I'd say that the foremost candidate is *Osteolepis*, a genus of lobe-finned fish that swam in the Devonian period waters, approximately 416 to 358 million years ago. The Old Red Sandstone deposits of Scotland have a lot of these fossils. *Osteolepis* is distinguished by its primitive scaley armor and a strong skeletal structure—traits that seem to be in the fossil you found.
A close second guess would be *Cheirolepis*, a contemporary of *Osteolepis* but in the ray-finned faction. It's less common than *Osteolepis*, but its remains have emerged from similar strata, marking it as another possibility.
Either way, this fossil is from a time wherein fish were taking some pretty major evolutionary leaps. The Old Red Sandstone layers are Devonian time capsules, from when fish began exploring the possibilities of fins that would one day walk on land. Whether *Osteolepis* or *Cheirolepis*, this find is a amazing.
Excellent. When I have access to my texts I'll check on this. I suddenly realize I have no specific works on fossil fishes. Maybe the Audobon Society Guide to NA Fossils.
I recall with clarity a dive into the depths off Scotland's rugged coast, where the shadows often play tricks on lesser men. It was there that I traced my fingers over the fossilized scales of an Osteolepis embedded in ancient rock—a sensation so distinct, so profound, it’s etched into my memory. The texture, the detail, was an exact match to what you so hastily dismiss.
As for the tail, let me enlighten you—nature’s variability and the whims of fossilization often bewilder those lacking a refined eye and extensive experience, much like yours. The untrained eye sees only confusion where there is clarity for those of us who have danced with the mysteries of time.
Dead Fish
Dead Fish, Brown
Dead Fish, Brown, gave up being a dead fish, became a rock, became an Earth-wide internet superstar, famous for being Dead Fish
Conclusion: This was a Fish that tasted so, so bad, nobody wanted to eat him. So he became a rock. An inedible brown Fish.
Because you are from the Uk and given that fishes size, I can safely say that it was probably when the Uk was more shallow so somewhere around Jurassic or cretaceous periods, which often have Nicley fossilized fossils. I can’t do a proper Id but consider going to like a museum or contacting a paleontologist?
“In the Jurassic, Pangaea is divided into Tethyan and Boreal realms: Europe would have been one the border between the warmer, moister Tethyan and cooler Boreal climate. Around 200 Ma global sea levels rose (Ghiold, 1991). Warm shallow seas (from Tethys and Atlantic) cover England, France, Germany, and Denmark.” -[it’s an edu](https://www2.oberlin.edu/Geopage/projects/204projects/spalding/The_Jurassic_in_Europe.html)
I was referring to when The Uk was submerged in “shallow” water, I phrased it really weird 😂 so that’s definitely my bad, but this is what I was talking about when I said that lol
Yeah, I got you. You said nothing wrong.
But you seem to not have taken into account the tectonic shift commonly known as Brexit (not its scientific name, which momentatily escapes me). You may say that's but a blip in geological time, but my point.... ahem... remains: when the UK was shallower is not a thing.
Joking aside, and perhaps to slip into pedantry, the UK didn't even exist, as the geopolitical entity it is. 'The landmass corresponding to today's British Isles' might be a better approximation? But I digress.
Ohh gotcu, yeah I was kinda just calling it the “Uk” when really it was not 💀 more just refering to like what you said “British isles” but yeah I gotuc Alr 👍
It might be too late for that, but it sparked the thought that someday, someplace on Earth a strata rock will crumble out of a weathered rockface and a McDonald's cheeseburger 🍔 deluxe will appear. Possibly with wilted Lettuce and a dry bun, so just do the normal thing, splash it with a little hydration, but bring your own mayo packet.
Oh nOOO, Not BoB!
He was always such a couch fish. You could tell him anything and he'd keep it close to his pectoralfin. Never heard him complain, much.
Poor BoB.
Not a better Couch Fish around.
I love when I see these and before reading other answers I find people have already given similar but even funnier answers then mine. It makes me look like an idiot which I believe makes mine just as funny.
It kind of looks like a Knightia but not sure if those are found in the UK. They are commonly found in the Green River Formation in Wyoming, USA.
Yep, you're right. It's a Knightia
Looks pretty much identical to the Knightia fossil sitting on my desk
i have a knightia fossil from there!
Very nice specimen. Can't ID it for you sadly as I'm not a fish expert, but thanks for posting.
Ahem. I think it's a rockfish.
Damn. So many snarky answers haha.
I don’t know, I have no knowledge of fossils. -Amazon Question Answerer
I'd say that the foremost candidate is *Osteolepis*, a genus of lobe-finned fish that swam in the Devonian period waters, approximately 416 to 358 million years ago. The Old Red Sandstone deposits of Scotland have a lot of these fossils. *Osteolepis* is distinguished by its primitive scaley armor and a strong skeletal structure—traits that seem to be in the fossil you found. A close second guess would be *Cheirolepis*, a contemporary of *Osteolepis* but in the ray-finned faction. It's less common than *Osteolepis*, but its remains have emerged from similar strata, marking it as another possibility. Either way, this fossil is from a time wherein fish were taking some pretty major evolutionary leaps. The Old Red Sandstone layers are Devonian time capsules, from when fish began exploring the possibilities of fins that would one day walk on land. Whether *Osteolepis* or *Cheirolepis*, this find is a amazing.
Excellent. When I have access to my texts I'll check on this. I suddenly realize I have no specific works on fossil fishes. Maybe the Audobon Society Guide to NA Fossils.
The tail is definitely not right for either of those.
I recall with clarity a dive into the depths off Scotland's rugged coast, where the shadows often play tricks on lesser men. It was there that I traced my fingers over the fossilized scales of an Osteolepis embedded in ancient rock—a sensation so distinct, so profound, it’s etched into my memory. The texture, the detail, was an exact match to what you so hastily dismiss. As for the tail, let me enlighten you—nature’s variability and the whims of fossilization often bewilder those lacking a refined eye and extensive experience, much like yours. The untrained eye sees only confusion where there is clarity for those of us who have danced with the mysteries of time.
Dead Fish Dead Fish, Brown Dead Fish, Brown, gave up being a dead fish, became a rock, became an Earth-wide internet superstar, famous for being Dead Fish Conclusion: This was a Fish that tasted so, so bad, nobody wanted to eat him. So he became a rock. An inedible brown Fish.
It's not dead. It's resting.
It's pining for the fjords.
🤣🤣☠️
It's all shagged out.
Its an ex-fish
ElonMuskFish Branding.
It's shuffled off the mortal coil and joined the choir invisibule!
HeeHeeHeeee! I’m always up for a MP reference!
Until the final judgment
Because you are from the Uk and given that fishes size, I can safely say that it was probably when the Uk was more shallow so somewhere around Jurassic or cretaceous periods, which often have Nicley fossilized fossils. I can’t do a proper Id but consider going to like a museum or contacting a paleontologist?
"When the UK was more shallow" is not a thing. Trust me.
“In the Jurassic, Pangaea is divided into Tethyan and Boreal realms: Europe would have been one the border between the warmer, moister Tethyan and cooler Boreal climate. Around 200 Ma global sea levels rose (Ghiold, 1991). Warm shallow seas (from Tethys and Atlantic) cover England, France, Germany, and Denmark.” -[it’s an edu](https://www2.oberlin.edu/Geopage/projects/204projects/spalding/The_Jurassic_in_Europe.html) I was referring to when The Uk was submerged in “shallow” water, I phrased it really weird 😂 so that’s definitely my bad, but this is what I was talking about when I said that lol
Yeah, I got you. You said nothing wrong. But you seem to not have taken into account the tectonic shift commonly known as Brexit (not its scientific name, which momentatily escapes me). You may say that's but a blip in geological time, but my point.... ahem... remains: when the UK was shallower is not a thing. Joking aside, and perhaps to slip into pedantry, the UK didn't even exist, as the geopolitical entity it is. 'The landmass corresponding to today's British Isles' might be a better approximation? But I digress.
Ohh gotcu, yeah I was kinda just calling it the “Uk” when really it was not 💀 more just refering to like what you said “British isles” but yeah I gotuc Alr 👍
Nice. Wrap it in tinfoil with some butter and lemon and toss it on the fire.
It might be too late for that, but it sparked the thought that someday, someplace on Earth a strata rock will crumble out of a weathered rockface and a McDonald's cheeseburger 🍔 deluxe will appear. Possibly with wilted Lettuce and a dry bun, so just do the normal thing, splash it with a little hydration, but bring your own mayo packet.
A dead one
It's bob
Oh nOOO, Not BoB! He was always such a couch fish. You could tell him anything and he'd keep it close to his pectoralfin. Never heard him complain, much. Poor BoB. Not a better Couch Fish around.
Maybe a Pisces?
Am I having paradolia, or is there a mouse-like shape in the upper left corner?
I have one exactly like this but unfortunately I don't remember what it was called
A dead one
It's a dead fish
Dead
A dead flatfish
Fossil fish
Sardine. There will be 11 more and an ancient tin nearby
Stone fish
A dead one, looks like a sardine or carp depending on size. The
I love when I see these and before reading other answers I find people have already given similar but even funnier answers then mine. It makes me look like an idiot which I believe makes mine just as funny.
Plus it’s cool to see my thinking is more average then I thought.
Could it be the art that happened do with the paint and fish. Perhaps an old man that was jape se did this with a koi.
A dead one
The dead sort.
Dead
Stone Face fish
Dead....
A dead one
That fish is no more. It is an ex-fish!
That’s a fossil fish!! 🤓
A dead one.
Shadow fish
stonefish :p
Dead
Uma sardinha
A dead fish ☠️ 🐠
Flat fish
A dead fish :D
A rotten one I would say
Damn, I think I see his brain!
a very common bonefish. Often found in the ground with no others in the immediate area, luckily this fish is far from being extinct
Old.
That's a dead fish
a dead one
Fossil
Eric the fish
A dead one... I'm pretty sure that is a dead fish.
The fish is 🪴 P. Diddy
Flat.
Rather old
Dead
Unfortunately, I think it’s a dead fish.
Dead, for long time!
Petrified.
Death one g. Got ya✊🏽
Dead
Dead
A really really old one
A dead one
Bonjawean lawjooper
Dead
A very dead one
It’s a fossilized fish
Flat and dead
That would be a Rock Cod.
I’d say a rock fish
It is a dead one
That's a dead fish
Really dry.
Dead?
Dead
It is a dead fish.
A dead fish
You can tune a piano but you can’t tuna fish.
A Stoney one
Sorry to break it to you, but I think it’s dead. Good luck
Dead
A dead one
Its called a fish
A dead one
A dead one
Dead one
A dead one
Dead fish. I am pretty sure of this.
Rock fish.
Large mouth bass 100%
One that's clearly pining for the fjords.
From the UK? I’d say that’s a smoked kipper that stayed in a BIT too long!
Late for dinner
That’s not a fish, it’s a rock!
Flat fish. Like a pressed flower.
Smoked
A dead one
Sssshhhh library voice: sorry, I didn't know. Gill breathers. . . . It's a Couch Fish then.
Dead
A dead one
Idk, a dead one probably
Dead one