Cretaceous feather -

[FF7_Yuffie]

Hi, another fossil I quite like the look of. A feather from Jiufotang Formation Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China. 2.7 inches.

 

Am I right that this is multiple feathers on one slab--looks to be five feathers. Now, is the description of these being feathers accurate, and, can anyone see anything suspicious with it? The fact the feathers in quite a straight line looks odd to me.

 

Thanks

feather1.jfif feather2.jfif

Edited January 31, 2022 by FF7_Yuffie

[FF7_Yuffie]

Hang on, let me convert the image from whatever a jfif file is ...

[FF7_Yuffie]

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Hard to say... Could be a section of a wing, with the feathers arranged like that (compare to the wings of the Berlin Archeopteryx-specimen below; source). But they don't look like anything I've ever seen - not as loose feathers, at least...

 

[Sjfriend]

I am not a cretaceous bird expert by any stretch of the imagination so don't listen to me but. I am seeing what appears to be some fine barbs scattered here and there that give the impression of feathers... BUT...... thats is all I can say. With fact that there is no shaft obvious, the are so straight, and very little detail it is hard for me to make a positive assumption. They are very straight, and the barbs seem to point both ways, I'd guess if it was feathers it's from the tail. Would be easier if there was some more context associated with it. But again, this is just my opinion (and I'm no bird whisperer)

[jpc]

this needs to be looked at microscopically.  The fact that the barbs go opposite directions in the  'feathers' makes me very suspicious.  I bet it is plant matter.    

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

3 hours ago, jpc said:

this needs to be looked at microscopically.  The fact that the barbs go opposite directions in the  'feathers' makes me very suspicious.  I bet it is plant matter.    

 

I'm also suspicious of the barbs, but actually thought they might have been painted on using some transfer technique akin the printed insects discussed here.

[FF7_Yuffie]

Thanks for taking a look. I will leave this as there is too much susoicious