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Spherical Fossil


tbwampler

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Several of these are imbedded in the sandstone on the shore of a man made lake on the Missouri River.  They are of varying size but fairly consistent shape.  They are generally half-exposed as this one was.  Any ideas?  BE642147-3037-46C0-8B5D-923C601211E0.thumb.jpeg.3b44931d95a5ca6eb2a7fb8fc2848419.jpeg

2FAFC287-ED5C-4A25-BF20-6D20DDFE9612.jpeg

8964E402-830A-4B34-B3C0-C6F8978BB926.jpeg

 

7A187326-9CC5-4E21-9F86-DF8CBAF27423.jpeg

Edited by tbwampler
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These are most likely concretion. This one is in to bad a condition to be certain though.

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Welcome to the forum! You could also have a coprolite. Touch the lighter colored area to the tip of your tongue. If it is sticky, I vote coprolite. If it feels really sandy/gritty, it is a concretion.

 

It is great that you took a photo of it in situ!

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1 hour ago, GeschWhat said:

If it is sticky, I vote coprolite.

I would be tempted to vote sticky tongue myself. :)

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Thanks all for your replies and help.  Coprolite sounds way sexier than a concretion!  But I'm not sure my tongue is qualified...

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6 minutes ago, tbwampler said:

Coprolite sounds way sexier than a concretion!

 

I suggest you Google the definition of coprolite.  Particularly after someone's recommended the tongue test.  ;)

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5 hours ago, MarleysGh0st said:

 

I suggest you Google the definition of coprolite.  Particularly after someone's recommended the tongue test.  ;)

The tongue test works to determine if it is fossilized. If it tastes like rock, it's fossilized. If not, well . . . 

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Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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11 hours ago, MarleysGh0st said:

 

I suggest you Google the definition of coprolite.  Particularly after someone's recommended the tongue test.  ;)

Yes...new to the forum, but not born yesterday!  No need for Google.  And come on, we’re on a fossil forum.  You can’t tell me you don’t think coprolite isn’t sexier than a concretion!

Edited by tbwampler
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I wouldn't call either particularly sexy, but I collect them both. The distinction is how far you would carry it home from.;)

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Interesting,

I don’t have a clear idea of what it could be, but is it correct that it has a brecciated appearance on the edge? (which would probably rule out concretion, in my opinion).

ciao

pic.jpeg.b55c8a350869a4471b1f7433ba93be6b.jpeg

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24 minutes ago, supertramp said:

a brecciated appearance on the edge?

The whole photo says freeze/thaw to me.

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20 hours ago, tbwampler said:

Yes...new to the forum, but not born yesterday!  No need for Google.  And come on, we’re on a fossil forum.  You can’t tell me you don’t think coprolite isn’t sexier than a concretion!

IMHO, there is nothing sexier! :P

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6 minutes ago, GeschWhat said:

sexier!

sexier - fossil ?

Nope, no overlapping magisterium.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here are some better in situ pictures I took returning to the site.615723BF-6846-40C5-B790-0DA1CC39F97F.thumb.jpeg.2caf6b4c2c1e3ab89ccd3d8686b47b72.jpeg

59B72978-0636-4A5A-B815-4C238ED753EC.jpeg

92ACA96B-7CA3-4FC5-B934-249154A07799.jpeg

8BD5F29E-C486-473F-8338-72DBC4039AC0.jpeg

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I found the similar at NSR and have asked about them. Here is the topic: 

Do they look the same to you?

 

 

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On 4/23/2020 at 8:22 AM, MarleysGh0st said:

 

I suggest you Google the definition of coprolite.  Particularly after someone's recommended the tongue test.  ;)

Hi Marley's Ghost.  Long time no see.  Ihope you are well.

 

I am on the concretion side for this one. 

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I don’t know about y’all, but I wonder if millions of years from now someone will try the tongue test on one of my coprolites??!!

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These just don't look like normal concretions to me. There is something different about them. Any chance you can look closely at them to see if there are any inclusions (bone, scales, etc.)? I can't tell from this photo, but is this an inclusion or just a shadow? Since there are so many, another thing you could try is scrapping the lighter colored area with a blade. If it feels gritty, I'll go along with the others and say concretion. However, if it feels smooth, almost waxy, I'd lean more toward coprolite.

 

Whatsthis.JPG

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Thanks for your continued interest.  At this point I’ll have to wait until next year. These examples are now underwater—they are located at a reservoir that is rapidly rising with spring runoff.  They won’t be accessible again until the ice thaws next spring.

 

I can tell you the object at the red arrow is not an artifact of the light, it is a genuine visible change in color within the white region.  As to what it represents I cannot be sure.

Edited by tbwampler
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