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Fish scale from the Pennsylvanian of Pittsburgh


Italo40

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Dear Members, 

three years ago I found a small fossil in the Ames Limestone Formation (Pennsylvanian in age) exposed in Frick Park, Pittsburgh, PA. 

The Ames Limestone preserves a rich assemblage of marine invertebrate fossils (crinoids, corals, etc.). On the other hand vertebrates are much more rare (as far as I know).

Originally only the tip was exposed, then I had a fossil preparator work on it, so that the whole specimen is now visible. 

1-1.thumb.jpg.25599a67f8ff8622a0942bb79ae5ff64.jpg

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Close up of the tip at 20X

 

20190906_190808.thumb.jpg.28a4a9cfa24b640d3af2ec9dab758bbe.jpg

 

It is definetely fragmentary, but I don't know what it is. I would exclude a fish/shark tooth, because it is too flattened. I think it might be a fish scale, but I really don't know. 

Do you have any idea?

Thank you, 

Fabio

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Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter).

 

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    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

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Interesting  !!!   What is the size ? I will be curious and waiting for an ID :popcorn: Alligator Gars supposedly go back 100 mya, but nothing close to Pennsylvanian .

 

GarFishScaleMergeText.thumb.jpg.79d99c3f02e7a43607f12b7cde0b2aae.jpg

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The White Queen  ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast"

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14 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

Interesting  !!!   What is the size ? I will be curious and waiting for an ID :popcorn: Alligator Gars supposedly go back 100 mya, but nothing close to Pennsylvanian .

 

GarFishScaleMergeText.thumb.jpg.79d99c3f02e7a43607f12b7cde0b2aae.jpg

Indeed I forgot to mention the size. The specimen is circa 2,5 cm (1 in) long.

Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter).

 

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Hm, I’m not an expert but I’d say that it looks to be more along the lines of shark tooth material (possibly root fragment?). I know Petalodus teeth can be found in this layer and their roots have a similar structure. Usually the scales I find in the area have a distinct covering of ganoine (which is shiny) and this lacks that. So my guess would be shark tooth root material, although I could be wrong. 

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34 minutes ago, Petalodus12 said:

Hm, I’m not an expert but I’d say that it looks to be more along the lines of shark tooth material (possibly root fragment?). I know Petalodus teeth can be found in this layer and their roots have a similar structure. Usually the scales I find in the area have a distinct covering of ganoine (which is shiny) and this lacks that. So my guess would be shark tooth root material, although I could be wrong. 

That looks possible:

http://www.fossilmall.com/Pangaea/pfish/pfish13/pfish13.htm

pennsyFishrootTFF.JPG.67f8198cb7b0f2977c2d8949a8174783.JPG

 

The White Queen  ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast"

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