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Modern Atlantic Guitarfish snout and vertebrae?


fossilnut

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Apologies since this is modern versus fossil. But was my first ever experience with ray cartilage and I am excited. The vertebrae were found in different locations as were the 2 snouts I found. I also came across a ray's carcass that was intact but beginning to deteriorate. It's snout was skin covered but appeared to be the same. The vertebrae also looked identical to the ones I found. It was humped up I guess because of the drying and shrinkage of the skeleton. It had claspers so it was a male. About a foot and a half body with a long tail. The tail had hooked denticles? all along the top dorsal side curved toward the end. I was not as observant as I should have been to gather more details. I really wanted that tail! but I was unable to remove it and the body had a quite offensive smell. Also I did not have a camera so no pictures. Looking online the snout looks very much like an Atlantic guitarfish and its habitat is north Carolina and south US. Any help to confirm or point me in another direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

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Nice find. Atlantic guitarfish occur in southern North Carolina, probably very rare in the Outer Banks. The hooked denticles makes me think this belongs to a clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria). They are very common on the Outer Banks certain times of the year.

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@Al DenteThanks for that information. I have found fossil hooked denticles but did not envision how they would appear on the live animal. That was exciting and informative. Glad to have had that unique experience.

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Okay, not fossils, but very interesting. 

Thanks for sharing. :)

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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6 hours ago, fossilnut said:

The tail had hooked denticles? all along the top dorsal side curved toward the end. I was not as observant as I should have been to gather more details. I really wanted that tail! but I was unable to remove it and the body had a quite offensive smell. Also I did not have a camera so no pictures.

 

3 hours ago, Al Dente said:

Nice find. Atlantic guitarfish occur in southern North Carolina, probably very rare in the Outer Banks. The hooked denticles makes me think this belongs to a clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria). They are very common on the Outer Banks certain times of the year.

 

Agree with Eric that if it had hooked denticles on the tail it sounds like a skate like Raja.

 

Marco Sr.

 

"Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day."

My family fossil website     Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros     My Extant Shark Jaw Collection

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

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1 hour ago, fossilnut said:

Thanks to @MarcoSr , @Al Dente and @Tidgy's Dad for your comments and information.

 

If you want a great guide to help identify extant sharks, batoids and chimaera of the North Atlantic google search for Ebert Stehmann 2013 "SHARKS, BATOIDS AND CHIMAERAS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC" which is 537 pages and a free download PDF (16.3 MB).  See below for some examples from the PDF:

 

Cover:

 

image.png.d5d15641dc79f4e42bab4e19d8cc2b6f.png

 

 

Beginning of Raja section:

 

image.png.c82fdb1b1313e0455525c99403904255.png

image.thumb.png.df7c2fbcd0cae0e86b98454d35fbdec1.png

image.thumb.png.bdd77c8208da857c73b3463f215fe7f1.png

 

 

Description of Raja eglanteria :

 

image.thumb.png.0531159455264490502acff9d1809417.png

 

image.thumb.png.5bbabc8da34358d8d44a85c979bd2555.png

 

Marco Sr.

 

"Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day."

My family fossil website     Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros     My Extant Shark Jaw Collection

image.png.9a941d70fb26446297dbc9dae7bae7ed.png image.png.41c8380882dac648c6131b5bc1377249.png

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