What are these bizarre fossils?

[paule]

Hi all, 

 

I have just had a read through all the information for new members when submitting new fossils for identification. I will do my best to try and cover all the items listed and hope it helps anyone to identify my 2 fossils.

 

The two pictures are indeed high-res images so that’s a good start.

 

However, first off, I purchased these two fossils from a large estate sale. There were a number of other fossils available but these two were the most majestic which caught my eye as they looked quite bizarre and unusual to me. They are mounted on perspex.

 

Sadly, since they were from an estate sale, there was zero paperwork available and no one at the auction house could assist with identification.

 

I have done a bit of research (thanks Google) but couldn’t pinpoint any dino fossils that even looked similar to these ones. I did suspect Mesosaurs but the head just doesn’t look quite right.

 

I also do not know if both fossils are of the same species.

 

I am located in Australia, however that in no ways implies these fossils are Australian. The estate sale included items from the US, UK, Africa, Peru, Europe and everywhere else. Whoever the estate belonged to had an impressive collection. 

 

Here are some measurement for the 2 fossils. 

 

Photo 1 (with the head and beak pointing upwards): 

Head to Tail Length: 650mm

Width at widest part of the body: 60mm

Head and beak length: 50mm

Tail Only length: 320mm

Body Only Length: 200mm

 

Photo 2:

Head to Tail Length: 520mm

Width at widest part of the body: 50mm

Head and beak length: 60mm

Tail Only length: 250mm

Body Only Length: 240mm

 

In any case, any help with IDing who these 2 little fellas are would be very much appreciated. 

 

Anyone else think it’s a Mesosaurs?

[Fossildude19]

I agree, these look like Mesosaurus sp.

[FranzBernhard]

Welcome to TFF from Austria, your tiny sibling at the other side of the globe .

 

Its a real pity that there is no documentation associated with them. It would have been very easy and unobtrusive to glue "something" on the back site of the specimen.

 

5 hours ago, paule said:

Whoever the estate belonged to had an impressive collection.

Sorry, it isn´t impressive and also not really a collection. Just a pile of, well,... Without "some" documentation, nearly everything is nearly worthless (scientifically and monetary).

 

Franz Bernhard

Edited June 10, 2022 by FranzBernhard

[paule]

2 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

I agree, these look like Mesosaurus sp.

Quite possibly, but I feel Mesosaurus had more of a triangular head, these seems to have almost a 'beak'

[paule]

17 minutes ago, FranzBernhard said:

Welcome to TFF from Austria, your tiny sibling at the other side of the globe .

 

Its a real pity that there is no documentation associated with them. It would have been very easy and unobtrusive to glue "something" on the back site of the specimen.

 

Sorry, it isn´t impressive and also not really a collection. Just a pile of, well,... Without "some" documentation, nearly everything is nearly worthless (scientifically and monetary).

 

Franz Bernhard

Yes, sadly there is no documentation. I just would love to know what dino's these are, I'm not concerned about their worth. Also, when I referred to an 'impressive collection' I was referring to the 1000+ items that were included in the entire estate sale. I wasn't referring to these 2 items.

[Fossildude19]

8 hours ago, paule said:

Quite possibly, but I feel Mesosaurus had more of a triangular head, these seems to have almost a 'beak'

 

The position of the head is what is causing your confusion here.

They look like they were ventrally preserved, (Belly up) . You are looking at the underside of the jaws, hence the "beak-like" appearance.

Also, there is no way to know from the photos if pieces were missing, or if there is more under the matrix, etc.