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County Durham, England - Fish


Brittle Star

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Paleoniscum freieslebeni

I thought you would like to see a complete fish that was found in 2001 and was donated to a geologist friend of mine for his lectures. Never taking my brother with me again as it was him that uncovered it, lump hammer and bolster chisel, he is 6 foot and has the weight to split the large slab it came out of, after that he panicked and did not know what to do, sis to the rescue. No prepping needed except to cut the block down to size, magnificent blue enamel like scales right down to the tip of its tail.  Nose to tail 9 inches with only a few scales missing.

Will post some more fish photos from the area later. A jaw with teeth from the same quarry and other complete and nearly complete from one nearby, different year. Watch this space.

Enjoy

Paleoniscum freieslebeni 1c found Sep 2001 now with Geologist in Hastings.jpg

Never ask a starfish for directions

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Wow, ... what an amazing specimen!  :blink::o:faint:    :envy:

The blue scales are quite remarkable. 

Thanks for showing us! 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Thanks, I was gutted, my brother is annoying at the best of times, I have not forgiven him yet, it was me that ended up preserving the thing, he actually went out and bought a rock saw to cut the block to size, made a good job of it without it breaking up. Now residing safely in Hastings. My brother offered it to a museum in the NE of England and they did not want it, said they had loads. Go figure. At least it is not stuck in a dusty drawer somewhere.

Ok now I have not logged off for the evening here is a tiny jaw from the same locality. Excuse my thumb, do not use that for scale anymore. I love the close up. Hope you do too. Not sure what it is from though, may look it out and see if the front goes any deeper or something is further back in matrix.

THQU-004B Fish Jaw.jpg

THQU-004D Fish Jaw.jpg

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Oooh! More goodies! 

Lovely! :wub: 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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OK this is the last one for this evening, same species different quarry and a lot more moth eaten. Have 5 more from same day. ALL MINE. About the same size. Note to self get them out and do better photo with a ruler. Really really going to log off now.

QRQU-006A Paleoniscum freieslebeni.jpg

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Still, ... such a pretty fish!  :drool:

(Even if it is displayed upside down.) ;)  :D 

 

The matrix looks awfully cross bedded. Is that the case?

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Really, upside down?? Really must get new glasses, death throws that is my excuse, the fish not me.

Never ask a starfish for directions

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6 minutes ago, Brittle Star said:

Really, upside down?? Really must get new glasses, death throws that is my excuse, the fish not me.

:rofl:

 

59d7c097b0822_Paleoniscumfreieslebeni1cfoundSep2001nowwithGeologistinHastings.thumb.jpg-vert.jpg

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Those are some amazing fish! :envy:

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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I've never seen a british fish with such nice details :wub:

Loving it!

If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM!

 

 

Mosasaurus_hoffmannii_skull_schematic.png

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Thanks Tim for your pointers of my upside photo, fish die upside down and I guess the rock stood up better that way up, who am I kidding note to self to do better next time and get my loupe out on the things head next time, I have a headless one no probs there. HA

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I think this is a scale, what do you think? It appears something decayed around it and it is not diamond shaped like the ones on the fish. I am not posting my other fish as they are really decayed with not much detail visible on the photo. Age Permian, sorry should have said the age on my first post on the subject.

QRQU-002B Fish scale.jpg

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4 hours ago, Brittle Star said:

I think this is a scale, what do you think? It appears something decayed around it and it is not diamond shaped like the ones on the fish. I am not posting my other fish as they are really decayed with not much detail visible on the photo. Age Permian, sorry should have said the age on my first post on the subject.

Brittlestar,

 

The fish orientation can be determined by the skull, the vertebral column (which is frequently about 2/3 of the way from the bottom of the fish,) and the upper caudal fin. The caudal has scales extending much further up on the  upper lobe of the caudal.  ;) 

 

Your latest item looks like skull elements, to me. Possibly a jaw (pointy bit) and gular plate, or part of the maxilla. Branchiostegals are a possibility as well.

I'd enjoy seeing even your poorly preserved fish. 
Many of my Jurassic/Triassic are partials, and poorly preserved. Anything from an area I have never been to is interesting, to me. :) 

Thanks for posting these - very cool.  B)

Regards,

Tim

 

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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On 10/8/2017 at 2:18 AM, Brittle Star said:

I think this is a scale, what do you think? It appears something decayed around it and it is not diamond shaped like the ones on the fish. I am not posting my other fish as they are really decayed with not much detail visible on the photo. Age Permian, sorry should have said the age on my first post on the subject.

QRQU-002B Fish scale.jpg

Some of these fish have a row of enlarged scales along the ridge of their back. This is one of those.

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Good call - I can see that now.  :dinothumb:

Probably should have asked for a size. 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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wow thank you for the ID, I never thought I would get past just calling it a scale. Will rename the photo straight away.

Never ask a starfish for directions

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On ‎06‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 7:19 PM, Fossildude19 said:

The matrix looks awfully cross bedded. Is that the case?

I will try and get it out to have another look. I need to put scales on some new photos and get my tripod out for my camera to get a closer shot. I think it is marl slate formed in the bottom of the Zechstein Sea, but cannot remember what the bedding was like, not too bad to prep, unlike some shale which can be a pain.

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OK just about to turn in, way past my bed time, here are the requested more mashed, flea bitten fish from County Durham. One probably took a header into the back of a Permian bus.

I think they are much of the same species but any suggestions or observations greatly appreciated. All found same place same day. Sorry exact location forgotten, some small quarry dumped material, actually picked over the day before by a school party would you believe. Apologies in advance of the ones that are upside down. See any replies tomorrow. England time.

 

QRQU-007A Paleoniscum freieslebeni.jpg

QRQU-008A Paleoniscum freieslebeni.jpg

QRQU-009A Paleoniscum freieslebeni.jpg

QRQU-010A Paleoniscum freieslebeni.jpg

QRQU-011A Paleoniscum freieslebeni.jpg

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Wow!

I think they're pretty darn cool. :) 

Thanks for posting them!

Regards, 

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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