'Herring" of the Modelo Formation

[flyjunkie]

Thought I would show some of the Fossils I have found locally. These have actually been setting in my garage for over 20 years, on a shelf. They are from the Modelo Formation, late Miocene. I am familiar with the Modelo Formation as one finds it in many road cuts or eroding out of hills sides all thru the Santa Monica Mtns; the Simi Hills and the Santa Susana Mtns. I use to spend a good deal of time splitting pieces of Modelo, looking for the fish fossils one can often find in them. a Friend of mine from years ago & myself just called all the fish we found Herring, though I am not certain that's what they are. Some look like Herring, but others look like Sardines and even Anchovies. They run in length from 1 inch up to 9 inches, possibly 10 inches. I think we just liked the fact we found cool looking Fish Fossils.  It is fun splitting along seams as you hear this sound not unlike that of ripping a piece of Cardboard slowly. We knew we were likely to find fish fossils when we'd hear that sound... 
a number of the Fish we'd find came out headless or the head was disarticulated and hard to figure what we were looking at. But it didn't matter - it was just Fun looking at an 18 million year old plus fish.

two of the photos are of the body and partial tails. , which is usually what we would find. the third photo is what i call a 'Puke', it looks like some other fish puked the remains of a smaller fish they had ate.. I am not 100% on that , but it seemed to fit nicely as a description.. These pukes are interesting in and of themselves. 
I have never unearthed a larger Fish fossil in the Modelo, but I know where there is one you can go look at, it's in Gaviota State Beach near Santa Barbara. The boulder it's in is on the Beach back towards Santa Barbara, the fish is probably 18 inches or more in length (Hard to tell as the back end is still covered in Shale), It looks like a Kelp Bass (Calico Bass) to me. .. I haven't visited it since 1989, I do hope it's still there..

These fossils don't look as awesome as many posted here, But I like them myself....

Thanks for your time,
DEAN ~~~~

Edited September 1, 2020 by flyjunkie

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very nice! 

Thanks for sharing. 

[Fossildude19]

Very cool.  

I enjoy seeing fish from other formations.  

These are different than most of the fish we see here. 

Thanks for showing us.

[DPS Ammonite]

6 hours ago, flyjunkie said:

Thought I would show some of the Fossils I have found locally. These have actually been setting in my garage for over 20 years, on a shelf. They are from the Modelo Formation, late Miocene. I am familiar with the Modelo Formation as one finds it in many road cuts or eroding out of hills sides all thru the Santa Monica Mtns; the Simi Hills and the Santa Susana Mtns. I use to spend a good deal of time splitting pieces of Modelo, looking for the fish fossils one can often find in them. a Friend of mine from years ago & myself just called all the fish we found Herring, though I am not certain that's what they are. Some look like Herring, but others look like Sardines and even Anchovies. 

  

Very nice. 
 

Am I missing something? It sounds like you are asking us to confirm an ID for red herrings.

[flyjunkie]

54 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Very nice. 
 

Am I missing something? It sounds like you are asking us to confirm an ID for red herrings.

well, if someone with more knowledge about them would help clarify what they are I would be grateful. My opinions are based how much they remind me of living species I have observed.. and I could be wrong.. But I would welcome any assistance in proper Identification

[Fossildude19]

7 hours ago, flyjunkie said:

well, if someone with more knowledge about them would help clarify what they are I would be grateful. My opinions are based how much they remind me of living species I have observed.. and I could be wrong.. But I would welcome any assistance in proper Identification

 

Without indication of the size of this example , or a well preserved skull, ... and lacking a complete caudal fin, (or any of the body fins),

identifying these any further would require someone with expertise in the area's fossils to even make a guess.   

There are a number of small fishes found in the Modelo and Monterey Formations.

 

By the way, your regurgitant items may be just that, or could be disarticulated fish bits that remained in the general vicinity together, due to size, weight, and wave action.

[flyjunkie]

9 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

 

Without indication of the size of this example , or a well preserved skull, ... and lacking a complete caudal fin, (or any of the body fins),

identifying these any further would require someone with expertise in the area's fossils to even make a guess.   

There are a number of small fishes found in the Modelo and Monterey Formations.

 

By the way, your regurgitant items may be just that, or could be disarticulated fish bits that remained in the general vicinity together, due to size, weight, and wave action.

Thank you Tim.  As to sizes : both fish shown are 3 to 4 inches exposed.. i am guessing about 1/3 of each fish is missing.- putting their size range within the Sardines we still see along the Pacific Coast in my area. I do recall reading about the small Fish species found in the Modelo, but currently don't have any references to study (any online sources You can recommend ?? )  I will try to locate more complete Fossils, once it cools down here in the Fall.. 
Thanks for the insight on the 'Puke'.. I have never thought my view was the actually reason these appear as they do, it was just what it looked like to me. I can also go with the disarticulation and the bones staying in close proximity...  
Thanks again for responding..

DEAN ~~~~

[Fossildude19]

Dean, 

Glad to help.   

 

Here are a few PDF's you can download.  

LINK 1 

LINK 2

LINK 3

LINK 4

[flyjunkie]

On 9/1/2020 at 1:25 PM, Fossildude19 said:

Dean, 

Glad to help.   

 

Here are a few PDF's you can download.  

LINK 1 

LINK 2

LINK 3

LINK 4

Thank you Very Much Tim for those links, it was the Star Jordan manuscripts I had read 30 plus years ago.. but it is wonderful to refresh my knowledge.