Mesosaur?

[Bradley Flynn]

Found this, it's from the early permian ecca group. I have found mesosaur as well as pygocephalomorph crustaceans where the specimen in question was found. I first thought it might be a juvenile mesosaur, but the ribs look to thin for mesosaur.

 

Can anyone confirm juvenile mesosaur or is this something else?

 

I can't find any information on any other vertebrate fauna from the area and fish are rare. This specimen does look a little fishy though. 

[Bradley Flynn]

[Fossildude19]

Looks more like mesosaur than fish, to me.  

Wait for a few more opinions, though. 

@oilshale

The Permian Whitehill Formation (Ecca Group) of South Africa: a preliminary review of palaeoniscoid fishes and taphonomy Fiona J. Evans 1 and Patrick A. Bender 2 I Department of Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Xl, Matieland, 7602, South Africa; email: gscience@iafrica.com 2Museum of the Council for Geoscience, Private Bag Xl12, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

[Fossildude19]

I am not seeing scales you would expect to see on a fish.

The ribs are quite pronounced.

 

Cropped, enlarged, and contrasted:

 

 

 

 

[Bradley Flynn]

Thanks. I'm also leaning more towards mesosaur, but the ribs look thin in comparison with the vertebrae? Is there any info on juvenile mesasaurids available? 

[Bradley Flynn]

Some other torsos of mesosaur tenuidens from the same area for comparison. 

[Fossildude19]

I would bet on it being a juvenile. Can't help with any ID, however.

[Bradley Flynn]

Thank you, just needed some confirmation A juvenile of this size is fantastic