Partial Ichthyosaur spine collected from Watchet, Somerset

[Aman]

A series of articulated Ichthyosaur vertebrae collected from a shale block at Warren Bay just west of Watchet, Somerset. This was by best find from the trip and I did not expect to find something this good on my first visit to this locality. upon closer examination, I also discovered that there was more bone hidden within the shale, so hopefully I can remove the matrix and expose it. First, though, I'm going to have to make sure that pyrite decay doesn't set in.

[Darktooth]

That is a spectacular find, and I look forward to seeing it prepped! Thanks for sharing this with us.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Ah, just a few miles from where I was born and one of my first happy hunting grounds when I was four or five years old.

Those were the days.

 

That's a great find, good luck with the prep.

[Aman]

On 12/16/2023 at 9:32 PM, Tidgy's Dad said:

Ah, just a few miles from where I was born and one of my first happy hunting grounds when I was four or five years old.

Those were the days.

 

That's a great find, good luck with the prep.

If you're familiar with Watchet, I had some questions about the locality, if you are willing to answer them. For the aragonitic ammonites, where is the best place to find the larger specimens? I found many specimens in large shale block on the foreshore in Warren Bay but it was difficult to extract the ammonites from the blocks intact. From what I've seen, you can find large specimens simply lying exposed in shale pieces, with more varied colours. Also, what exactly is the difference between the fossils found west of Watchet, towards Blue Anchor, and east of it, towards Doniford Bay?

Edited December 18, 2023 by Aman

[Tidgy's Dad]

Crikey, I haven't collected around the area for forty-odd years! 

Most of my collecting was done at Kilve, Hinckley Point and Quantoxhead.

I remember collecting along the beach and at the base of the cliffs at Watchet and finding bivalves, ammonites, ichthyosaur bones and vertebrae, and a single plesiosaur vertebra. I never found anything as nice as your find, except for a coral colony at Kilve. (my favourite fossil ever!)  I don't think I ever came away with a complete, large ammonite, mainly just little ones and flattened ones.

Ichthyosaur bits and crinoids were more common at Warren Bay and west of it.  

I remember the Triassic bone beds nearer to Blue Anchor but never found much, always found Aust to be more productive. But I found Liassic Gryphaea on the beach.

I went to Doniford Bay once and recall finding only Psiloceras planorbis.

[Aman]

Finished preparing the spine last week!!! I think I did alright for my first big prep project.

 

Before prep:

 

After prep:

 

 

[Aman]

Btw I didn't realize the small ammonite was there until I was almost finished. It's an aragonitic Psiloceras planorbis, which are unique to the stretch of coastline between Watchet and Blue Anchor. This one isn't particularly impressive in terms of coloration; individual ammonites that are of a high grade can be worth hundreds of pounds, whilst some pieces with multiple high grade ammonites can be worth thousands.