What The Hell Is This?

[Dad]

I found a skeleton of some sort of fish on a southern england beach. It's probably very common but can anyone tell me what species this is? The pics are below but some of the spine/tail is missing. It's approximately 24cm/ 8 and a half inches long and smells slightly
Thanks

 

[markandhisfish]

dunno but it sjure does look like it was a mean looking thing

 

[WILDER]

Could steralise it in boiling water and make it a feature in your tank lol.

 

[nosoup4you]

Could steralise it in boiling water and make it a feature in your tank lol.

My thoughts exactly... LOL

 

[kubora666]

Could steralise it in boiling water and make it a feature in your tank lol.

My thoughts exactly... LOL

could just be a dead cat or soemthing. im no experts with skulls. either way it looks awesome i'd put it in the tank

 

[england]

not froma seagull or something similar is it?
what beach did u find it

 

[nosoup4you]

Not sure what is native to that area, but it looks very Gar-like.

 

[jess6905]

could it possibly be some sort of eel? what large species of fish live in the area you found it in?

 

[nosoup4you]

Salmon/Trout?

 

[Corleone]

I'm not an expert either, but I don't think it's a fish skeleton. The skull is flat on top and seems to have nostrils, they're most visible in the first picture. Whatever it is may have fallen in the water, been picked clean by scavengers, then washed ashore.

 

[Colin_T]

It's not a cat or a bird because the spine runs straight out from the back of the skull. Birds & cats have the skull & spine join differently. It looks a bit like a bottom dwelling flatfish, eel, or something similar. By the size of the skull it would be a reasonable size creature whatever it is, (you probably only have 1/3 to ¼ of the animal).
Perhaps send the pics to your local museum and see if they can tell you what it is.
If you had the jaw it might help. Are there any teeth in it? Teeth are good for identifying things.

 

[Bigpig]

An under water baby dragon!!!!
You know they all exist and in the year 2010 when the world ecom crashes and we become primal they will take to the skies!!!

 

[kniesh]

Looks more like some kind of Lizard to me.

 

[bunnymummy]

I think it looks like some kind of Eel .... maybe?

 

[nosoup4you]

I'm not an expert either, but I don't think it's a fish skeleton. The skull is flat on top and seems to have nostrils, they're most visible in the first picture. Whatever it is may have fallen in the water, been picked clean by scavengers, then washed ashore.

Fish have nostrils too...