Whitby area find

[dhiggi]

Whilst on a long walk today in the Runswick Bay area looking for ammonites to practice my new air pen on, my daughter picked this up and commented that ‘it looks like poo’ (as most nine year olds probably would)

 

As I could offer no other identification for it I thought I’d ask here. There are also a couple of bivalves or similar to the side of it.

 

 Thank you for looking 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Looks like poo. 

[Ludwigia]

1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Looks like poo. 

Yup. Probably from the neighbor's cats, like in my garden

[dhiggi]

2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Looks like poo. 

Well I can’t argue with her that it looks like poo, but could it be? I’m pretty sure coprolites exist in the area but I can’t find a reliable picture of what they might look like

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hmmm.

@GeschWhat

@TqB

@LiamL

[LiamL]

It's a coprolite and a lovely example. 

[dhiggi]

1 minute ago, LiamL said:

It's a coprolite and a lovely example. 

Thank you Liam. Is it possible to speculate on the creature in question?

[PaleoNoel]

12 minutes ago, dhiggi said:

Is it possible to speculate on the creature in question?

Given the area, I would guess Ichthyosaur but large fish and plesiosaur are also options

[LiamL]

23 minutes ago, dhiggi said:

Thank you Liam. Is it possible to speculate on the creature in question?

You can never know for sure but like @PaleoNoel has said ichthyosaur, plesiosaur, or Gyrosteus are a good bet. Maybe even croc. Neat find either way.

[LiamL]

You might want to stabilise the shale because it cracks when it dries out. 

[dhiggi]

5 minutes ago, LiamL said:

You might want to stabilise the shale because it cracks when it dries out. 

Thank you. I’ve had shale fossils shatter on me before so I’ve got it somewhere cold and damp at the moment. Can this be done with PVA or similar household products or do I need to order something online for the job?

[Mark Kmiecik]

6 minutes ago, dhiggi said:

Thank you. I’ve had shale fossils shatter on me before so I’ve got it somewhere cold and damp at the moment. Can this be done with PVA or similar household products or do I need to order something online for the job?

That's some nice "stuff"! (Quotation marks are mine. Spelling is courtesy of the forum software.)  I'd use something professional grade on that specimen. I believe retention is in order.

[Ludwigia]

2 hours ago, dhiggi said:

  Is it possible to speculate on the creature in question?

I'm still pretty sure it was the neighbor's cat

[minnbuckeye]

2 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

it was the neighbor's cat

Were cats part of the  ichthyosaur diet???

[TqB]

12 hours ago, dhiggi said:

Thank you. I’ve had shale fossils shatter on me before so I’ve got it somewhere cold and damp at the moment. Can this be done with PVA or similar household products or do I need to order something online for the job?

PVA does work, and you can apply a thin solution to wet objects. It's irreversible though and paraloid solution is a better bet, applied after slow drying out. For a splitting shale, use a 5 - 10% solution in acetone (weight:volume, that's 5 - 10g in 100ml). With good ventilation! 

Edited September 7, 2020 by TqB

[dhiggi]

2 hours ago, TqB said:

PVA does work, and you can apply a thin solution to wet objects. It's irreversible though and paraloid solution is a better bet, applied after slow drying out. For a splitting shale, use a 5 - 10% solution in acetone (weight:volume, that's 5 - 10g in 100ml). With good ventilation! 

Thank you @TqB, we’ve got quite a few nice specimens in shale now that I’d be upset to lose so I’ll do the job properly 

[Mark Kmiecik]

22 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

I'm still pretty sure it was the neighbor's cat

What was your neighbor's cat doing in England? Oops, never mind. I just read that it was being eaten by an ichthyosaur. 

[GeschWhat]

Nice coprolite!

 

If you stabilize the shale, try not to get any on the coprolite. 

 

 

 

 

[dhiggi]

Thank you @GeschWhat

I have paraloid and acetone on order; would you suggest submerging/coating all of the matrix right up to the coprolite, or maybe leaving the whole top surface free from the adhesive?

[GeschWhat]

35 minutes ago, dhiggi said:

Thank you @GeschWhat

I have paraloid and acetone on order; would you suggest submerging/coating all of the matrix right up to the coprolite, or maybe leaving the whole top surface free from the adhesive?

I usually just use a small, soft artist's paint brush to dab the solution on the top surface of the matrix. Try to stay about a 1 - 0.5 cm away from the coprolite as you apply the solution in case it runs. 

[dhiggi]

Just now, GeschWhat said:

I usually just use a small, soft artist's paint brush to dab the solution on the top surface of the matrix. Try to stay about a 1 - 0.5 cm away from the coprolite as you apply the solution in case it runs. 

So is it enough just to coat the outside of the shale and not necessarily to let it soak into any splits that may already exist?

[GeschWhat]

You just want to be careful that none gets onto the coprolite itself. 

[Thecosmilia Trichitoma]

Protect the poo, protect the poo,

So carefully placed in the prehistoric loo,

The delicate lines of hardened goo,

Preserved as if it were brand new,

Of irreplaceable value,

So whatever you do, protect the poo,

And keep it free of any glue!

 

 

 

 

[Thecosmilia Trichitoma]

I apologize for my horrific poetry,

I don't know what got in to me.