Fish Fin? Insect Wing? _______? Help Me Out :)

[Sydneylh]

Hey everyone! I found this in some limestone I cracked open. It isn't very large, but I'm wondering if someone could help me out. I'm not asking about the shells popping out of the stone, but the small brownish thing next to the penny. Does this look like anything? A wing of something or a fish fin? I have no clue. I got the limestone from the woods today here in central Iowa. Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks!

Edited March 18, 2015 by Sydneylh

[abyssunder]

I think all of there are bivalves except one...cent

[Sydneylh]

I think all of there are bivalves except one...cent

Really? I didn't think it looked like a bivalve. It's shaped more like a wing or fin of some sort to me. I could definitely be incorrect though.

Just to clarify I'm not asking about the obvious shells in the stone, but rather the brownish colored thing with the penny placed next to it.

[Sydneylh]

I just did some more reading and found that it could possibly be a beetle elytra (the "shell" that covers the wings of a beetle). I wonder how old this is then since It was inside of a big chunk of limestone. I had no idea it was there until I cracked it in half lengthwise. Anyone agree with my finding or want to add anything?

[Darktooth]

I just dont know about an insect fossil mixed in with marine fossils. But then again im not an expert.

[abyssunder]

Sorry,it was a little joke...I know what you meant.

[John K]

they're bivalves. You're not going to find insect remains in amoungst marine fossils in that part of Iowa. The lines you might be mistaking for veins were caused as the animal's shell was crushed during the fossilization process.

[Fossildude19]

It's not a fish fin, or insect wing or beetle elytra. The insect parts wouldn't be found in the same time with the productid brachiopod that is on the same plate.

It is a piece of a bivalve, ...most likely a pelecypod similar to what I have posted here.

Regards.

[Auspex]

I see the resemblance to a beetle's wing cover, but we're still presuming that you are in the Devonian there, and winged insects had not yet evolved. A suggestively shaped shell fragment is a better bet.

[jpc]

Note also that the preservation is very different than the Branchiopod next to it. This is pretty common cuz clams and brachs are made of different stuff.