Please Help ID fish with possible horn

[GEORGE-GR-68]

Hi forum !

Many thanks for accepting me and very glad to join

Please help ID this fish. I have no any knowledge in fossils

weight of rock 1795 gr.

Length of rock 330 mm, width 109 mm, height 33mm,
length of fish 287 mm ( without the possible horn with horn approx. 295 mm ) , height 82 mm.

Please notice in the photo of the rock that I have poured water on it,

the fish seems to have some kind of a horn in front of its head.

 

Possible Creataceous period ?

 

Origin: My father in merchant navy had bought it in Brazil

 

Thanks for any answers

[Rockwood]

5 minutes ago, GEORGE68 said:

the fish seems to have some kind of a horn in front of its head.

 

Those are actually gill bones at the back of the head. The head is not visible.

[Top Trilo]

Can't help with species but you gave great information which will make an identification much easier for those who know their fish, and welcome from Colorado USA

[Rockwood]

Just noticed that it is pictured belly (ventral) side up. 

Hope I don't come across as being too rude. Just the facts as I see it.

[GEORGE-GR-68]

hi, thank you for all the comments. Yes excellent remark, stupid me ! Yes since it's a fossil and the characteristics are not very clearly evident , it did never cross my mind, that I had it upside down and what seemed to be a horn, looks actually a half head. I downsized images, rotated and I repost. Can the new pictures assist to ID this ?

[Rockwood]

Time is what is needed now I think. More knowledgeable folks will probably weigh in soon.

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

This looks like a Tharrhias araripis. 

 Brightened and contrasted:

 

Some professional preparation may be able to expose more of the skull. 

 

[GEORGE-GR-68]

many thanks, based on some photos I jest checked on the web for this Tharrhias araripis. , there are many similarities so it has been a great help !

[Rockwood]

51 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Some professional preparation may be able to expose more of the skull. 

Does it look as if the head might be rotated to expose more the ventral surface than is apparent ? The twist being somewhat obscured by the sectioning of the fish by the split. 

These fish are typically found by splitting concretions.

[Fossildude19]

Not sure. But the outlined areas appear (from the picture, at least) to be covering the bulk of the skull, if it is still there. 

 

[GEORGE-GR-68]

hi thanks took some photos with different angles don't know if that helps

[Fossildude19]

It is possible there is still more under there. 

[Rockwood]

I think it could probably could also be that the concretion just wasn't quite big enough to include the whole fish. Isn't there like a window/envelope of opportunity for preservation created by the formation of the concretion soon after burial ?

[Fossildude19]

2 hours ago, Rockwood said:

I think it could probably could also be that the concretion just wasn't quite big enough to include the whole fish. Isn't there like a window/envelope of opportunity for preservation created by the formation of the concretion soon after burial ?

Absolutely. There could have been predation or disarticulation due to decomposition. 

Fish heads and bellies are pretty commonly found "blown up or apart" from gasses produced during decomposition, prior to fossilization.

[IsaacTheFossilMan]

18 hours ago, GEORGE68 said:

Origin: My father in merchant navy had bought it in Brazil

 

Thanks for any answers

  

I believe that 'horn' structure is actually the back end of the head bones? I agree with the others, maybe look into professional prep to expose the skull.