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I am fascinated by this taco-like concretion. Is its contents forever bound to the pyrite, left to me only speculation as to what it might be? Or can the matrix be removed to reveal what it contains?

I grew up in Austin, going to Shoal Creek and Barton Creek and my local backyard creek, picking up the odd fossil or rock and stashing it away. It has only been recently (within the last 8 years) that I really got interested in Paleontology and finding out about the formations and proper fossil names etc....so it's been fun to revisit a lot of the places I went as a kid and see them in a whole new light. When the Paleontological Society of Austin used to hold meetings in person, I'd go up to Austin early and go fossil hunting in Shoal Creek - it has easy access and is a hop skip and a jump from the meeting house. And I've found a lot of great stuff there - ammonites, echinoids, etc.. But....now I have discovered the world of Microfossils! So I got myself a gallon baggie of creek matrix, not really knowing what to expect aside from the ever present Ram's Horn Oysters (Illymatogyra arietina) which are found in the millions there. And WOW.....I was astounded! Lots of great stuff from the various formations that make up Shoal Creek - Buda, Georgetown, Eagle Ford and Del Rio/Grayson. Some of the fossils I can pinpoint to specific formations, others, not so much. So here are my favorite Shoal Creek Micro Fossil Finds! First up- The Crab Claws! So many little tiny crab claws of all kind of species. These are all 3-5 mm And the Brittlestar arm segments! Ophiuria sp. I found the first one and was so excited...and then I found an even longer segment! 6mm The first segment I found (thanks to @erose for the ID) Next favorite - Floating Crinoids! Roveacrinus signatus 3mm Another one, but with more goblet shape : Roveacrinus signatus 3mm Plotocrinus spiculatus 2mm Not completely sure about the ID on this one. I think it's Drepanocrinus paroculus 3mm Some little tiny teeth. I did find ONE broken shark tooth, just the blade, but it's my first Shark Tooth from Shoal Creek! My most exciting tooth find - Ray Pseudohypolophus ellipsis 3mm A couple of unknown Fish Teeth 2mm Not sure if this is a denticle or tooth: 3mm A couple of little vertebrae: 4mm Some funky little Foraminifera: Nodosaria sp. Size 4mm 3mm An interesting chunk of what I think is Bryozoan. Size 2mm And finally, some little gastropods. 6mm I can't wait to go back and get another baggie full of matrix!

I did some exploring by an area of Shoal Creek (Austin, Texas) that experienced a large landslide recently. I first tried Bouldin Creek but I stumbled onto a group of free-range city dwellers bathing in the creek. It was a bit awkward so I just left. The location I found on Shoal Creek experienced a large landslide resulting in exposed rocks. The area seems to be a natural drainage area so the rocks were moist and soft. It was cool to see the various shells eroding out of the soft rock of the landslide. My best find was a few beer cans from the 80's, a slab with some interesting features, some devil's toenails, and a some sort of larger shell. No woolly plesiosaurs this trip but we're getting closer...