GeschWhat Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Another fine find from Sacha's Merritt Island Micro Matrix. I'm thinking this is modern, and it has a crustacean vibe to it. Any clue as to what this might be? @old bones @MarcoSr Link to post Share on other sites
abyssunder Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 That's very interesting! Maybe a coral fragment ? picture from here 2 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 3, 2018 Author Share Posted April 3, 2018 Could be...I really have no clue. Link to post Share on other sites
Auspex Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 It looks to me more like calcium that chiton... Maybe urchin 'teeth'? 2 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 3, 2018 Author Share Posted April 3, 2018 7 minutes ago, Auspex said: It looks to me more like calcium that chiton... Maybe urchin 'teeth'? Wow...those are really cool looking! Although, I think this is a little beefier. Somewhere in a box, I have some dried urchins that my grandmother collected years ago up in Alaska. I might have to dig them out to see if they still have their mouth parts. Link to post Share on other sites
Auspex Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 There appears to be an endless variety of form with these things. The image I posted was just the first one I came to. Could also be way off base... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
old bones Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Wow, Lori! I haven't found anything quite like that. It does make one think of crab, but I hope that @Al Dente or @MarcoSr will have an opinion. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 3 hours ago, Auspex said: There appears to be an endless variety of form with these things. The image I posted was just the first one I came to. Could also be way off base... You could be correct...this is way, way out of my knowledge base. The whole internal structure (Aristotle's lantern) is quite beautiful! Link to post Share on other sites
Al Dente Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 The glossy appearance makes me think enamel. Looks like part of an alligator gar scale. Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 4 hours ago, Al Dente said: The glossy appearance makes me think enamel. Looks like part of an alligator gar scale. Enamel would fit with what I'm seeing. However, I don't think this is a fragment, since it not appear to be broken (except perhaps in one chipped spot at the narrow end). Aren't scales usually smooth on the under side? Or would the bumpy side be on the surface? With the little nodules on the bottom/sides, it almost appears like it would have been embedded in the skin. What about a denticle/dermal plate? Do gars have those as well? Or am I talking apples and apples? Would additional (better) photos of the sides help? Sorry, I feel like a toddler with all the questions - just way out of my element. Link to post Share on other sites
JohnJ Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Pharyngeal tooth? 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Max-fossils Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Everyone is proposing totally different things! This one sure seems like a tough one... I'll be following the topic, as I am curious of the evolution on the ID suggestions. Whatever it is, it sure does look cool, so nice find Lori! Max 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 Thanks, Max - It's definitely different. Link to post Share on other sites
MarcoSr Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Lori Your specimen doesn't match anything that I'm familiar with. It does look modern based upon the white color and glossy look. Marco Sr. Link to post Share on other sites
abyssunder Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 It might be also a dermal denticle fragment. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 You may just have something there @abyssunder! Now if I could only see the backside. @Harry Pristis what do you think? Link to post Share on other sites
Harry Pristis Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Gar scale, I'd say. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 @Harry Pristis do you still have the ray denticles that are in your gallery? If so, could you post a photo of the underside? The bumps on the underside don't seem right for a gar scale. 14 hours ago, abyssunder said: Link to post Share on other sites
Al Dente Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 3 hours ago, GeschWhat said: The bumps on the underside don't seem right for a gar scale. I think the bone has decomposed leaving only the enamel part of the scale. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GeschWhat Posted April 6, 2018 Author Share Posted April 6, 2018 16 hours ago, Al Dente said: I think the bone has decomposed leaving only the enamel part of the scale. I see a fun experiment in my future Link to post Share on other sites
abyssunder Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 picture from here 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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