What have we got here?

[caldigger]

Okey donkey, my sister just brought this to me. Found hiking in a dry riverbed in Paso Robles, California. The area and rock tell me it is Monterey Shale Formation (Miocene).  I said it looks to be fish, but the size of the ribs don't seem to fluctuate which would make it a long creature.  Now there is an outcropping of Pipefish about 15 miles south of here, could it be one or ?  As you can see from my hand, it is about a 1 1/2" long vertibral column.

Thanks, caldigger

 

 

[Troodon]

Need a shot more perpendicular to the "fish"

[caldigger]

That's actually straight on to the fossil. It's my hand that's at an angle.  I will try to get some more shots if that will help.

[Troodon]

Okay changed my perspective I'm with you.  Tried blowing it up and darking.  Looks fishy to me but I the last guy who knows about marine critters. 

 

 

[Fossildude19]

Neat fish, Doren. 

I'll check my books later when I get home from work, but, it looks like  the matrix may split further on that plane.

If the caudal fin is present, it might be possible to ID further. 

Regards, 

[FossilDudeCO]

I like Tim's idea, but those ribs do creep me out.

Almost all the fish I dig show a size variance.

[fifbrindacier]

Nice little thing, you can neatly see the vertebrae ! I'm eager to know what it is. Your sister is Lucky.

[caldigger]

Like I said in the original post, there are Pipefish fairly close by and their bodies are somewhat straight and long.

 

Maybe there is another deposit of these guys up here.

[doushantuo]

It might be Syngnathus avus(as per Jordan & Gilbert)

NB: I DON't have the 1931 revision of some of their taxa,BTW

[AncientEarth]

Just a regular, little herring. not a pipefish. body might be long, but look at the spine, ribs, and how they compare to a pipefish.