sjaak Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 (edited) Hello again, Returned from Thurso, Scotland, where I had the opportunity to look for fossils on the east side of the shore. The rocks are of Devonian age. Pic 1 en 2: fish tooth?, about 1 cm; Pic 3: small mandible with teeth; about 1 cm, a bit eroded Pic 4: head plate of a fish; in the local museum I saw resemblance with gyroptychius milleri, is fragile and needs prep; Hopefully, someone can help me a bit further. Regards, Niels Edited September 27, 2011 by sjaak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I like the tooth Pic 3 (or 4) is missing; is the one there of the head plate? The "trackway" does look chiseled to me; the layers of sediment are cut through, not depressed nor displaced. Looks like they intended to take part of the slab (or did take part of what was on top). "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaak Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Thanks, Auspex. I go with the "chisel option". Problem solved. I removed the pics and added the head shield which I forgot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 sjaak... Very nice finds well done... I cant really be specific with your ID's as I dont have any literature on the Devonian in Scotland, I can only go off what I have found in the Upper Carboniferous but... Pic 1 & 2...your tooth very much looks like a Rhizodont tooth... Pic 3 small mandible with teeth... The pattina visible on the piece showing could possibly also be strepsodus scales...Heres an example of a species found in scotland and I found this in the NW Uk... Strepsodus anculonamensis sp scales... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Those are neat finds! PL Hello again, Returned from Thurso, Scotland, where I had the opportunity to look for fossils on the east side of the shore. The rocks are of Devonian age. Pic 1 en 2: fish tooth?, about 1 cm; Pic 3: small mandible with teeth; about 1 cm, a bit eroded Pic 4: head plate of a fish; in the local museum I saw resemblance with gyroptychius milleri, is fragile and needs prep; Hopefully, someone can help me a bit further. Regards, Niels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaak Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Thanks for the reactions! @ Terry Dactyll: Looks indeed a lot like Rhizodont! Scales on the other pic could be possible, however, my untrained eye sees something like a row of tiny teeth. I found other fossils that seem to match your scales. After a little prep I will put them on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 sjaak... It will be intresting to see some close-up photo's when you have uncovered more of the palate as well as the scales... I'll look forward to it... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaak Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 The fish head after prep. Others will follow ( some time...) Does somebody have an idea how to cut the matrix in a nice square or something like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maniraptoran Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 is that a placoderm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaak Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 I think this is the one: http://www.landforms.eu/orkney/Fossils/Gyroptychius%20milleri.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I think this is the one: http://www.landforms...s%20milleri.htm Good detective work! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaak Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 Thanks. The website gives an interesting dimension to the fossil that I wasn't aware of: "The crossopterygians, lobbed finned fishes, played an important role in the Orcadian Basin and in the evolution of man. In the lake, these fast swimming fishes with their strong teeth were the top predators. They evolved to form the first land animals during the Upper Devonian. The similarity of the skull and dermal skull bones and the bony structure supporting the paired fins are striking when compared with the first land animals." http://www.landforms.eu/orkney/Fossils/Crossoperigians.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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