Found fossil skull of some kind of rodent. What is it?

[Eyefind]

Found at Flag Ponds nature preserve in the Cheaspeake Bay.

 

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[Fat]

.... I’m no expert but it looks like a gopher skull. I think the dark color is from muddy mucky water stain.
It is a non stop job trapping gophers on hay meadows, here where I live...

 

[Eyefind]

I was thinking muskrat... What gets me is that its jet black just like the fossil shark teeth I find here. The park ranger said the color was indication of age but seemed confused as to why it was where I found it and didn't have an idea what it might be. Thanks for the response Fat. Very well could be a gopher and picked up some mineral deposit.

 

[CaptEsteban]

The color of fossils ;

https://www.fossilguy.com/topics/shark-teeth-colors/index.htm

 

[Eyefind]

CaptEsteban would you agree from the article you sent that perminerlization did acure with this find and infact is a fossil and not modern? If so this skull could be important as not many land animal fossils are found in this area as it once was a shallow sea. I have hundreds of fossils and I can see a comparison unlike to old, muddy, recent bones I have found in the woods. Not to mention the location where many other fossils I find have the same color. Its a rodent for sure and still has me stumped. Thanks for the good read.