Kcee Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 These are surrounded by rock so they don't stand out as well as the last ones I posted. These are about the same size of the last ones so I wonder if they are the same species. The small ones to the left are about 22 mm long with a diameter of 2.00mm, the large one to the right with a section missing in the middle is 40mm long with a diameter of 3.40mm. The way these things are positioned makes them look so much like actual worms. I have searched the web over and can not find anything that is close to looking like these specimen, have also contacted a number of paleontologist and none can say for sure what these thing are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 3 hours ago, Kcee said: , have also contacted a number of paleontologist and none can say for sure what these thing are. An overly cautious bunch I'm guessing. They look like ichno (trace) fossils to me. The shape doesn't necessarily indicate that a worm created them though. Many body forms moving through sediment can leave such a form of trace. The exact ichno species may be tougher to assign. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kcee Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 That was my first thought too but after taking a closer look I could see what looked like a thin shell coating them. Here are some close up photos, here you can see the white shell is missing in some places. That fifth photo is from some that were found earlier, these appear to have a thicker shell coating. The last three are of a much smaller specimen, at it's largest point it has a diameter of about 1.5mm and I would guess it's about 4-5mm long. None of these are trace fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 I'll be shot down in flames for this "ID",but there is some resemblance with isidid octocoral fragments. Which,BTW,would be pretty nifty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 3 hours ago, Kcee said: None of these are trace fossils. I view such a broad statement about such a loosely associated grouping as meaningless. Trace fossils can indeed be lined. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 last one looks like a worm. The top pics look a bit like gastrochaenolites. If you have a nice bulbous termination on one of the ones in the top pics you may be able to discern a clam steinkern. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 The fourth photo up looks like a vermetid gastropod. There are some indications that those above it could be more of the same with less of the shells remaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Those attached to the surface are tubeworms, the others embedded in rock are Gastrochaenolites isp. ...in my thinking " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Nice finds! There's a lovely bryozoan in the opening of one of those tubes too. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kcee Posted December 18, 2019 Author Share Posted December 18, 2019 Thanks for all the comments. I was just wondering if all of these are of the same species, vermetid and serpulid comes of a lot so I'm guessing they are most likely one of those. I'm told that these are most likely from around the Pliocene period. I believe I have one that is larger than all of these put together, I'll post it when I dig up the photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 3 hours ago, Kcee said: I was just wondering if all of these are of the same species, vermetid and serpulid comes of a lot These are about as distantly related as snails and earthworms are. Trace fossils are typically not rigidly assigned an animal unless the creature is found in direct association with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 The internodes are points of weakness,which leads to quick disaggregation in strong currents,hence:good paleoecological indicator. Bryozoans and serpulids are present ,as has been remarked upon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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