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Showing results for tags 'coprolite'.
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I have found this pyrite piece With a very strange shape,is it only pyrite or ? coprolite?or?
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Found this nice coprolite with a tiny shark tooth visible. Found last week in the North Sulfur River. The pictures don't do it justice unfortunately...
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Hi Folks, I found this suspiciously looking piece of something yesterday. Anyway with all the knowledge on this board I will throw this piece of something out there for you all to identify. It is quite a large specimen about 5” + 3” and over a pound in weight. Also I should add I found this specimen on Brownies beach in Chesapeake Beach Maryland. Thanks Cliff Dweller
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Here is another coprolite. Wondering if the class of organism that defecated it can be determined. I found it in a particularly desolate (in terms of fossils) exposure of Pierre Shale (late cretaceous) in NW Nebraska. It was the only fossil I found in 2 hours of hunting. Pic to left shows close-up with fish bone inclusions. @GeschWhat
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I am wondering if any more information can be gleaned from this specimen beyond "coprolite". Bony fish? Shark? Mosasaur? Niobrara fm., Cretaceous. NW Nebraska. @GeschWhat
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I have a coprolite that has me somewhat puzzled. It was found in a river in South Carolina and dates Miocene-Pliocene. I picked it up at the Tucson Gem Show because I thought it resembled some east coast coprolites with longitudinal striations/furrows/grooves that @MarcoSr posted a while back. Now that I've looked at it for a while and done a little prep work, I'm not so sure the grooves are sphincter related. There are intestinal muscle marks visible on one side, but they don't seem to match up with the grooves. The grooves were filled with sandstone/limestone. I left matrix in the deeper portions to preserve the integrity of the specimen. Across from the grooves are what look like puncture marks. My first thought was that they were clam borings. However, they do line up with the grooves in question. Now I'm wondering if these could be tooth marks as well. Under magnification, I noticed smaller tooth marks and an impression that I can't figure out. My imagination is now getting the best of me, and I'm seeing food chain activity. I'm seeing a big fish nabbing a small fish that was nabbing an invertebrate that was feasting on feces. Do you think the larger grooves and holes could be tooth marks? Does anyone have any idea what could have left the impression? The only thing I could think of is some sort of mollusk. Love your thoughts on this. @Carl
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Kem Kem Coprolite?
Seguidora-de-Isis posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Good Night to everyone from my favorite Forum! I'm very curious about this specimen. According to the seller's description, this is a coprolite discovered in beds of Kem Kem. This is real? Is it from a carnivore or herbivore? Could it be a dinosaur?
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I have finally had a chance to start looking at the poop I won in @sixgill pete's shell game. Something about the inclusion in this little nugget looks familiar, but I can't quite place it. Maybe it's just because it looks a little like the dried and flattened frogs I see in my daughters driveway. It was found by the aforementioned esteemed forum member along the Cape Fear River and is believed to be from the Bladen Formation (Black Creek Group). Ideas?
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I picked up a new poo (at least I'm thinking it's poo) at our favorite auction site. The only think I know about it is that it was found in Mountain Creek, Texas. There is a shark tooth and bivalve impression on the bottom. I'm hoping this might be diaagnostic. Can someone identify the shark tooth and bivalve impression? Any idea what formation these are from? As always, thanks a bunch for your help!
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Title says it all. Never dealt with coprolites before. What do you guys think?
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Found a few chunks of coprolite at the NSR and noticed two of them have similar markings. Any idea what would have caused this?
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Calling all poop people! This is from Brownie's Beach, so Miocene era. I actually thought it was dog poop at first, and had some choice thoughts about the person who didn't clean up after his/her dog. Then I looked closer, poked it, and discovered it was rock, so into my pocket it went. I find the whole field of coprolites to be really tough with IDing, as no two poops seem to be alike. I do a lot of my IDing by cross-comparing pictures online using my trusty pal Google, and this is one where I'm not finding anything that gives me an "aha!" moment. But it looks like feces, and I'm guessing shark based on where I found it. I'm not licking it because if someone comes back and tells me it's really dog poop then -- ugh! Let's not go there! So help me, experts of the Fossil Forum! You're my only hope!
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Some tiny bone fragments from the Harleyville Quarry. Possibly a coprolite as well.
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I've got an interesting knightia here. The fish is nice, but what's that mass? Organ? Coprolite?
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So these are the before and after of the bone fragment prep process. This material was found at Aust Cliff in the U.K it's from the Triassic. I'd love to get your opinions on what you think it could be, given that it's only a fragment it will be hard to tell. I've not left it in the sun before you ask haha that was just to take a clear picture, don't want it cracking. Thanks guys. I think ichthyosaur/plesiosaur bone fragment as these are some of the most common bones found from there. Plenty of coprolite and micro fossils visible here as well including some teeth. I prepped this myself over the course of an hour, the matrix is nice and soft and easy to get through
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Not all rocks that look like poop have a fecal origin. Here are a few things to consider when trying to determine whether or not you have a coprolite: 1. Location, Location, Location – If you haven’t guessed, the first and most important thing to consider is the location your rock was found. Don’t expect to find a coprolite unless you find it in geologic area/layer where other fossils are found. If you find things like bones, teeth and fish scales, or prehistoric tracks, you may just be in in luck. 2. Shape – While fecal matter can be rather free-form when exposed to the elements or when digestion issues arise, most coprolites are shaped like poo. As with modern extrusions, fossilized feces can be shaped like pellets, spirals, scrolls, logs, piles, etc. Their shape is dependent on shape of their producers intestinal and anal structure. Look for things like compaction folds and pinch marks. 3. Texture - Most coprolites are fine grained. If your specimen appears granular under magnification, it is most likely not a coprolite. There are some exceptions, such as marine creatures that feed on bottom sediments or coral. That is why knowing the location and geology of the area where it was discovered is so important. 4. Inclusions – Many times, coprolites will have visible inclusions. Things like fish scales, bone fragments, and teeth may not get fully digested, and can be visible on the surface. Some animals ingest stones for ballast or digestive purposes. These are known as gastroliths, and if present, are generally smooth. 5. Composition – Because herbivore scat tends to break a part and decompose rapidly, it rarely survives the fossilization process. So most fossil poo that is found is from carnivores. The reason for this is that their poo is usually high in calcium phosphate, the same mineral found in bone. This mineral can appear in many forms. It can be hard and dense or soft and porous. If the potential coprolite appears soft and porous, there is a quick test that is often used in the field. If you touch to stone to the tip of your tongue and it sticks, chances are, it is high in calcium phosphate and could be a coprolite. If you are not that brave, you can also touch it with wet fingers to see if it feels sticky, but this is not nearly as fun. If the calcium phosphate takes a harder, more dense form, the “lick test” won’t work. In some instances, chemical analysis is required to definitively identify the mineral composition.
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I have been talking snarge with GeschWhat, and sent her some pictures of two coprolites I have collected over the years in the Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas. I have shown these to a few people, and nobody seems to know what caused these strange marks. The one that is marked a lot was the first I found. It was sticking out of a chalk cliff about 5 feet above the floor of the valley. The marks were on the parts of it still in the chalk, so there is no way they were added after fossilization. Years later I found another similar sized coprolite, also in the Niobrara but not associated with this one that also has very similar marks, though not as noticeable possibly due to it being badly weathered and a surface find. I may have posted this years ago, but since people come and go on here, I thought I'd give it another shot. Ramo
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Hello again! Finally took some pictures of the rocks I was referring to in previous posts. These are the reason I asked for help ID previous rocks. I never new what coprolite was until I tried to find a reason why these rocks look the way they do. In person, they look like they contain chunks of turtle/lizard/fish/eggs/shellfish/etc type stuff, I believe what is referred to as inclusions. But it could just be some funky conglomerate. Either way I’m hoping someone can explain why they look the way they do! There’s about 20 or so of these on my property, just grabbed some and snapped some photos. I wish I had better lighting/camera so detail could be seen. Thanks for your time in advance! And if you have any thoughts please let me know! Property is located in residential Menlo Park, California (between San Francisco and San Jose), very close to the San Francisquito Creek. some were just laying on top of the ground, others were below and found when doing some yard work digging. Easier to to see the individual parts when rocks are wet as the colors pop, as supposed to blending in as a slightly reddish brown mud. Some seem to have a “skin” if you will around them, like a layer that can be rubbed off, allthough i have noticed once i rub it off the inclusions, a couple days later the colors seem to have faded. Also many of The inclusions that stick out of the rock give the appearance that they have been scratched off or bitten off, possibly just from hitting other rocks as well. The black inclusions are the easiest to see in the photos, however they are only a small fraction of the reptilian/crustacean/fish/ i dont know shapes that you can see
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Hey gang, here is a handful of permian amphibian and shark turds from a nifty swamp deposit.
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Hey guys, thanks for all the responses and info in my first post! Here is another. Located in Menlo Park, Ca. Found in yard, have been doing yard work , digging holes, weeding, etc. This was originally covered in thick, what i thought to be brown mud. I havnt removed this layer completely, you can still see a bit of it as i left some on. Its the poo brown color mud still on parts of it, the second picture shows the most of it. (best description of color I have, sorry) The one side looked like a face actually and its the only reason I decided to pick it up. After looking at it for a minute I noticed what appeared to be a shell or something of the sort sticking out the one side. Got sidetracked, didnt think much of it and put it down for about a week before I came across it again. Decided to brush/scrub off some 'mud' to see what was underneath. This was not very easy, didn't come off very well, and it also had a slight unpleasant odor, a new smell for me actually, from the fine dust that was slowly brushing off in the air. I did get it wet at one point and gave a scrub with an old toothbrush as more was revealed, as I was trying to figure what the it was. The brown stuff was not nice when wet, very mucky, but not like mud. I probably should not have removed as much as I did but curiosity got the best of me and I kept "cleaning" as it started to reveal more. The one side started to show visible, what I believe to be, decay, with burnt reds, yellows, and browns. Although again apologies, as I really am a newb to all this stuff and really dont know anything to be honest with you. I dont know how it could be turtles or what the shell type thing is or how this would possibly be on my property. and from when it could possibly be from and still be in this condition. there are many different locations of what seem to be reptile skin, and also several roundish oval turtle shell looking pieces? Theres no turtles in the immediate area. and if it is poop, theres also nothing big enough to excrete this around here. Strictly residential area, biggest creatures being raccoons and dogs but this cold come out of them. But then again who knows. If anyone could help me with this I'd greatly appreciate any feedback or thoughts! I wish the pictures were better but its as good as I can do. Let me know if theres any spot I can take another shot or two of close up or whatever. I really am curious what this is, as there are many more pieces I have questions about as well. This one just seemed more "fresh" if you will, where as the others seem like rocks with inclusions. Thanks in advance! Also, please just let me know if Im crazy and seeing things haha.
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Perhaps I have found something fossil or perhaps it's just eroded ironstone matrix looking like fossil.
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Hello All! I have a rag tag collection of odd rocks and minerals that have no real value to anyone but me...haha... Ill have my BS in the spring (Geology was demoted from major to minor to graduate quicker, after 10yr of studying natural and social science!) I found this forum while searching for help in ID'ing one of my recent "finds" as well as looking for places nearby to find more!
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Puzzle in poop - Cartilage, denticles or tooth plate in coprolite?
GeschWhat posted a topic in Fossil ID
I have been finding a lot of inclusions in a batch of coprolites from the Smoky Hill Chalk that assumed were bits of cartilage. One of the newer specimens from that batch had a piece of the material in question on the surface; enabling me to view it from the side. They look like little teeth, so now I don't know what I have. I have one other specimen that has a couple of the little tooth-like structures intact (one that I posted a while back that has possible Ptychodus tooth fragments). Is this skin with denticles, cartilage, a skull part or some sort of tooth plate? As always, any help is greatly appreciated.
