Decorah Shale

[minnbuckeye]

 Earlier today, I posted a collection of fossils from the Decorah Shale from NE Iowa. I do have a few questionable ones that I need opinions of. 

 

1. This seems geological but is very odd. Thoughts of what it is are welcome. 

  

2. Bryozoan encrusted gastropod? 

 

 

3. Is this bryozoan or sponge? 

 

 

4. This big "glob" sits atop a slab of matrix. I am perplexed.

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

5. @GeschWhat mentioned not having much Ordovician poo. When I saw this, my thoughts went to her. It just looks like what a coprolite from this period may possibly look like, a gooey deposit left on the ocean floor  400 million years ago by a big maclurite. 

 

 

6. Finally, some trace fossil?? The holes tend to be deep but conical. None penetrate through the thin matrix (Half an inch thick).

 

[GeschWhat]

Ooooo! You find the coolest stuff! Did you ever get yourself a microscope? If so, I would love to see the fragments in #1 and the globs under magnification. 

[GeschWhat]

I forgot, I think #6 is a trace fossil, but it is really unusual for burrow to be preserved when they aren't backfilled. Again...very unusual, cool find!

[Tidgy's Dad]

2. Atactoporella? Just a guess. Very interesting. 

3. Looks like Homotrpella? Or is it a type of Prosapora. But I say bryozoan.

 

[FossilDAWG]

Just some quick first impressions:

1. trace fossil/burrows.

2. Could this be a bryozoan-encrusted gastropod? Something about the shape suggests gastropod to me.

3. bryozoan..

6. Thalassinoides-type trace fossil.

 

Don

[Coco]

23 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said:

2. Could this be a bryozoan-encrusted gastropod? Something about the shape suggests gastropod to me.

My opinion too.

 

Coco

[minnbuckeye]

On 5/17/2020 at 3:05 PM, GeschWhat said:

Did you ever get yourself a microscope? If so, I would love to see the fragments in #1 and the globs under magnification. 

@GeschWhat No microscope. IF these pieces truly interest you, message an address and I will send them. No need to return. If nothing, just pitch them. If something, keep but inform me so NEXT time I can look closer for more. 

@Coco, @FossilDAWG, @Tidgy's Dad, a late thank you for your thoughts on IDs!! 

 

Mike

[Tidgy's Dad]

On 5/17/2020 at 10:07 PM, FossilDAWG said:

 

2. Could this be a bryozoan-encrusted gastropod? Something about the shape suggests gastropod to me.

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. 

I didn't make myself nearly clear enough. 

Gastropod encrusted with a bryozoan which may be Atactoporella.