# Found mandible (pics): ID? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752 "2010-11-15T16:43:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752/1 "2010-11-15T16:43:31Z")
A friend found half of a mandible the other day, complete with teeth. Can anyone here identify it? Her guess was a snake (which I explained was wrong). My _guess_ was opossum. It is about 6 cm in length. Photos: [One](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/mandible4.jpg) [Two](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/mandible3.jpg) [Three](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/mandible1.jpg) [Four](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/mandible5.jpg) Location is western Pennsylvania. Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752/2 "2010-11-15T17:00:31Z")
Definitely opossum. Aside from other features, it has 4 incisors, which is unique among North American mammals. It appears to be a young animal, since some of the teeth are still erupting. See [here.](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/teeth_photos/opossum_skull_ventral.jpg) In snakes, all the teeth are similar. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752/3 "2010-11-15T17:08:18Z")
From [this chart of dental formulae](http://www.wildwoodtracking.com/skulls/dentalformulae.html), it looks like the opossum is the only species with four incisors on each side of its lower jaw. So if that’s a perfect half-jaw, I think you’re right. ETA: Well, if I’m going to get scooped on a question like this, at least it’s by **Colibri**. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752/4 "2010-11-15T17:14:22Z")
Well, I’m stoked. Opossum seemed a good guess just based on what is around here. The finder told me she would owe me a dinner if my original guess was correct, so I’m gonna start picking out restaurant ideas.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752/5 "2010-11-15T17:17:04Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > From [this chart of dental formulae](http://www.wildwoodtracking.com/skulls/dentalformulae.html), it looks like the opossum is the only species with four incisors on each side of its lower jaw. So if that’s a perfect half-jaw, I think you’re right. > > ETA: Well, if I’m going to get scooped on a question like this, at least it’s by **Colibri**. That’s a very handy site for reference though. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-mandible-pics-id/560752/6 "2010-11-15T17:18:52Z")
Maybe you should order something vegetarian, considering there’s a mostly _missing_ recently-dead opossum in your area.