GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Okay, this may be just wishful thinking, but a girl can hope, right? For your viewing pleasure is an Upper Cretaceous coprolite from the North Sulphur River in Texas, Ozan Formation, Talyor Shale. This little beauty has some unusual fish remains. Any chance this is a caudal fin from a coelacanth? The bones are pretty substantial compared to other fish bones I've seen in coprolites from the area. It does contain scales that are good sized and pretty transparent, with kind of a fingerprint pattern. Obviously, they may not be from the same prey item. Can anyone tell me if these are indeed coelacant bones? If so, do they look like those from a caudal fin? Other thoughts? @Fossildude19 @sharkdoctor @Carl Image 1: 11 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 Image 2: 6 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 Image 3: 7 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 I'm not sure if I have the terminology correct, but here is a magnified image showing fine fin rays: 4 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 Magnified image of scales: 5 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelivingdead531 Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 I can’t help with your questions, but that is the coolest piece of poop I’ve ever seen! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Cool any idea who is the owner of the coprolite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 I'm not sure what this is...cartilage or skull texture? 3 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Great find, Lori! The last item looks like skull material to me. As far as the other bones, ... I cannot say definitively what it is, but it looks more like some other fin bones, or possibly rib bones of some other fish. Not sure, but the scales don't look like coelacanth scales that I am familiar with. I don't know if coelacanths have been found in the NSR, but these look more like ichtyodectid bones to me, due to their robustness. Images from THIS POST. 12 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...
RuMert Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Nice one! A whole museum in there 1 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 "Coelacanth caudal fin or something else in my poop" How many times have I looked down and asked myself that very same question? If I only had a nickel for every time. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 1 hour ago, Troodon said: Cool any idea who is the owner of the coprolite Me. The larger ones from this area are many times attributed to mosasaurs, but there is really no way to know. 1 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 13 minutes ago, grandpa said: "Coelacanth caudal fin or something else in my poop" How many times have I looked down and asked myself that very same question? If I only had a nickel for every time. I know, right? 1 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 1 hour ago, thelivingdead531 said: I can’t help with your questions, but that is the coolest piece of poop I’ve ever seen! Not quite the coolest, but definitely #2. 1 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelivingdead531 Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 1 minute ago, GeschWhat said: Not quite the coolest, but definitely #2. It’s the best #2 I’ve been shown (and I have a 7 year old son who would beg to differ)! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 On 6/10/2020 at 6:51 PM, Fossildude19 said: Great find, Lori! The last item looks like skull material to me. As far as the other bones, ... I cannot say definitively what it is, but it looks more like some other fin bones, or possibly rib bones of some other fish. Not sure, but the scales don't look like coelacanth scales that I am familiar with. I don't know if coelacanths have been found in the NSR, but these look more like ichtyodectid bones to me, due to their robustness. Images from THIS POST. Thanks, Tim. I just thought it was kind of weird that it looked somewhat articulated, and there weren't any vertebrae. I suppose they could have broken off or been crushed. Like I said, a girl can dream. Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 44 minutes ago, RuMert said: Nice one! A whole museum in there Definitely some interesting incusions. I was really hoping there would be something that would help me identify what was for dinner (other than fish). Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 That is some awesome poop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 I normally don’t say this but I’m envious of your poop! Great specimen! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinosaur man Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Nice poop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pemphix Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 I am with On 6/10/2020 at 6:51 PM, Fossildude19 said: Great find, Lori! The last item looks like skull material to me. As far as the other bones, ... I cannot say definitively what it is, but it looks more like some other fin bones, or possibly rib bones of some other fish. Not sure, but the scales don't look like coelacanth scales that I am familiar with. I don't know if coelacanths have been found in the NSR, but these look more like ichtyodectid bones to me, due to their robustness. Images from THIS POST. I agree. Nevertheless a very nice piece and it throws a light to the the food-chain in this paleoenvironment... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 More questions for you fish experts. Can you tell me what distinguishes Icthyodectids from other fish? Is it just their robustness? Are the bones more likely from a fin (vs. ribs) since there are small ray fins visible at the tip? If so, do you think it is more likely the fin is a pectoral fin since it its in with skull parts? If so, that could somewhat explain the lack of vertebrae. I don't know if this bit is any more diagnostic than the other visible bones, but this larger bone on the end of the coprolite has an interesting ribbed texture. 1 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 I also cleaned off the protected side of this bone a little, but I don't know if it is recognizable. 1 Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 That is a FANTASTIC turd, Lori! All I can do is agree that it's fish. And I bet only a serious fish expert, or someone who really knows that fauna, could take it further. Might even require a CT scan. So cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share Posted June 26, 2020 7 minutes ago, Carl said: That is a FANTASTIC turd, Lori! All I can do is agree that it's fish. And I bet only a serious fish expert, or someone who really knows that fauna, could take it further. Might even require a CT scan. So cool. Awe shucks, Carl. You say the sweetest things! Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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