Gramps Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 I found this broken nodule in an outcrop of Pennsylvanian shale in Northeast Oklahoma. I’m wondering if the fossil could be the upper part of a skull? Other common fossils from this site include fragmentary fish remains (e.g., teeth, spines, dermal denticles, and coprolites from sharks and other fishes), as well as invertebrate remains from ammonites, gastropods, bivalves, brachiopods, corals, and conularia. If this is a skull, would you guess it to be from a fish, amphibian, or reptile? I don’t see any traces of teeth in the nodule, but I can provide closer views of areas that might be of interest. I’ve done as much prep work as I dare with a brush and needle (my skills and tools are rudimentary). I look forward to any thoughts you may have. Best wishes . 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 More photos 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 Last photo 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 You don't happen to know which formation or member do you? Better location data for the find will help ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 Most of the shale in this area is from the Desmoinesian (middle Pennsylvanian). It is probably (but not definitively) from the Excello shale. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 I'll go with cartilage. Maybe a skull. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thair Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Looks similar to one I saw in the past that was "fish skull" Sorry I do not remember who posted it. Maybe "Carl" could look at since he has good reference info. I will email him and see if he can take a look. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Wow! I agree that this looks like chondricthyan cartilage. I'm looking into it and hope to have some sort of ID soon. Stay tuned. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Agree with above, this looks really interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 This is exciting! What a neat find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 @jdp @Petalodus12 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Carl said: Wow! I agree that this looks like chondricthyan cartilage. I'm looking into it and hope to have some sort of ID soon. Stay tuned. Hey! Good to see the cavalry is on the way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalodus12 Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 I’d agree that the pattern looks similar to cartilage and unlike any skull elements I’ve found 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 Thank you all so much for your help. Petalodus12: Any ideas about the part of the anatomy the cartilage might belong to? Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Braincase is correct. I'm not sure if the sculpture represents calcified cartilage tesserae or whether we're seeing fine sculpturing on the surface of skull bones. I think it might be the latter. Strange little long-snouted thing either way, though. I expect this will be scientifically important. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Great find My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Like RuMert said: neat find! 'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Here's what Dr. John Maisey says: "It’s a complete (?) iniopterygian skull. Dorsal surface is exposed. They are incredibly rare. [You] won’t find the teeth because they are on the other side and very tiny." He adds that you should definitely not prepare it any more. Iniopterygians and super weird chondricthyans. Congrats on a wonderful find! 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 22 minutes ago, Carl said: He adds that you should definitely not prepare it any more. Are you implying that a professional should prep it and maybe study it? 1 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 Thanks to Carl and everyone else who provided information. Carl, please express my thanks to Dr. Maisey. So that everyone knows the fossil is going to a good home, Carl has asked that I donate it to the American Museum of Natural History, and I have agreed to do so. (Now I need to find some journal articles on iniopterygians so I know what I've found. Best wishes 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFossils Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Fantastic find! Really interesting preservation. Hopefully someone writes up a paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runner64 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 10 minutes ago, Gramps said: Thanks to Carl and everyone else who provided information. Carl, please express my thanks to Dr. Maisey. So that everyone knows the fossil is going to a good home, Carl has asked that I donate it to the American Museum of Natural History, and I have agreed to do so. (Now I need to find some journal articles on iniopterygians so I know what I've found. Best wishes Congrats on the wonderful find! Most of us can only dream of finding a scientifically important fossil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Great find. And a super example of forum members working together to help get a result. 3 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Congrats on a great find. I'm thinking entry into VFOM contest. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagebrush Steve Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Don’t forget to submit it as fossil of the month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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