Kimmeridge Fossil - Help Required

[Dorset_Steve]

Been a long time since I posted on here (hope everyone good) but found an item at Kimmeridge bay which I need help identifying please.

Location: Kimmeridge Bay

Rock Type: Kimmeridge Clay with Iron Pyrite

Size - No more than 9cm across

Any ideas?

Looked through the etches collection and could not find anything close.

Am I looking at something modern, that has pyritised itself onto the clay?

I have done some annotation on one of the images - would genuinely appreciate any thoughts / views being rubbished for the sake of my learning. (please)

Many Thanks

Steve

[Ludwigia]

Now that's a tough one! I'd take it straight way to the nearest Paleontologist.

[JohnBrewer]

The photos are really out of focus so it's difficult to see anything. I'd definitely say no to feather, digit and webbing, it's all wrong for the age. It is odd though, I've not seen anything that colour along the coast at Charmouth other than some brown coloured icthyosaurus vertebrae but your pictures seem more golden, pyrite as you've said. That clay stuff is really fragile. If your out there worth taking a paint brush and gently brush away maybe with some water. Need to let the experienced folk to have a look but I doubt it will be good news I'm afraid.

[JohnBrewer]

The more I look it does look like the bone colour I've had from Charmouth.

Just about to be shot down in flames methinks!

Edited August 7, 2016 by JohnBrewer

[abyssunder]

I'm wondering if they couldn't be Actinostreon shells in upper view. https://www.google.com/search?q=actinostreon&biw=1360&bih=612&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_ubT6o7DOAhWIVRQKHRwoDBcQsAQIIQ

Edited August 7, 2016 by abyssunder

[Dorset_Steve]

Thanks John. Have spent many happy days at Chideock (just down from Charmouth as you can see from my profile picture) and my eyes are used to seeing pyritised ammonites. I guess this is why this specimen jumped out at Kimmeridge - where I have seen nothing like it before. Definitely at Kimmeridge - know the coast here well.

There have been a few examples of pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus from this location - which could explain the digit like features.

[Deborah V]

Please tell us what it turns out to be. That's an amazing find, by the way.

[Dorset_Steve]

abyssunder - thanks for the response. Can see the similarity certainly. Does not necessarily explain the "limb" like feature though?

[Red Benjamin]

Fantastic! it is difficult to see clearly, are you able to get some more detailed images?

[JohnBrewer]

The 'digits' don't look pterosaurid to me. http://www.reptileevolution.com/pterosaur-fingers.htm

I do think you need to follow Roger's advice here and get a paleontological to have a look.