[folieimposee (OP)]

I've had this fossilized fish for around 20 years and I think it's either from an Asian or South American country. I was just curious if you could identify it for me and maybe give me your estimation on it's value. Thank you for taking the time!

Rob~


P.S. Someone said it may possibly be a Rhacolepis?

[RD]

maybe give me your estimation on it's value

Nothing if it's a fake ... http://www.paleodirect.com/fakechinesefossils1.htm

[Mazurka]

Hi Rob,

The good news is that if you have had it 20 years it is less likely to be a fake.

The bad news is, unless it is particularly unusual or if it is the very best of specimens, fossils have a fairly low value...
(look about 5" along - it appears that part of the fin is missing)
Sorry, I cannot identify it- it is diffiuclt to get a feel for it from a photo, although a closer up picture of the head might help. 

Have you tried taking it to a local museum/ university geology department to identify it.

[RD]

I suggest that anyone wishing to buy Rob's fishy item should Google his email address and pseudonym first.

[Don_1]

I suggest that anyone wishing to buy Rob's fishy item should Google his email address and pseudonym first.

DRAT! And I'd just got back from buying some fossilised chips (US = French fries) to go with my fossilised fish.

[RD]

look about 5" along

From the ruler in the photo it's about 20 inches long, (unless you are referring to Rob's X-rated video). 

[Geezer]

I've had this fossilized fish for around 20 years

Looks like Rob found it when he was only three years old.

[RD]

A little birdie told me what it looks like ...

[ Invalid Attachment ]

VINCTIFER ASPIDORHYNCID FISH IN THREE DIMENSIONAL FORM

Santana Formation - Ceara, Brazil

LOWER CRETACEOUS PERIOD:  110 million years ago

This is a VERY popular fish to fake or build from parts of multiple fish and many "junk" examples populate the commercial fossil market

In John Maisey's book titled "Santana Fossils", he cites the prevalence of fake, composite and enhanced fossils from this formation that are on the market.  The local artisans at the sites produce a wide variety of artificially created fossils - some horribly obvious yet some, extremely convincing out of carefully matched composite pieces.  These composite examples are very convincing because they are made up of all real pieces but not necessarily of the same species!  Often, missing parts are carved or sculpted from a mixture of plaster, rock dust and epoxy and then painted to disguise the work.  A number of these handcrafted "fossils" have in the past, and continue to, make it into the mainstream fossil market.  Describing a variety of techniques and types of fakes, Maisey even shows photographs of some fakes for reference to illustrate the breadth, creativity and skill of some of these workers....  With all Brazilian fossils, collectors should approach prospective purchases with caution for not only the legality of the specimen but also, for accurate disclosure by a qualified and experienced preparator of any artificial enhancement to the specimen.

http://paleodirect.com/pgset2/fbr-002.htm

Rob's fishy offering looks worse than a cut and shut job: I doubt it has any fossil content but is a composite of casts made from bits of fossil from different individuals which has then been painted (badly).

[Don_1]

P.S. Someone said it may possibly be a Fakeosaurus?

Looks like there'll be no buyers for your misspent weekend here old chap.

Might I suggest you stick to the porn.

AND WE'LL HAVE NO PUNS ON THAT LAST LINE, IF YOU PLEASE, TNS'ers!!!

[RD]

Didhethinkhesaurus coming ? ...

[]

[Geezer]

AND WE'LL HAVE NO PUNS ON THAT LAST LINE, IF YOU PLEASE, TNS'ers!!!

How about anagrams?

[maffsolo]

Ah yes a fortunate find I can believe it was preserved for 20 years ...
"Bakaliaros Tighanitos"

[Don_1]

..............How about anagrams?

Ah! Dear old Anna Gramme, how is the old girl these days?

[RD]

Someone said it may possibly be a Rhacolepis?

Rhacolepis looks completely different, it's smaller (below is a big "record size" example, to scale),
body shape and scale pattern are different, and it lacks the dinky little fins near the gills and tail ...

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

http://www.paleodirect.com/pgset2/fbr-004.htm

Rhacolepis is from the same era and region as Vinctifer:
 Rob was pointing us in the right direction so even an ignoramus could find a matching fossil, (very sneaky).

[maffsolo]

Look at the second  from the top

 [ Invalid Attachment ]
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

[RD]

Close but no cigar : head and tail are different …

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

They are approximately similar though, probably by parallel evolution rather than them being related.

[RD]

maybe give me your estimation on it's value

Nothing if it's a fake

I stand corrected: eight dollars (US) was paid for this fake "Vinctifer"  ...

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

 Isn't vinctifer, it looks like it's half gar, half summit else, with a purely fictional dorsal fin (sculpture).
  

[folieimposee (OP)]

Thank you for all your opinions. Maybe it is fake... all I know is my grandpas friend (who collects weird stuff) gave it to me when I was really little. I was only curious about it and my motive wasn't to dupe anyone for money. I am however really creeped out that by looking up my email addy individuals have found past videos I made. I'm completely deleting my email address now. Thanks for the heads up. Thank you everyone.

[CliffordK]

I've found fossils in the past which I know are "real"...

The clams were all clam shaped (and "3-D").

Leaves were just layers on a flat rock. 

If what you have is a real fossil, it is unlikely that it was recovered in a fish shape.  Rather it would have been recovered in a slab, then sculpted around the fish.  Personally I would have kept the slab where it was recovered intact.

I think I'd look at the back of the specimen, and try to determine if it looks like it was formed in a mold.

[Foolosophy]

Is this a joke or not?
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