Vertebrate
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, vertebra centrum, 14/LMK
Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus Middle Triassic, Lower Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland An example of a Sauropterygian vertebra centrum (likely Nothosaurus sp.). This is a well-preserved, large specimen (for this region). The first photo shows the vertebra in lateral view. A nutrient foramen (vascular opening) through which blood vessels entered the bone is visible upon closer…
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, tooth, 5/UMK
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus Middle Triassic, Upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian), Upper Silesia, Poland The largest Sauropterygian tooth in my collection. Unfortunately, the specimen’s preservation leaves something to be desired, especially since the apex of the tooth is missing. In any case, a tooth of this size must have belonged to a large individual. Obtaining it required considerable…
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Acrodus lateralis, tooth, 4/UMK
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Acrodus lateralis Middle Triassic, Upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian), Upper Silesia, Poland A beautifully preserved tooth crown from the hybodont shark Acrodus lateralis. The teeth of this species are smaller than those of Acrodus gaillardoti, with more refined ornamentation. The delicate, yet distinct, branching ridges converge to a keel that runs the entire length of the tooth.…
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Palaeobates angustissimus, tooth, 13/LMK
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Palaeobates angustissimus Middle Triassic, Lower Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland A tooth from another common shark from the Middle Triassic – Palaeobates angustissimus. These teeth measure usually no more than a few millimeters. This specimen is one of the largest in my collection. Palaeobates is another durophagous shark with dentition adapted for crushing hard prey.…
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, rib, 12/LMK
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, rib Middle Triassic, Lower Muschelkalk (Anisian), Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland A rib fragment from a marine reptile from the Sauropterygian group. It very likely belongs to Nothosaurus. Ribs are a common find in Silesian Muschelkalk deposits; complete finds are a completely different story. In this case, I was lucky – it…
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Parhybodus plicatilis, tooth, 3/UMK
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A specimen of a antero-lateral tooth of Parhybodus plicatilis.
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Pistosaurus longaevus, tooth, 2/UMK
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Pistosaurus longaevus Middle Triassic, Upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian), Upper Silesia, Poland Pistosaurus were an intermediate form (though not considered a direct ancestor) between Nothosaurus and Plesiosaurus. They were the first known reptiles to move by underwater flight. While nothosaurids moved primarily by twisting their trunks (like modern crocodiles), the movement of pistosaurids resembled the swimming of…
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Acrodus sp. lateral tooth, 11/LMK
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Acrodus sp. Middle Triassic, Lower Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland A beautiful specimen of a shark tooth from the genus Acrodus, with its crown and root preserved. The dentition of these durophagous sharks was heterodont—meaning the teeth varied in shape depending on their position in the jaw. This specimen is an example of a lateral…
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Colobodus sp. cf. chorzowiensis ganoid scale, 10/LMK
Colobodus sp. cf. chorzowiensis Middle Triassic, Lower Muschelkalk (anisian), Upper Silesia, Poland A beautiful, complete ganoid scale, likely belonging to Colobodus chorzowiensis (yes, Von Meyer described this species based on specimens from Chorzów in Upper Silesia!). It’s the finest specimen I’ve found. Fish equipped with this type of scales were covered in a complete, flexible…
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Ptychoceratodus cf. madelungi tooth plate 9/LMK
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Ptychoceratodus sp. cf madelungi (Ceratodus sp. cf. madelungi) Middle Triassic, Lower Muschelkalk (anisian), Upper Silesia, Poland An extremely rare specimen from the Lower Muschelkalk. A dental plate of a lungfish (Dipnoi). Ptychoeratodus is an extinct genus of lungfish that occurred from the Early Triassic to the Late Cretacerous. The fossil record usualy preserves dental plates…
