Fossils from the French west coast

[charlie3425]

I was able to obtain a couple of fossils found on the western coast line of France. The first one is presumably a piece of paddle bone from the upper tithonian, found between Wimereux and Cap de la Crèche. It measures about 220 x 160 x 65mm. Very heavy.

 

The second is a vertebra found between Cap d'Alprech and Equihen (Tithonian). Measuring about 80 x 65 x 35mm.

 

Could these be pliosaur or rather plesiosaur fossils? I'm sure they are too worn to identify better than sp.?

 

Thanx for notes!

Edited February 23, 2022 by charlie3425

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Yeah, Philippe has made some really great finds over the years. Not all is as easily identifiable, though, as is unfortunately also the case here. While the vertebra's round shape and the presence of a mamilla are indicative enough of the bone having belonged to a pliosaur, the typical features Tarlo (1960) uses to distinguish species - such as bevelling, lipping and keel - have all weathered away. There's a good chance that the species is Pliosaurus, as this is traditionally seen as the only genus of pliosaurus around at that time, but it has, in recent years, also been recognized that Liopleurodon may have extended further into younger strata than previously thought.

 

As for the propodial: unfortunately there's too little left to make any statements about it. Normally you'd be able to look at the shape of the distal end such a podial, which would tell you at least if it's plesiosaur or pliosaur. But in this case the propodial is just too rounded off for any diagnostic details to still remain present. All the same, it does seem a rather massive piece, so there's a chance this could've been pliosaur.