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Snaggle_tooth

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Hi All,

Recently I purchased some Shale from U-Dig, UT. The trilobites inside were super swell, but one of the more interesting finds was this...thing...

It appears to be a circular mass, with some veins or something radiating from the center. My hopeful brain began to think it could be a jellyfish, though realistically it is highly unlikely, and I've never heard of anything like that being preserved in the shale from U-dig. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I am at an ABSOLUTE loss. Thanks,

-Snag

20200814_171611.jpg

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13 minutes ago, connorp said:

Can you post some more up close pictures?

I can during the day in a few hours, sorry about that, it's very late over here and they're wrapped up haha

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40 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

It's algae. These are relatively common there.

Do you have any references for that?, its similar to some specimens im looking at

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54 minutes ago, westcoast said:

Do you have any references for that?, its similar to some specimens im looking at

I contacted the quarry owner to confirm what I had been told about this by another person in the quarry. I think it was confirmed by someone on here at the time. I'm not sure when that was though. Some time ago. 

IMG_2285a.jpg

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I am not saying it is, or it isn't, algae.  I don't know what it is, right off the bat.  Yes, algae is very common in that formation, but not that big!  Morania fragmenta, in particular,  are usually the size of those small, dark spots (or much smaller) seen elsewhere on the matrix.  It would not be out of the realm of possibility for you to find the remains of a jellyfish in the wheeler formation. Great find, whatever it is.  I will try to see if I can find out a possible identity with the references I have at hand. 

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Well, your photos closely resemble the jellyfish Cambromedusa furcula, as compared to photos offered in the article "Medusaoids from the Middle Cambrian of Utah", by Ralph H. Willoughby and Richard A. Robison.  This article is offered by JSTOR, and you can read it free if you register.  

 

This is not a common finding, and I have been through hundreds of pounds of wheeler rock, and have never seen it.  Congratulations!  See for yourself in the article, and I think you will agree.

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Compare with: Cambromedusa furcula mail?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.yimg.com%2Fok%2Fu%2Fassets%2Fimg%2Femoticons%2Femo71.gif&t=1597513848&ymreqid=23281213-8dc1-3cff-1cab-d80003018400&sig=TzkAhL14U2skjsZpT9jNHg--~D

 

image.thumb.png.1f7c889bfc1e969b64f060dc4c411d10.png

figures from:

 

Willoughby, R.H., Robison, R.A. 1979
Medusoids from the Middle Cambrian of Utah.
Journal of Paleontology, 53(2):494-500

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image.png.a84de26dad44fb03836a743755df237c.png

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On 8/15/2020 at 1:52 PM, piranha said:

Compare with: Cambromedusa furcula mail?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.yimg.com%2Fok%2Fu%2Fassets%2Fimg%2Femoticons%2Femo71.gif&t=1597513848&ymreqid=23281213-8dc1-3cff-1cab-d80003018400&sig=TzkAhL14U2skjsZpT9jNHg--~D

 

image.thumb.png.1f7c889bfc1e969b64f060dc4c411d10.png

figures from:

 

Willoughby, R.H., Robison, R.A. 1979
Medusoids from the Middle Cambrian of Utah.
Journal of Paleontology, 53(2):494-500

Great Scott! That's it!!

 

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