Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Hello all! I was lucky enough to get out for a few hours this past Sunday to my early Jurassic fish spot in the Shuttle Meadow Fm. Was able to bring home a bunch of shale to split. Found many fish parts, and a few plants that I will post later on in this thread, nice,... but not the prize. This one, found tonight, while splitting a larger shale slab is so close to complete I almost cried. :notfair: Oh well, maybe next time will be the complete, well preserved fish for me. Enjoy! . EDIT: OOPS! Forgot to mention: After some more research, I believe that this is actually a Redfieldius gracilis, based on the slightly more posterior placement of the dorsal fin compared to the anal fin. It would have been a 6 - 6.5 incher, if complete. Edited March 14, 2012 by Fossildude19 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...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 And a close up... So close!! 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...
FossilDAWG Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Still spectacular. I'd be very happy to find that! Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Thanks Don. I am happy with it, no doubt, .. but the complete ones ellude me! Just a bit exasperating. It goes with the territory here in the early Jurassic, though. Regards, 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...
xonenine Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 thats a beauty Tim, you seem to be geting close to a big find to me... glad you got some more shale for "winter" "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Thanks Carmine! Yup,... I'm a drawin a bead on one - only a matter of time! Regards, 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...
JohnJ Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I think it's a great find, Tim. Hopefully this is the year you find a complete one. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Still cool finds, Tim. Just need to start collecting the other end of the rocks. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 .. but the complete ones ellude me! Partial ones elude some the rest of us. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 enjoy your special paleo sanctuary...applause for your unyielding efforts. you might consider compositing pieces as a placeholder at some point. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Tim, I feel so bad for you. :notfair: I'll take those partials off your hands so you won't have to be faced with the disappointment, AND it'll make room for the complete fishies in your collection Seriously, looks like the big one is coming soon, good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Nice fish.... I grew up in MA and had no idea there were cool fossils to be found until after I left, so I have a soft spot for these things you and others are finding in New England. Head or no... cool fish. Edited March 14, 2012 by jpc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Still a awesome find though! Now you need to go back and meticulously fit that piece with every piece of shale there until you find one that fits! And thats where the head will be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hokiehunter Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Awesome find. I think we can all feel for you/relate on the headless aspect. Anyone who has been at this for a while has at least one or two (dozen) woulda coulda shoulda finds. The good news is that the partials do serve to validate what is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Thanks for all of the kind comments, folks. I apologize, ... I don't mean to be a whiner, but finding such a superb specimen, and not having the head - well, just a kind of a bummer. Believe me, I understand how lucky I am to be finding anything, and the quality of this one is just amazing. I'm thrilled with this find. Unfortunately, I think composite pieces are beyond my skill level. The main issue in the area here is that these finds come from underground, and the tree and plant roots have grown through the layers of shale, seeking the path of least resistance - where the rock is weak. Yup, you guessed it,... right where the fossils are. In these instances, (specifically where this one's head was) the shale turns to powder, and disintegrates. This is why it is so rare to find a complete fish at my spot. I have 2 complete fish so far,... but one needs a bit of prep work to remove the shale from on top of it, and the other's skull is just not that well preserved. Those are the only two I have found in 15 years of fossil hunting in this one spot. I will persevere, and will find another one, I'm sure. I am at a point where I am finding larger pieces of shale, which greatly increases my chances of finding a complete one. Thanks again for the kind words. Regards, 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...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 i feel your pain... my kid and i once found a killer juvie mammoth jaw....missing the freakin' teeth! Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boneman007 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 My most complete Ichthydectes is over 6 feet long. It has the most beautiful fins of any specimen I've found. No root damage anywhere, which is rare for a near-surface find. And... you guessed it: No Skull. It's still a great specimen, but I feel your pain!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 lol...what is it with you and headless fish Tim? still beautiful though. nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Nice find Tim!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Great find. You wouldn't happen to be excavating shale from Sleepy Hollow would ya It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Great find. You wouldn't happen to be excavating shale from Sleepy Hollow would ya lol...really! i think Tims last name must be Burton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Some more of this weekend's finds. Fish first: Semionotid bits... Continued... Edited March 14, 2012 by Fossildude19 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...
squalicorax Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 love that preservation lower Jurassic is sweet congrats My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Lol, Phil - You Funny! I think I may have found the fish that the Red Queen got peeved at! Fish, plant and poop. Unknown Plant and poop. And plants... Unknown plant fragment EDIT: I think my unknown plant fragments may be Loperia simplex. Continued... Edited March 16, 2012 by Fossildude19 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...
Fossildude19 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 One of my best Equisetites sp ever found. It shows one or two nodes... A poorly preserved Otozamites brevifolis : and one more poop. Thanks for looking. Regards, 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...
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