Sebaileyuk Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 This is another fossil I found on the beach near Whitby a few years ago. I have a couple of ideas but don’t want to appear stupid given all the experts on this forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebaileyuk Posted May 29, 2019 Author Share Posted May 29, 2019 Another pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Maybe it's a cephalopod / ?ammonite showing the siphuncle in the middle. 2 " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I'm going to have to see if I can find the information on the preservation bias toward siphuncles, but it does seem right, assuming there is one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 It is certainly a straight-shelled (= orthoconic) nautiloid. The structure of flattened beads is the siphuncle; you can see some of the shell exterior and the septa (the division between the chambers or camerae) on the bottom right of the first photo. The structure of the siphuncle is very suggestive of a member of the Actinoceridae such as Actinoceras. These are Ordovician or Silurian fossils, so this fossil probably originated elsewhere and was transported by water or glaciers to Whitby, which I think has Jurassic bedrock. Don 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilsAnonymous Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 3 hours ago, Sebaileyuk said: don’t want to appear stupid Don't worry about that, we all started somewhere! 1 On The Hunt For The Trophy Otodus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemipristis Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 +1 on orthocone cephalopod 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' George Santayana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 That's a really nice find for the area! I agree it's an orthoconic nautiloid with large siphuncle. It's not actually an Ordovician/Silurian actinocerid but a Carboniferous pseudactinoceratid (a family of pseudorthocerid), quite likely Rayonnoceras sp. It's very similar to an actinocerid but is in a typical piece of Carboniferous limestone. There's no way to easily tell them apart without knowing the geology - you just don't get Ordovician and Silurian erratics around there. They occur sporadically in the Carboniferous rocks to the west and north, it makes my day when I come across one! 8 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebaileyuk Posted May 30, 2019 Author Share Posted May 30, 2019 Thank you so much everyone for your kindness and help. I was considering a straight nautilus for this. Seeing the answers on here though makes me realise how much there is to find out. Need to do some serious reading up. Thanks everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 3 hours ago, TqB said: That's a really nice find for the area! I agree it's an orthoconic nautiloid with large siphuncle. It's not actually an Ordovician/Silurian actinocerid but a Carboniferous pseudactinoceratid (a family of pseudorthocerid), quite likely Rayonnoceras sp. It's very similar to an actinocerid but is in a typical piece of Carboniferous limestone. There's no way to easily tell them apart without knowing the geology - you just don't get Ordovician and Silurian erratics around there. They occur sporadically in the Carboniferous rocks to the west and north, it makes my day when I come across one! New info to me. I was not aware of pseudactinoceratids. Thanks so much! Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 3 hours ago, Sebaileyuk said: I was considering a straight nautilus for this. Seeing the answers on here though makes me realise how much there is to find out. Need to do some serious reading up. Spot on then - to be pedantic, "Nautilus" is just the name of the modern genus, everything else is "nautiloid". It's a very rare find as an erratic - I don't actually recall seeing one there though they are to be expected. Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 4 hours ago, TqB said: quite likely Rayonnoceras sp. I always go search for an artist rendition... Helps my memory. The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebaileyuk Posted May 30, 2019 Author Share Posted May 30, 2019 Thank you very much for the correction. The artist rendition was very helpful too. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelius Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Brilliant find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamL Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Very cool find Yorkshire Coast Fossil Hunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I_gotta_rock Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 On 5/29/2019 at 5:42 PM, Sebaileyuk said: This is another fossil I found on the beach near Whitby a few years ago. I have a couple of ideas but don’t want to appear stupid given all the experts on this forum I'm a little late to the party, but remember, no one an know everything about fossils. The more anyone learns, the more they specialize. You may end up an expert in these, helping a paleobotanist with an odd find because this is not in their realm of experience. 1 I refuse to give up my childish wonder at the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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