Any clue what this is from

RE: Any clue what this is from

Niall Taylor — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 18:22:21 GMT

[quote user="Virginia Campbell"]the fishermen in the Isle of Man used to wear them as a charm against drowning[/quote]

Mmhmm... As a sceptic I have to ask - how heavy are they? I think if I was looking for an 'anti-drowning' charm I'd be going for a cuttle-fish bone instead, or possibly a piece of pumice, or actually, just a life-jacket

Niall

RE: Any clue what this is from

Virginia Campbell — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 23:24:16 GMT

Yes, it's a "ballan cross" from a ballan wrasse. Thought to be lucky- a Manxman told us that the fishermen in the Isle of Man used to wear them as a charm against drowning. I've got one my husband found- you can drill a hole through the middle fin of bone for the string. He has made another for himself by cutting the cross out of a freshly caught wrasse , boiling and drying it. Wrasse don't taste that nice though, so I reckon they are best left unmolested, teeth and all, to swim another day.

RE: Any clue what this is from

chris Jones — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 16:58:27 GMT

strange isn't it. think I have found the origin, looks like it may be from a type of Wrasse.

certainly one to keep for kids in consults! could offer a prize.

regards

chris

RE: Any clue what this is from

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 16:31:05 GMT

I'm pretty sure those are the pharyngeal teeth from one of the species of fish that has them.

Gurnard?

Probably the rest of the fish was cooked and eaten.

Fascinating specimen. One for the mantelpiece.

RE: Any clue what this is from

Will McMullan — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 15:29:55 GMT

I can't comment on the origin but I do know it is going to give me nightmares tonight!

RE: Any clue what this is from

chris Jones — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:58:55 GMT

thought it had to be fish related. I just don't know a great deal about them. interesting jaw though, seems to be more teeth waiting to erupt sitting inside the bulbous part.

RE: Any clue what this is from

chris Jones — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:48:59 GMT

from looking further it looks like it may be pharyngeal teeth from a mollusc eating fish of some type.

RE: Any clue what this is from

Linda Filshie — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:48:42 GMT

Looks like a drum fish dental plate - I only know this becausing I was browsing a US national park facebook page 2 days ago and they posted something that looks very similar and that was what it was!