MDPaleoceneGeo Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 Need help with ID please. Cretaceous or Paleocene in Maryland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 This is a fin spine from a bony fish. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDPaleoceneGeo Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 Thanks - any idea what type of bony fish and if cretaceous or paleocene? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 With the tip color, the fish spine looks modern. Modern spines tend to turn black fairly quickly. Put it up to your nose and smell it. A modern spine should still have a slight odor. If it is flexible, it is modern. Marco Sr. 2 "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDPaleoceneGeo Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 Hey - hope you are well Marco. It's not flexible. And no smell. I'll try and take some more pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDPaleoceneGeo Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 Here are some more pics Marco and the fossils I found with the fin spine. Its hard and not flexible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El_Hueso Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 This is the dorsal spine of a Ictalurus punctatus better known as a catfish Very cool. I like to collect these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 3 hours ago, MarcoSr said: Put it up to your nose and smell it. A modern spine should still have a slight odor. If it is flexible, it is modern. If still in doubt, give it a good healthy lick and tell us if it tastes like decaying fish. * Disclaimer: joking members not responsible for lingering nasty taste in your mouth. Please don't actually do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 10 hours ago, MDPaleoceneGeo said: Here are some more pics Marco and the fossils I found with the fin spine. Its hard and not flexible. I'm still leaning toward modern on the fish spine. I have hundreds of fossil fish spines from MD/VA and none of them show what looks like close to original bone color on the tip. Also I see lots of modern fish material along the MD/VA rivers that is mostly black with small areas or tinges of original white or yellow bone color. That being said, some of the colors of your other teeth don't match the colors of teeth that I'm used to finding in the MD Cretaceous or Paleocene or the VA Paleocene which usually tend to be black or different shades of green or gray. I don't see anything unique enough in your specimens to be able to date them to an Epoch although I do see numerous internal shell casts like the one in your picture in a number of Paleocene sites in MD/VA. You need to give at least some site location information for better age determination. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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