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Having trouble ID’ing this cephalopod


Apophis

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Howdy folks,

 

Having trouble ID’ing this fossil. Im fairly certain it’s a cephalopod but I haven’t had much luck finding an ID. It’s of unknown origin but was found in Texas. It’s a creek fossil basically. 
 

I believe this is the side but I’m not certain. No finishing work has been done other than rinse and nylon brush.

 

 

56DEC8E8-CA51-4850-A43B-92E8D206F530.jpeg.244d771c88b992e2c1b016f78d800fb0.jpeg

 

Opposite side with view of back

13419E6D-66DE-49F1-A16D-7DD5A324E9B2.thumb.jpeg.f398eb463be747711cf6b66269a592a3.jpeg
 

Bottom?

1D84C320-77FC-4E93-8E6B-C08E7D78F2FB.thumb.jpeg.0c4d4fc728df3514bbe9f91073bc0bec.jpeg

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Sorry. I can't say just what this is, but I'm fairly certain it's not a cephalopod fossil.

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What features are you seeing that lead you to believe this is a cephalopod? 

 

I am not seeing any sutures or whorls that would indicate any kind of ammonite. 

Also not seeing any chambers or camerae that would indicate an orthocone cephalopod.  :unsure: 

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    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Thank for the comment and feedback. Clearly I jumped the gun on posting this considering it’s not prepped, it’s likely oriented wrong, has no visible sutures or features, and it’s the most complex fossil I have. *facepalm*
 

Im going to shelf this one and come back to it later. I actually have two of these and possibly a smaller third. The other one is a lighter color, has visible sutures, and has some internals exposed due to damage / weathering. I suspect they are heteramorphs but I’ve never seen one agatized. All the ones I’ve found pictures of are internal casts. 

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I don't know what can be "prepped" in this piece.  :headscratch:

I'm not seeing the typical sedimentary rock-/limestone/shale/sandstone. 

And while some fossils can be agatized or geodized, they are usually still recognizable as fossils. 

This is looking to me like a metamorphic rock, and while they can have fossils in them, again, they are usually somewhat recognizable.  :unsure: 

  • I found this Informative 2

    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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I'm in agreement. I'm just not seeing anything suggesting fossil here. With no visible features to suggest otherwise, I would not class this as a "complex" fossil; Occam's Razor would make the cut at non-fossil rock, possibly metamorphic.

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...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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I can see features that would correspond to those of a distorted cephalopod. The problem is that the pieces don't make up the right picture for the puzzle to represent one. 

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I’m also not seeing anything that screams fossil in these pictures. Looks like a rock to me. Texas is a big place, knowing where it came from could help narrow down rock types too (as could whacking it with a rock hammer). Metamorphic rocks are not that common in many parts of the state. 

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To clarify what I mean by prep, it needs wet sanding to smooth out and see what features, if any, are there. Now why on earth would I do that? Mr O’s famous razor would dictate almost immediate dismissal of this... unless there some other data to suggest something is off, an anomaly, worth exploring. Ill get into that later as it deserves a full post of its own. 
 

As far as the rock itself, it’s agate / chalcedony / microcrystalline quartz. It’s river gravel from Houston Texas. It’s full of wierdness... 

 

Here is a portion of it exposed. Again, appreciate the feedback. 06140C5B-1B2A-4EEA-999A-6B711F350C2F.thumb.jpeg.6af266bfa3b7926bd3fdce61e34c6633.jpeg

 

 

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Still not seeing any fossil in this.

The data you will at some point reveal would have to be presenting something fairly extraordinary for this to be a cephalopod fossil.

  • I found this Informative 1

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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