Found the head part of a 400 million year old Devonian fish fossil

[smokeythecat]

I saw this the other day, but didn't pick it up. So I drove back yesterday to snag it. Something just told me there was something to it.

It is probably an ostracodermas cephalaspes, late Devonian fish.

The tail end section is gone. What you are seeing is the head and eyes. I outlined the eyes a little for contrast. Other than that all I did was brush it off with a toothbrush and water.

I have found Eocene fish fossils from Wyoming and fish vertebrae from the Miocene of Maryland and Virginia, but this puppy takes the cake.

They are exceptionally rare.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Kray Gelder]

Not seeing it.

 

[ARC]

I am also not seeing it...

And no offense... but it... lol... is Almost "phallic". :/

 

[pepperj]

I thought that this was the eye, then the gill runs down right of that.

 

[Ponchosportal]

Not seeing it .... please explain why you think it is what you think it is. Thank you.

 

[Gaspipe]

Awesome fossil. Those that are not seeing it are unfamiliar with the armored fish from the Devonian Period .Preservation is not fantastic for sure but cool find.

 

[smokeythecat]

Those kinds of fish did not have gills as such, on the side, nor did they even have regular mouths. The also did not have fins like modern fish do. BTW I didn't do anything to it, it is as found. A little color around the eyes. They looked more like pancakes with eyes and the entire tail section is gone. Part of the left side of the head is also missing. Broken off by the plow I assume. You'd have to know what one looked like for a reference. They do NOT look like modern fish.

 

[Jeff H]

I have found Eocene fish fossils from Wyoming and fish vertebrae from the Miocene of Maryland and Virginia, but this puppy takes the cake.

Is it a puppy or a fish? You can't have it both ways Smokey. Just teasing. Great find there Smokey. Very cool!

 

[smokeythecat]

Puppies drool more! And eat more slippers.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Great find, congrats!

 

[smokeythecat]

I will contact a paleontologist familiar with that formation and probably go meet them at one point, after covid and riot hell are over.

 

[Locke]

Very interesting a Smokey!

 

[Silvermonkey]

Pretty cool.....pretty cool.

 

[smokeythecat]

Thanks for all the replies. I spotted it a week or more ago, whatever day it was, and went back to get it, as it seemed different. I emailed two palentologists, one I know fairly well.

 

[jewelerguy]

After looking and looking at your pics, I had to google image search other examples to get an idea of what to look for. Actually still hard to make out, but it's no doubt a fossil

 

[smokeythecat]

Yes, it's a fossil...hope to hear from the paleontologists within a few days. (Due to state of preservation it's not a big bucks item, duh.)