Frank Menser Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Just found at the pond what I think might be a gill plate from a big fish. I cannot post the pic here as for some fool reason it is not allowing me. Nor am I getting any access to my personal mail. The piece I have is roughly 3" x 3" pancake thin but slightly curved and shows a ray pattern. Definitely organic as it shows cell structure (visable through a break. Has anyone got gill plate photos? I have found large teeth from Enchodus and Xip (Tarpon) big enough at this site. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Just found at the pond what I think might be a gill plate from a big fish. I cannot post the pic here as for some fool reason it is not allowing me. Nor am I getting any access to my personal mail. The piece I have is roughly 3" x 3" pancake thin but slightly curved and shows a ray pattern. Definitely organic as it shows cell structure (visable through a break. Has anyone got gill plate photos? I have found large teeth from Enchodus and Xip (Tarpon) big enough at this site. Frank - any images of the other side? It looks a little heavy to be a operculum. My guess it is part of the cletherium (spelling?)or the fish "shoulder blade". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks, I have the photos just can't post them. Will contact you via the forum, and send you my Email as I can send them that way. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Frank you seem to have posted one. I don't why you shouldn't be able to post more. Just click browse and choose your file then click attach file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Gator, Ok..that surprised me. I found it with the browser but never actually posted it got as far as the attach button. Am Trying again here. Still can't access my menu or PM. Will try to post a couple more pics as soon as I photoshop them. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Just found at the pond what I think might be a gill plate from a big fish. I cannot post the pic here as for some fool reason it is not allowing me. Nor am I getting any access to my personal mail. The piece I have is roughly 3" x 3" pancake thin but slightly curved and shows a ray pattern. Definitely organic as it shows cell structure (visable through a break. Has anyone got gill plate photos? I have found large teeth from Enchodus and Xip (Tarpon) big enough at this site. Your fossil reminds me of a reptile ileum with some high points broken away. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 (edited) If they post here are two more shots including the flip side. Ok...one out of two... Edited September 9, 2009 by Frank Menser Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Her is the other (I hope). Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Okay . . . it doesn't seem to have the contours of an ileum. See if any of these is a better fit. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Not really close to any of those but closer to the fourth one down on the left than any. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Harry and his resources to the rescue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obsessed1 Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I have no internet at my house yet so it's hard for me to post much but I did manage to find an old post with a photo of a gill plate from the cliffs here in Md. http://www.blackriverfossils.org/Portals/0/Product/obsessed1/Gill%20Plate%20WS%2007.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 i've eaten a lot of fish and don't know why one would need that thik a bone just to cover gils. i do kinda like the word "opercular" though and wud like to use it more. maybe that bone is a scabula or coracoid from a mosaturtle or sumpin... don't know but bet it was tasty. tracer's cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 i've eaten a lot of fish and don't know why one would need that thik a bone just to cover gils. i do kinda like the word "opercular" though and wud like to use it more. maybe that bone is a scabula or coracoid from a mosaturtle or sumpin... don't know but bet it was tasty. tracer's cat Frank, it's hard to really see details in your photos. Could you post more that are cropped and focused? I hate to admit it, but tracer's cat is echoing the thoughts I've had since you posted... The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Frank- Still think this is way too heavy for a gill plate. The bone I am referring to is the one that the pectoral fin attaches to. Here is a picture from Oceansofkansas.com: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Oceans of Kansas has this drawing of some mosasaur parts: "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Oceans of Kansas has this drawing of some mosasaur parts: Good call Auspex! Frank's piece looks a lot like that scapula/coracoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Sad to think tracer's cat could be the most observant among us.... Frank, here is a partial scapula from a small mosasaur (probably a Plioplatecarpus sp. - I have the quadrates). Your specimen does look more like a mosasaur bone fragment than fish. However, I wouldn't rule out turtle. It will be easier for you to compare yours to the OOK website photos. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 Interesting. The only problem is the strata this came out of I beleave is too recent for a Mosasaur. This came out of an area that produced Whale, Walrus and Megs. Looking at the pic of the Xiphactinus the top part of the shoulder where it tucks under the gill looks more like it to me than anything so far. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 The fact that this came from the spoils of an excavation through (at least) two depositional strata means you can't completely rule it out. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Interesting. The only problem is the strata this came out of I beleave is too recent for a Mosasaur. This came out of an area that produced Whale, Walrus and Megs. Looking at the pic of the Xiphactinus the top part of the shoulder where it tucks under the gill looks more like it to me than anything so far. If it's too recent for mosasaur, then the same would be true for X-fish. Is there Cretaceous "float" in the spoils? How does it compare to turtle plastron material? The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 The fact that this came from the spoils of an excavation through (at least) two depositional strata means you can't completely rule it out. The thing is this did not come from a spoil pile. Basically, someone was digging out a pond and they hauled the excess away. What we have here is an exposed "beach" with two distinctly different strata (older grey, newer orange) exposed side by side with a small transition zone and a very different fauna represented in each. This was very solidly in the orange zone. I am very familiar with turtle material-in Florida especially, as it is the most common vert fossil. I have found turtle there as well. This isn't it. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsmull Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Frank, the pond has been dug out. So all this material is mixed together. Theres no real strata layers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share Posted September 13, 2009 Actually that is not the case. As per our conversation, the spoil material dug out of the pond was hauled off. Again, the very clear seperation between the gray zone and the orange zone would not be possible if everything was mixed up. Nor would the very different fossils found in each zone. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now