Insect ID request

[Ruger9a]

Can anyone tell me which insect this is?  It's Jurassic, Charmouth, Dorset, England.  1.5"

[Ruger9a]

[Thecosmilia Trichitoma]

 It looks like the crushed shell of an ammonite, maybe Harpoceras.

[FossilDAWG]

I agree it is a crushed shell, though I don't see enough to offer an ID on the shell.  I see nothing to support an ID as an insect.

 

Don

[LiamL]

Could it be a worn section of cuttlefish?

[Tidgy's Dad]

1 hour ago, LiamL said:

Could it be a worn section of cuttlefish?

Possible, but couldn't say for sure.

I've seen fragments of Phragmoteuthids that look similar to this from this location. 

(or should that read phragments of Fragmoteuthids? )

[Ruger9a]

LOL   A little disappointing but I'll be happy with Phragmoteuthids, at least it's identified and can be moved from my unidentified draw..  I "saw" the body of a wasp or butterfly in the concretion listed as insect.  I really need some new glasses...…  Thanks guys.

[TqB]

I think it's a section, probably near the apical end, of a Loligosepia gladius. These are often called cuttlefish by collectors although they don't appear on the scene until the late Cretaceous. Loligosepia is thought to be a vampyromorph.

(Phragmoteuthids are usually identified by their belemnoid phragmocones which loligosepiids don't have.)

 

A well known but scarce find at Charmouth.

 

Plate from this paper: Loligosepia

 

[Ruger9a]

Tarquin, Thank you for the identification and link!!!!  Is this fossil of a type or rarity that I should consider finding a new home for? 

[TqB]

9 hours ago, Ruger9a said:

Tarquin, Thank you for the identification and link!!!!  Is this fossil of a type or rarity that I should consider finding a new home for? 

You're welcome! These are always a good find and it's definitely a keeper but a few crop up each year so they don't need to go to an institution.

There seems to be just the one species of this genus at that location, L. bucklandi.

There are much rarer coleoids from there that should be notified (you still get to keep them if you want) - especially ones with arm crowns or well preserved soft parts, which doesn't usually happen with this species (it didn't have hooklets on the arms for a start).

I have a small number from there collected over the decades, mostly bought from local dealers - as was my best one here.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ruger9a]

That's a very NICE specimen!!!  Yes, I can see where mine lacks a lot of the details present on your Loligosepia.  It's so much larger than mine (1.5") as well.  Great news, I really do like my Loligosepia, (even before I knew what it was) and more so now that I know and can proudly display it with a complete description.  Thank you for everything!