Bitten Belemnite, Uk Lower Cretaceous

[TqB]

This specimen of Hibolites jaculoides Swinnerton was from a layer of Speeton Clay (Yorkshire coast, L. Cretaceous, Hauterivian) packed with others of the same species.

I've found other belemnites with probable bite damage but this is the neatest I've collected.

What do you think is the culprit? (ichthyosaur, plesiosaur, fish ?) - I can't work out what would cause this pattern of marks with doubled holes on one side and ridges on the reverse.

I think there's been some regrowth before death which might help to explain things -the ridges and the raised areas around the puncture marks being healed patches.

Thanks for looking!

rotating round to the other side:

[old bones]

That is very cool! Great find.

[Auspex]

How terribly interesting! I would say that you are correct in your assessment, but I cannot begin to suggest a perpetrator.

[fossilized6s]

Very cool piece!

[vertman]

That is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time. Great fossil with an interesting story no doubt.

[JohnBrian]

Sweet!

[4circle]

Ichthyosaurs are known to have eaten belemnites - they're found in their stomach contents, and also give rise to the taphonomic "belemnite battlefield" assemblages (unusually high concentrations of belemnite rostra), believed to be the ichthyosaur vomiting up the hard rostra after digesting the edible soft parts.

[Fossildude19]

Very cool fossil!

Thanks for posting it.

Regards,

[TqB]

Thanks for all the comments! - ichthyosaur is certainly a candidate and they are found in the Speeton Clay, albeit rarely. I've always relished the idea of ichthyosaurs repeatedly regurgitating belemnites all over the sea floor .

[Ludwigia]

Hi Tarquin. I'm sure you are correct in your assessment of the possible predator, but it's probably almost impossible to narrow it down any more since the teeth all had similar shapes. At least that's my humble opinion. Could have also been a crocodile. Extremely interesting sample!

[TqB]

Thanks, Roger! - you're probably right, we need one caught in the act.

[Suvi]

NEAT !!!

[DE&i]

Hi Tarquin,

I hope you don’t mind me bumping your post or sounding like im stealing the limelight on your probable once in a lifetime find. I’m searching like you for information on my Belemnite guard find with probable predation marks.

If you should find such literature could you let me know please?

Kind Regards,

Darren.

Edited August 11, 2014 by DarrenElliot

[JustPlainPetrified]

very neat find!