Help Identify Fish And Other Micros From The Jurassic Kellaways Clay Of The United Kingdom

[MarcoSr]

I want to thank Darren for sending me 180 grams of raw Jurassic Kellaways clay matrix from the Lower Oxford Clay of Peterborough, UK. This is the first Jurassic matrix that I have been able to search.

I had been told by other collectors from the UK that the fossil density for shark, ray and fish micros in Jurassic matrix from the UK was pretty low so I wasn’t really expecting to find many if any micros in a sample of this size. I was really surprised that I found as many micro specimens as I did. I found 10 small fish teeth, one larger fish tooth, one shark tooth (maybe fish?), 7 unknown to me micros, some fossil wood?, and several complete and lots of broken small shells.

I tried hot water at first to break down the clay which was only partially successful. 3% H2O2 was my second attempt which worked really well.

The 7 unknown micros are the most interesting to me. I really don’t know what they are, only a guess that Unknown 1-5 might be some kind of very small crab or maybe shrimp claw tip. Unknown 6 which is really hooked I thought might be a squid tentacle hook. Unknown 7 may be only a shell edge fragment. I believe the one tooth is a shark versus a fish tooth. The other teeth I can recognize as fish teeth but don’t have an id for them. Any help in identifying these micros is appreciated. If you move you cursor over each picture you will see a file name that will contain a name like “Unknown2” or “Fish tooth3” and the size in mm. You can reference these names if you have an ID.

Each matrix that I search makes me more of an avid micro tooth collector. If anyone has or can collect good matrix with shark, ray, and fish micros please send me a PM. I am especially interested in obtaining Eocene, middle Lutetian matrix from the Miretrain quarry, Landes, southwestern France and Cretaceous, Albian matrix from Texas.

Marco Sr.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

do you think the hooks may be claspers?

[MarcoSr]

do you think the hooks may be claspers?

Cephalic spines of a Hybodoniform shark is a good possibility. Their hooks can be really small. However, Unknown6 is less than 1mm. I don't know if they were that small.

Marco Sr.

[Al Dente]

I think your unknown 1 through 6 might be the same thing. They look like belemnoid hooks. This website shows some similar ones in figure 11 and 13. http://www.tonmo.com/science/public/gcwalla.php

[Auspex]

I think your unknown 1 through 6 might be the same thing. They look like belemnoid hooks. This website shows some similar ones in figure 11 and 13. http://www.tonmo.com/science/public/gcwalla.php

Very, very interesting!

Here are the illustrations from the above-linked site:

[MarcoSr]

I think your unknown 1 through 6 might be the same thing. They look like belemnoid hooks. This website shows some similar ones in figure 11 and 13. http://www.tonmo.com/science/public/gcwalla.php

Very, very interesting!

Here are the illustrations from the above-linked site:

belem hooks.JPG belem hooks 2.JPG

Wow, my Unknown specimens 1-6 really resemble these belemnoid hooks. If I could see the orbicular scar I would be totally convinced. I see cracks in several specimens but I can't discern the scar. Maybe several of the specimens broke like they did because of a weakness at the scar.

Marco Sr.

[mikecable]

There is a thread going right now on the Facebook micro-paleontology page about onychites, which are micro belemnoid hooks. It was started by Renee Hoffman.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/240978839376814/258657947608903/?notif_t=like

I hate steering folks away from the forum, but in this case it seemed very relevant. Totally cool micro specimens.

[MarcoSr]

There is a thread going right now on the Facebook micro-paleontology page about onychites, which are micro belemnoid hooks. It was started by Renee Hoffman.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/240978839376814/258657947608903/?notif_t=like

I hate steering folks away from the forum, but in this case it seemed very relevant. Totally cool micro specimens.

My Unknown6 specimen looks like an exact match of the specimen in the picture posted as an onychite on Facebook, It seems clear from this and the website Al Dente posted that Unknown6 is a belemnoid hook.

Marco Sr.

Edited June 17, 2013 by MarcoSr