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Belemnite Battlefield and Possible Bone Saltwick Bay North Yorkshire


judgesteve

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Dear All

Last week whilst searching between Saltwick Bay and Hawkser I found three large slabs at the base of the cliff which had recently fallen into soft shale. These three were part of what I believe is a Belemnite Battlefield comprising Acrocoelites vulgarise and subtenius (I believe from my very limited knowledge and looking at my books). I also believe they fell from the Middle Lias/Alum Shale member. As you know I am new to this site and also very new at trying to adopt a more serious study and collection of fossils. This means I often post photos which turn out not to be what I had hoped after receiving the wisdom of other members.

My wife and I managed to recover two of the, very heavy, slabs and I began preparing one example (I am a novice at this too) to display at home. During my research I read some very interesting posts here regarding the theories behind the presence of battlefields and in particular Tarquin's thread concerning bite marks on Belemnites and stomach contents in reptiles/fish. This led me to examine the opposite side of the rock slabs in much closer detail and I found what I can only describe as 'skin' like impressions and other strange markings. Before I touch the other slab I thought I had better post some photographs in case I am damaging something which requires further investigation by a more knowledgeable individual. apologies if I am imagining things again and please do not think that I am trying to turn my greatest find and biggest sense of elation to date into something bigger. I am just looking for advice before I take a Dremel to the second slab.

Best Regards

Steve

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Well the belemites are pretty awesome! Can't believe how many there are! Sorry I can't help beyond that.

Dipleurawhisperer5.jpg

I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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Hi Steve, great blocks and finding three in one go is even better! You're quite right with it being "the" belemnite battlefield bed in that area.

It's actually from the Ovatum Band at the very top of the Mulgrave Shale Member (the "Jet Rock").

The Alum Shale Member immediately overlies it and both members are Upper Lias. The Middle Lias is well below them, with the Grey Shale Member between.

As is often the case, your specimens are backed with a piece of a large septarian nodule and I think any odd textures are due to that. There may also be some cone in cone structure though your photos are a bit too small to tell.

I don't believe the skin like layer is anything fossil, just an inorganic outer coating of the nodule. Although bone does sometimes occur, I've only seen it mixed up with the belemnite layers. It does look odd though and you could perhaps post a larger photo of it.

Watch out for hooklets in the matrix between the belemnites! - there are many but not usually very clear.

Tarquin

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Pretty amazing specimens! Such plates are quite legendary.

I wonder whether the white encrustation might not be later mineral in-fill of a seam in the shale?

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Thank you for the information. When you suggest a larger photo can you suggest which parts and what you mean by larger please and i will do just that.

Steve

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Thanks, Steve, great photos. There's nothing to worry about damaging there, it's inorganic nodule structure as I said before.

There is cone in cone calcite present and that's producing the weird surface texture in the second photos of posts 6 (top and far right hand side) & 7.

It's also visible as the fibrous section in the top left of the first photo, post no. 8.

Happy prepping!

Tarquin

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Thank you for all the comments. A couple more quick questions please:

Are my ID's correct and does anyone have any links to the theories behind the creation of Belemnites Battlefields in particular the catastrophic event theory. I've seen some very long seams ( 7 meters length and upto 4cm depth) at about 10ft height North of Runswick and it doesn't seem possible that these could be regurgitated. I'm getting quite fond of the Belemnites but struggling to find anything above basic level online.

Many thanks

Steve

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Possibilities for these concentrations include lag deposits (where the heavy, resistant guards are swept of sediment by winnowing), post-breading mass mortality, or regurgitation by predators. Maybe even some of each.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Brilliant many thanks the Mariotti paper is very interesting and I look forward to reading the others.

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Auspex's "post breading" should of course read "post breeding".

I like my calamari breaded... :P

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Thank you for all the comments. A couple more quick questions please:

Are my ID's correct and does anyone have any links to the theories behind the creation of Belemnites Battlefields in particular the catastrophic event theory. I've seen some very long seams ( 7 meters length and upto 4cm depth) at about 10ft height North of Runswick and it doesn't seem possible that these could be regurgitated. I'm getting quite fond of the Belemnites but struggling to find anything above basic level online.

Many thanks

Steve

Yes, your IDs are correct apart from a couple of typos - it's Acrocoelites vulgaris and A. subtenuis.

Simpsonibelus dorsalis also occurs sometimes - I have one or two in my blocks but it can be hard to spot (a little stubbier than A. subtenuis and usually a bit club shaped, it also has a short alveolar groove which is a giveaway if it's showing).

I also have a 7" A. trisulculosus from it which hasn't been recorded before from that bed as far as I know so keep your eyes open!

Doyle's monograph, "The British Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) Belemnites" is the best modern guide although it could do with a bit of revision and expanding - that's true of just about all monographs though...

Tarquin

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