Orycteropus afer (aardvark). But, Paolo says no 😦
It was a very good suggestion though – one that I considered myself!
Could a mutated variation be named after an Italian artist ?
No, it’s mammalian, not from a turtle!
thank you for that, as I had been exploring the idea of a crocadilian.
OK so short fat hairy legs, maybe a very special diet?
It does indeed have a pretty special diet
One of four species whose suborder begins with a ‘V’?
That’s what I had in mind!
As for species, an inspired guess: M.t.
Inspired indeed!
When it’s infected does it ooze with purple pinkish porpoise pus?
I’m afraid I’m being a bit dense with clues today and I have no idea what you mean – it just sounds like something that’s a bit manky!
I may have worked it out – if the pus was orange-red then you may be on to something!
the same number of digits as last weeks beastie?
That’ll be the one!