Rare preservation of articulated pterygiophores (fin supports).

Early Jurassic (from the Shuttle Meadow Fm. CT) fish fossil Redfieldius gracilis showing rare preservation of the pterygiophores - (supporting bones of the anal fin).

This is the first time in 17 years of hunting that I have found a fossil with the pterygiophores still articulated and visible.

I'm guessing that decompositional gasses may have caused the outer scales to explode outward, and reveal these internal bones, just prior to being covered over.

I later discovered that I had found the other half of this fossil on a different trip, which does not expose the pterygiophores, but merely shows the outer scales, so the decomposition only affected one side of the fish.

I think this is a rather interesting fossil story.