Fossil Claw Posted July 30, 2015 Posted July 30, 2015 Seller thinks shrimp. I think lobster or crayfish. 2.5 inches long
Auspex Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 From whence did it come? "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!
Fossil Claw Posted July 31, 2015 Author Posted July 31, 2015 Seller doesn't know. Came from and estate sale.
Fossil Claw Posted July 31, 2015 Author Posted July 31, 2015 Best guess was lebanon based on it being with a lebanon flying fish. Not exactly proof of where it is from.
fossilized6s Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 It does look like Lebanese material. And it's not a Shrimp (Shrimp don't usually have claws). I vote Crawfish type of creature. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG
-Andy- Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Looks like China. Maybe from the Yixian formation? Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!
fossilized6s Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Try checking out Nephropidae. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG
Guguita2104 Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 In my opinion it's a crayfish, not a shrimp (they don't have tweezers) or a lobster, because they are usually bigger (about 30 cm of medium length) and have bigger tweezers.
Fossil Claw Posted July 31, 2015 Author Posted July 31, 2015 Seems we all agree its not a shrimp. I will put a small bid on it for the fun of it. I like to look for auctions where I think the seller is clearly wrong and get what looks like a good risk deal. Funny thing is even if I ID something before the auction is over and send them links to prove it, they usually say I am wrong and won't change the label on the auction. Which results in a better deal because people have to stumble onto the mislabeled item. Its fun to risk a small amount and then go chase down an ID later! The fun of identifying unknown items and the gamble of a good deal its too much fun to pass up. Found some great deals where neither the seller or I knew what the item was until after the auction was over. I got one item recently for under $50 that once I ID'd it and searched for recent sales appears to retail for around $350-$400.
Fossil Claw Posted July 31, 2015 Author Posted July 31, 2015 funny thing is i hate gambling at the casinos.
digit Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) Good luck on your auction. I haven't got a clue as to the ID of this "estate sale" sourced fossil other than it appears to be in the order Decapoda. Without being able to pin down a source (additional fossils on the slab may provide a clue) it is difficult to know if it comes from a marine or freshwater environment. Just don't be too eager to completely discount "shrimp" in your search for an ID. While the shrimps/prawns of cocktail sauce fame do not tend to have large chelipeds (front claws) there are many families of marine shrimps that do in fact have enlarged claws. The family that comes to mind first (though likely no relation to the fossil shown above) is the snapping/pistol shrimp (Alpheidae). These are reasonably common inhabitants of coral reefs usually associated with several species of anemone (Caribbean) or gobies (Indo-Pacific) which tends to make them easy to locate. They are also loud by shrimp standards capable of (and quite famous for) producing quite a loud "pop" underwater. The snapping sound comes from the creation (and collapse) of a cavitation bubble in less than 1 millisecond. Truly fascinating creatures which pack a lot of notable behavior into such a tiny package. If you have not yet heard about these shrimp I invite you do spend a minute or two reading this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpheidae There is also interesting information in this guy's unusual blog which is a combination of science and comics (there's a niche for you). An interesting read in total but scroll down about half way to read about snapping shrimp: http://www.jayhosler.com/jshblog/?cat=16 Though this is all just a case for presenting the fact that some shrimp to have claws (I edit marine life field guides as one of my many interests) I still have no clue as to what family this fossil may represent. I guess if you win the auction you'll have to spend some more time comparing it to other images you can find online or (if lucky) you might find a scientist who works with fossil decapods. Good luck. -Ken Edit: By the way, I just noticed this was my 1000th post! I guess when you are as loquacious as I am it was bound to happen sooner (rather than later). Edited July 31, 2015 by digit 1
FossilDAWG Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 As Ken implied, "lobster", "shrimp", and "crayfish" are colloquial terms with no real taxonomic significance. They are all decapod crustaceans; "shrimp" are just smaller than "lobsters", and "crayfish" live in fresh water. There are also "lobsters" that lack enlarged claws, such as Linuparus which is found is many Cretaceous to Eocene formations. Similarly, ticks are just large mites, and moths are not really different from butterflies, they are just more drably colored because they are active at night. Ken, congrats on the 1,000th post! Don 3
digit Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Thanks Don. Speaking of "lobsters" that lack enlarged claws Florida just ended its annual lobster mini-season at midnight last night. The Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) lacks enlarged claws but has two large spine-covered antennae and a pair of spines that form "horns" above the eyestalks. The annual two day non-commercial season in Florida results in the take of several hundred thousand lobsters and usually a diver fatality or two. I heard that this year divers were allowed an additional lobster for every 10 exotic invasive lionfish they collected (apparently quite tasty as well). Cheers. -Ken
Fossildude19 Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 The decapod looks a bit more like Chinese matrix than Lebanese matrix, to me. I see also that someone is selling a Fish concretion from Brazil as a shrimp, too. It's a Rhacolepis buccalis, from the Cretaceous Santana Formation. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me
FossilDAWG Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Fossildude19, on 31 Jul 2015 - 10:30 AM, said: I see also that someone is selling a Fish concretion from Brazil as a shrimp, too. $_RB157.JPG It's a Rhacolepis buccalis, from the Cretaceous Santana Formation. And what a wonderful specimen it is! :wacko: Don
FossilDAWG Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Wow that thing is up to $40 already. Which thing, the decapod or the crappy fish? I don't think I'd pay $40 for either one, but I also don't do the eBay thing. I do think the decapod is pretty cool, hope you get it for a reasonable price. Good luck! Don
Fossil Claw Posted July 31, 2015 Author Posted July 31, 2015 Decodpod. I stopped bidding before it got that high.
fossilized6s Posted August 1, 2015 Posted August 1, 2015 Which thing, the decapod or the crappy fish? I don't think I'd pay $40 for either one, but I also don't do the eBay thing. I do think the decapod is pretty cool, hope you get it for a reasonable price. Good luck! Don Well, now you just gave me a fun challenge. I'll try to change your mind. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG
Fossil Claw Posted August 7, 2015 Author Posted August 7, 2015 DON, Got the "crappy fish" for $10. The decodpod went for $61 plus $11. While ugly, I checked around. The flying fish normally sell for $35 to $70. So I will happily take the ugly bargin Which thing, the decapod or the crappy fish? I don't think I'd pay $40 for either one, but I also don't do the eBay thing. I do think the decapod is pretty cool, hope you get it for a reasonable price. Good luck! Don
FossilDAWG Posted August 7, 2015 Posted August 7, 2015 I'm sure it's a lot prettier for $10. I'm also sure the photo did not do it justice. Sorry the price ratcheted up on the decapod. Don
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