Al Tahan Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Hey everyone, Just an update on the fossil I found at DSR in Madison county New York. It was recognized by others on the forum that the fossil I thought was a massive inarticulate brachiopod might be a rhizodont fish scale. I emailed Dr. Daeschler as suggested by Tim (aka fossil dude). Dr. Daeschler was nice enough to respond. I emailed him asking if it was somthing important or may be of interest to anyone. heres a quote of the main meat of his response: “Al, Nice to hear from you, and to know of your passion for paleontology. You certainly live in a great area for fossil collecting, especially since the Devonian is such an interesting period of time. No doubt that the specimen you found is a the scale of a large sarcopterygian, and very likely a rhizodontid sarcopterygian. I am not familiar with the diversity of vertebrates that have come from those Middle Devonian strata, but they are rare. The record of the scale is interesting but unlikely to be of much scientific value alone, since scales are usually diagnostic only to the family level and don't have biostratigraphic utility, as far as I know. It is an exciting find, and worthy of future exploration. I'm sure that you know to keep good data with your fossils. That is critical if you add them to museum collections in the future.“ Here is another photo of the “most likely” rhizodont fish scale. Like Dr. Daeschler said it can only be named to a family level with just a scale. Now im wondering. Are there more? Maybe a tooth somewhere? How rare is this? What does this mean for the paleoecological setting? How did this one fish scale get here with no others to be found? Now I just hope someone else finds one so we can compare! Even better, the more specimens there are the more scientifically valuable they become. Thanks for reading, Al 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Well done, Al, and thanks for sharing. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 3 minutes ago, Al Tahan said: Now im wondering. Are there more? Maybe a tooth somewhere? How rare is this? What does this mean for the paleoecological setting? How did this one fish scale get here with no others to be found? Now I just hope someone else finds one so we can compare! Even better, the more specimens there are the more scientifically valuable they become. Thanks for reading, Al Congratulations, Al. It could have been brought to the area by currents, after body decomposition/disarticulation. I know teeth are found in the Union Springs Bone Bed in New York. The fish is Onychodus sigmoides, I believe. Anyway, if we keep looking, we'll find more, eventually. They do seem to be exceedingly rare, however. 3 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 sweet! Glad You got an ID for this special scale. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Congratulations. I'm sure everybody, including me, will be searching for more fish specimens at DSR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilsAnonymous Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Congratulations Mr Al! On The Hunt For The Trophy Otodus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Beautiful fossil! Congrats on the rare find! “...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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted April 13, 2019 Author Share Posted April 13, 2019 Thanks! @Fossildude19 @Jeffrey P @WhodamanHD @FossilsAnonymous @ynot @Tidgy's Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Most impressive, Al. Thanks for getting it confirmed. Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share Posted April 14, 2019 Thanks! @Pagurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted April 14, 2019 Share Posted April 14, 2019 That is a great find Al! Congratulations! It is nice to get confirmed as a fish scale even if not to exact species. Now everyone will be searching for these at the group hunt on the 27th I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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