Quick Devonian ID

[Kane]

Not something I find very often. Thinking it might be bryozoan, but unsure. Mid-Devonian, Widder Fm, Hamilton Gp. Any help is appreciated to ID this one so I can properly catalogue it.

[tmaier]

On your scale, you should designate inches or centimeters.

Maybe the cephalon of a trilobite? Has that exoskeleton texture to me.

[Kane]

My apologies - Must have been cropped! The scale is in centimetres. 

[Guest11596]

I'd say placoderm armour. It's difficult to tell from the photo but there appears to be cancellous bone present and the bumps seem to be weathered/worn denticles.

[Kane]

Thanks, @middevonian - I was secretly hoping I had a bona fide piece of placoderm plate. The pustular surface made me hopeful. I can try to put the microscope on the potential spongy bone area.

[Raggedy Man]

30 minutes ago, Kane said:

Thanks, @middevonian - I was secretly hoping I had a bona fide piece of placoderm plate. The pustular surface made me hopeful. I can try to put the microscope on the potential spongy bone area.

 

Hey Kane, here is a link to a specimen posted by a fellow forum member. I also would have thought bryozoan, but the overall morphology doesn't feel right. Comparing your specimen to the one in the link shows similar structures. I hope this of some use.

Best regards,

Paul

[fifbrindacier]

I agree it could be a placoderm.

[Fossildude19]

Great placoderm plate, Kane! 

Congratulations on your first Devonian fish! 

Regards, 

[Kane]

Just a quick note of thanks, everyone, for the ID help. Having my first confirmed fish plate is quite exciting!

[Fossildude19]

Kane, I wonder if this could be prepped out further? 

 

[Kane]

@Fossildude19 As far as I can tell, there is only one tiny section that could be "revealed," but it doesn't seem to continue any further in the matrix. This stuff is very fragile/unforgiving to work with (some botched attempts at flaky Greenops attest to that!), so I'd probably entrust prep to a much more seasoned hand than my clumsy paws! I'm arranging to meet with a colleague over at the earth sci dept who has some specialist knowledge in Devonian critters to give it an in-hand look; none of my attempts to zero in on a visual ID have narrowed it down to a specific species (relying here on UMMP and the Kesling & Chilman plates). But, on the remote chance it may be something new, I'll be happy to donate it.

 

PS: Given that you know your fish, is there enough here to determine what part of this prehistoric peche I'm looking at?

[Fossildude19]

Gotchya!  

 

Although I am familiar with some fish, my knowledge of Devonian era fish is sadly lacking. 

I know enough to know it is placoderm armor, and that you guys seem to find more of it up in Canada than we do here in the states,... at least, from the Devonian places I have collected from. 

Would enjoy hearing about anything your friend can add to the conversation. 

I'd love to learn more about these critters. 

Also - how about a shot of the sides and back? Interesting looking over on the upper left in your photo. 

Regards,

 

 

[Shamalama]

Kane,

 

That is a nice piece to find in the Widder and I agree looks to be from a Placoderm. The blueish color is a hint (so long as the color is true in your photo as compared to real life) as are the bumps and the one broken/exposed section that appears to be "boney" looking. Nice find, I still have not found any fishy bits there.

 

 

[piranha]

The tubercles are similar to: Protitanichthys sp.

 

image from: http://www.crinus.info/