brachiomyback Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Unique shaped finds from Lee Creek / Aurora spoils... Anybody know what they are? Casts? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeDOTB Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Ha ha, they kind of look like coprolites... But I really have no idea. DO, or do not. There is no try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maniraptoran Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 looks like belemnite (cephalopod) guards to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kehbe Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 (edited) Wow those are tiny and numerous. Nice find! Sorry I cannot be of any help with ID'ing these but I am very curious to learn more about where and in what conditions you found these! Were they close to each other (grouped?)when you found them or scattered? Were they buried or on the surface? Are they 'wet' in the picture or shiny dry? Good stuff Brachio! Edited October 7, 2011 by Kehbe It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. Charles Darwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanK Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Unique shaped finds from Lee Creek / Aurora spoils... Anybody know what they are? Casts? thanks Nice finds, it looks as belemnites for me but small ones. Link for Crimea finds. Roman http://s1143.photobu.../donbassfossil/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Not old enough to be belemnites. These most likely come out of the Miocene aged Pungo River Formation. I find them quite a bit while searching for small teeth and I've never been able to identify them. I'm pretty sure they are an internal mold of something but I can't figure out what that something can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maniraptoran Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 not belemnites? dang, i thought i had that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkbyte Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Okay, I'm going to go way out on a limb here and probably say something dumb, but then it wouldn't be the first time I've ever done that. I don't know my Echinoderms at all and I know that echinoderms can cover a large variety so I am wondering, is it possible that these may be some type of spines or what have you from some type of uncommon Echinoderm??? I know that the Forum has some very knowledgeable members in that area of fossils and hope someone might openly laugh at my suggestion or call it possible. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoJon Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Those look like the bullet weights I use for soft plastic lures when I'm bass fishing. I'm thinking belemnites also, because of the shape. Maybe they were fossilized in a mesozoic formation then eroded out and were re-deposited...I'm no expert on molluscs, but that's my two cents' worth. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Hi, Okay, I'm going to go way out on a limb here and probably say something dumb, but then it wouldn't be the first time I've ever done that. I don't know my Echinoderms at all and I know that echinoderms can cover a large variety so I am wondering, is it possible that these may be some type of spines or what have you from some type of uncommon Echinoderm??? I know that the Forum has some very knowledgeable members in that area of fossils and hope someone might openly laugh at my suggestion or call it possible. They can't be sea urchin spines. The big thorns of sea urchins are attached to the skeleton with an articulation. We would see it necessarily on spines. I thought too of belemnites, but you say that the age is not good. Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Those look like the bullet weights I use for soft plastic lures when I'm bass fishing.... I used to get fooled by lead bullets that looked just like a NY Devonian stalkless crinoid cup. I'd get excited seeing it and then when I picked it up it would be just a bit too heavy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brachiomyback Posted October 9, 2011 Author Share Posted October 9, 2011 Those look like the bullet weights I use for soft plastic lures when I'm bass fishing. I'm thinking belemnites also, because of the shape. Maybe they were fossilized in a mesozoic formation then eroded out and were re-deposited...I'm no expert on molluscs, but that's my two cents' worth. Hope that helps. I thought the same when I saw them. I decided to break apart a more "beat up" specimen. Based on the texture of material on the cross section, it does appears to be a steinkern of some sort. thanks for the opines.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maniraptoran Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 ok, so its a steinkern... but a steinken of what, exactly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkbyte Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) Hello Coco, I was just trying to think of possabilities based on what type of fossils I have seen and or collected from the same site these came from. I have found sea urchins there and I was doing google image searches and found a few items of interest. They certainly don't prove my theory since none are dead ringers but I know just enough about Echinoderms to be dangerous. (mostly to myself) I do wan't to share my thought process with a few pictures for reference as to where I was going with this idea. The first picture shows spines??? that closely resemble to me what he has found although his would be "steinkerns" The second picture shows how varied in size, shape and styles these spines can be and I wonder what the inside of the longer spines would look like, especially the last portion of the tip and the third picture is the most intriguing to me. Look what is inside a broke open Sea Urchin. I don't know if this is inside all of them or not as I have never broke open one but you can bet I just have to sacrifice one of my sea urchins for the greater good of learning. I'm probably still wrong but it sure seems possible to someone who knows little about this type of fossil. Just a self confession here, but I usually don't mind throwing ideas around even when a lot of the times I am shown to be publicly wrong because when that happens, I learn something and that is a good thing especially if I have saved someone else who shys away from showing what they don't know to others . Credit for the images that I have posted are as follows 1st. picture fossilmail.com 2nd. picture twoguysfossils.com and 3rd picture alshindagah.com Hi, They can't be sea urchin spines. The big thorns of sea urchins are attached to the skeleton with an articulation. We would see it necessarily on spines. I thought too of belemnites, but you say that the age is not good. Coco Edited October 12, 2011 by Sharkbyte "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkbyte Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Brachio, If we keep this thread going long enough, we will get an answer. Someone out there knows what they are even if they are insignificant. "ENQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW" "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Hi, I have not time now, but I am going to return with an answer, and I am going to try to make photos to explain my comments. Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkbyte Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 (edited) Thanks Coco. I'm just trying to sort this one out and hopefully learn something along the way. Hi, I have not time now, but I am going to return with an answer, and I am going to try to make photos to explain my comments. Coco Edited October 12, 2011 by Sharkbyte "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 That's why I don't think that the presented fossils are sea urchin spines. FIST REASON Any regular sea urchin spine is formed by a "stalk" which becomes attached to the skeleton of the sea urchin. This tie meets on the base of the spine, it is fixed to a tuber on the skeleton. Here are diverse species of sea urchin spines. You will see that every time, we see the basal part which is connected with the body of the sea urchin. My pics are not good quality, but I had not a lot of time to do them. Balanocidaris glandifera Caenocidaris cucumifera Paracidaris florigemma Pseudocidaris mammosa Rhabdocidaris orbignyani Temnocidaris septrifera Tylocidaris clavigera SECOND REASON As you can see, sea urchin spines are rarely smooth THIRD REASON The sea urchin spines are very often in calcite (CaCo3). As you can see it on this photo, when a calcite sea urchin spine break, it is so made as it is never cut perpendicularly in its main axis, but it is with an angle about by 45 °. I can also make a mistake. When I propose anything without being convinced of it, I put a "?" after my proposition. When I can explain what I know with photos (easier when we don't write English naturaly), I make it with pleasure. I have a big collection of fossil sea urchins, and I have one even bigger collection of current sea urchins. I have some material to compare. If you want to learn more on sea urchins, you can open a new post to put all your questions. I shall try to answer as far as my knowledge and time. Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) My first impression was the same as Mike's. If you find small teeth in the Pungo River Formation then why not small coprolites? Do you have published information on what all is common from there? Are the teeth you find there marine? Edited October 13, 2011 by BobWill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 My first impression was the same as Mike's. If you find small teeth in the Pungo River Formation then why not small coprolites? Do you have published information on what all is common from there? Are the teeth you find there marine? The reason I doubt that these are coprolites is all the ones I've ever found are pointed on one end only. I would expect to find them pinched on both ends at least occasionally if they were coprolites. Yes, this is an open marine environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Anytime one finds many similar shapes then, of course, they represent something that probably has been identified. However, we have yet to find the references. What I find interesting is the common "broken flat ends" on most of these specimens. To me that would rule out coprolite. Question for those familiar with the area and time period. Are there any teeth that might be a candidate? Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkbyte Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks for the pictures Coco and they are excellent. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Came across this post trying to identify this find from Lee creek matrix. Did anyone ever determine what these are or do any new members know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I have read old NC Fossil club newsletters recently and these have been identified as pteropod endocasts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I have read old NC Fossil club newsletters recently and these have been identified as pteropod endocasts. Thank you!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now