A Eurypterid in San Diego?

[Kamangir]

Found this artifact in Black's Beach, San Diego. Looks like a 6-ft scorpion. A Eurypterid maybe? I video and 3D scanned the find and sent it to The Nat and ROM (Toronto). Waiting for a response. Here are a few pictures.

 

This ditch is likely to have been dug by the recent rains.

 

 

 

Compare the size to my wrist watch:

 

Closer look:

 

 

Wavefront .obj file:

 

Hit me up for high-res images, obj file, video, etc. Thanks!   

[Pterygotus]

I’m not really sure if eurypterids are preserved as 3D. Someone with more knowledge than me will be able to help out .

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco.

Kamangir as in Arash; the legendary Persian bowman? 

Anyway, I'm rather afraid that these look like concretions to me. 

[Kamangir]

@Tidgy's Dad Indeed  I road-tripped in Morocco a while back. Need to go back. Both Fes and Marrakech are great cities.  

 

I'm having difficulty explaining the symmetry of the object.... (see below)

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Yes, i live in the magnificent ancient medina of Fes. 

Marrakesh is okay too. 

I see certain symmetry in places, but also not unusual in concretions. 

[DPS Ammonite]

Eurypterids lived until the Permian. The earliest sediments in the La Jolla area are Cretaceous. The rocks in the area are not the right age. 
 

See map. Black’s Beach is west of Torrey Pines Preserve north of San Diego. 
 

https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_84173.htm

 

https://ca.water.usgs.gov/sandiego/data/gis/geology/kennedy2008/RGM3_San_Diego_2008_Pamphlet.pdf

[Bguild]

Welcome! I’m not sure what you have here, but doesn’t look to be a Eurypterid. They aren’t preserved in such a 3D manner. This looks more geological versus a fossil.

[Fossildude19]

Concretions/nodules were my first impression.   

[jpc]

I see concretions.  Many people get fooled by concretions.

 

[Spoons]

I don’t think you have the right aged rocks in San Diego for a Eurypterids. If feel your probably looking at Quaternary deposits there sorry. 

2 hours ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Eurypterids lived until the Permian. The earliest sediments in the La Jolla area are Cretaceous. The rocks in the area are not the right age. 
 

See map. Black’s Beach is west of Torrey Pines Preserve north of San Diego. 
 

https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_84173.htm

 

https://ca.water.usgs.gov/sandiego/data/gis/geology/kennedy2008/RGM3_San_Diego_2008_Pamphlet.pdf

Just know saw this, started writing then came back later to finish. 
 

@DPS Ammonite said it all. 
 

If you ever get up too Northern California around Eureka, I know some good spots to find some cool things.

[Kamangir]

Thank you all for the feedback. I refrained from touching the specimen because I assumed it has value. What is the legal requirement in this case? I can do some extremely cautious cleanup and capture a cleaner model. Any thoughts? As I said earlier, I have informed two museums of the find. I also sent a tweet to USGS, UCSD, local media, etc. 

 

 

Am I breaking the law if I carefully remove some of the sand from around the object and capture more data?

[Ludwigia]

All I'm seeing is concretions and it certainly is not a Eurypterid or any other kind of scorpion, so I wouldn't overdo it. Believe me. We know what we're talking about. Did any of these museums respond?

[jpc]

You've informed more than two museums.  I work in a museum in Wyoming and am one of those people who answer the "What is this?" question... a lot.  So, at least three museums.  And this one specializes in Geology and paleontology.  And I am still seeing concretions.  Certainly not a eurypterid.  The rocks there are much too young, for one thing, and a 3d eurypterid has never been found. 

[Kamangir]

Super cool. Thank you all very much. I'll be collecting some more data this weekend.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Kamangir
Typo

[jpc]

If you do dig a bit more,please send us some pix. 

[Malcolmt]

Cant remember how many eurypterids I have found ( a lot) but that is definitely not a eurypterid or any other type of arthropod. Collecting locality is long after eurypterids had died out. Have to agree most likely geological in nature.

[Fishkeeper]

I would REALLY not be informing the local media about any unconfirmed find. You don't want pictures or video going out that are claiming to be something, when they aren't that thing. Look up some pictures of eurypterid fossils- they're completely flat. Concretions can be very convincing, but those are, unfortunately, nothing but concretions. 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

1 hour ago, Fishkeeper said:

I would REALLY not be informing the local media about any unconfirmed find. You don't want pictures or video going out that are claiming to be something, when they aren't that thing. Look up some pictures of eurypterid fossils- they're completely flat. Concretions can be very convincing, but those are, unfortunately, nothing but concretions. 

 

So call in the local paparazzi!