Petrified wood but what else?

[Coastalrocker]

Found in pacific city Oregon. My daughter found this on the beach and thought it was a cool fossil rock. After getting it home I noticed the rings and I am fairly certain it is petrified wood but what are the holes?  Some are hard packed with sand (rock hard, cant break it up) and others have crystals in them. This area is well known for agate, not sure if that has anything to do with it. Very unique, if it is truly petrified wood I have never seen any like this. 

[Coastalrocker]

Sorry forgot. It is 10cm long and 9.5 cm wide at its widest point. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

A phaceloid coral colony, i should think. 

Something along the lines of Siphonodendron perhaps. 

[Coastalrocker]

Yes!!  Thank you. After looking at pictures I’m fairly certain it is. Googling “petrified wood with tubes” was definitely not helping me out. New to fossils and rock hounding (mostly agate hunting) so I’m sure I will have more questions!  I appreciate the help!

[grandpa]

This is known as Teredo wood.  An internet search will provide similar photos to your specimen.  The "tubes" are boreings of of what was once thought to be a worm but is now known to be a marine clam.  The crystal lining is common in many specimens.

[FranzBernhard]

Welcome to TFF from Austria, @Coastalrocker!

 

2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

A phaceloid coral colony, i should think. 

 

4 minutes ago, grandpa said:

This is known as Teredo wood.

Nice contrasting opinions!

 

The layering  of the matrix looks woodish, but the "striation" seems to cross also the filling of the holes (only scratched surface?). The holes don´t have any septa nor can I see some costae (did I miss some?). Some of the holes are collapsed or displaced, I don´t know if this is typical for one or the other.

In summary: I don´t know what this is! 

 

Franz Bernhard

[Coastalrocker]

15 minutes ago, FranzBernhard said:

Welcome to TFF from Austria, @Coastalrocker!

 

 

Nice contrasting opinions!

 

The layering  of the matrix looks woodish, but the "striation" seems to cross also the filling of the holes (only scratched surface?). The holes don´t have any septa nor can I see some costae (did I miss some?). Some of the holes are collapsed or displaced, I don´t know if this is typical for one or the other.

In summary: I don´t know what this is! 

 

Franz Bernhard

Not sure if this helps or makes things worse, but this is the other side. It has more of the collapsed holes. 

[FranzBernhard]

Don´t worry, if things get worse or not! 

There seem to be somewhat repeating collapse(??) patterns, don´t know, if this means something... Sorry, I can not really help, but its a very interesting specimen. Lets see, what other members have to say!
Franz Bernhard

[Rockwood]

Teredo borings in wood. The issues are diagenetic features I believe. Compression collapse and surface abrasion.  

[FossilNerd]

2 hours ago, Rockwood said:

Teredo borings in wood. The issues are diagenetic features I believe. Compression collapse and surface abrasion.  

 

Very cool piece! I’m in the Teredo wood camp. Hate to admit it, but I agree with Rockwood... 

[Pemphix]

Typical for Teredo Wood imo:

https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/north-dakota/state-dinosaur-fossil/teredo-petrified-wood

http://www.outbackmining.com/Peanut wood.htm

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/north-dakota-state-fossil-polished-1846310059

Nice piece !

 

[Rockwood]

5 hours ago, FossilNerd said:

Hate to admit it, but I agree with Rockwood.

Another contrarian perhaps ? 

[FossilNerd]

4 hours ago, Rockwood said:

Another contrarian perhaps ? 

I am in this instance anyway.