Roz Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 One half of this small nodule has what I am pretty sure is fish ornamentation but I have no idea what part of a fish it is. I was hoping someone would know. Thanks for looking. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 The one in the middle looks like one of the opercular. http://palaeos.com/vertebrates/bones/dermal/opercular.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Oh yes, the shape sure looks like the subopercular. It is described as oblong which I think my fossil is. This just might have given me a clue to another fossil I have been working on identifying. That site has so many good illustrations. I saved it. Thanks! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I'm not much of a vertebrate person, but I'm an avid fisherman. The opercular is the first place to start the cut when doing a fillet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 I'm not much of a vertebrate person, but I'm an avid fisherman. The opercular is the first place to start the cut when doing a fillet. So that's why you know! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Are both pieces from the same nodule? The mold/cast doesn't seem to match in the pictures. Mold looks very much like one of the bones of an operculum. The cast does not. It seems to have a different texture or, are we looking at two different nodules? Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Are both pieces from the same nodule? The mold/cast doesn't seem to match in the pictures. Mold looks very much like one of the bones of an operculum. The cast does not. It seems to have a different texture or, are we looking at two different nodules? Yes, both are sides of the same nodule. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanNREMTP Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 An interesting find to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadcutHannah Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 It's a poorly preserved clam. "The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep." -Robert Frost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 Well, I am almost positive it's not a clam due to the ornamentation on one side side of the nodule. So far, that ornamentation has only been fish. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Not a clam,... but a fish gill cover or opercular/operculum. I believe the ornamentation layer disintegrated when the nodule popped open, leaving the ornamentation imprint on the one side, but leaving the other side without ornamentation. 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...
ckmerlin Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I agree fish sub opercular plate, and a very nice one too "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I agree with fish as well. I have to say that penny has obviously been through a lot! Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I've seen things similar to these in our Penn. PO4 concretions, but they were usually part of someone's lunch: Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 Not a clam,... but a fish gill cover or opercular/operculum. I believe the ornamentation layer disintegrated when the nodule popped open, leaving the ornamentation imprint on the one side, but leaving the other side without ornamentation. Regards, Yes, that's what I think happened too. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 I agree fish sub opercular plate, and a very nice one too Thanks, Chris! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 I agree with fish as well. I have to say that penny has obviously been through a lot! Don I wondered what happened to it. I thought maybe it got caught in a machine of some kind. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 I've seen things similar to these in our Penn. PO4 concretions, but they were usually part of someone's lunch: post-6808-0-41744200-1373493925.jpg That might be close to an entire fish! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone2stone Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Roz, pretty good find on fossil. The Lincoln cent presently circulating in the U.S. is primarily Zinc with copper "flash" In certain circumstances they will completely dissolve away. I sometimes find them with a metal detector and there is so very little of it left that most people would dismiss it as a piece of scrap "whatever". The ones I find at the beach on the Gulf are not much more than a piece of crusty white oxide. Jess B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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