A more complete Fenestellate Bryozoan sample?

[Ramona]

I had a chance to look for rocks in a new location today and WOO HOO, I found a huge rock that should keep me busy for a while!  This baby is filled with tons of interesting things! I am going to start with just a couple of questions that I THINK I may know the answers to.  Are these samples of a type of Fenestrate Bryozoan fossil?  If not, maybe coral of some type? These were found at the base of a small mountain/hill in Pulaski, TN, where no fossil hunting has been done (yet!).  If these are a type of Fenestrate Bryozoan, it looks like they have more of the structure intact than I am used to - thoughts on that? 

Thanks again!
Ramona

[Ramona]

Here are two more photos of the rock.  The first one is some kind of structure that is on the edge of the rock.  I may need to get better photos of it... Top of photo is the top of the rock and what you are looking at straight ahead is the side of the rock.  And I think the second one might be Rugosa (Rugose?) Coral?

Thanks again!

Ramona

[Rockwood]

The scale is important. How big are they ?

They look like bryozoans to me.

But not fenestrates.

[TqB]

I think they're all trepostome bryozoans, including the last one. Definitely not fenestellids.

Edited October 19, 2020 by TqB

[Ramona]

13 hours ago, Rockwood said:

The scale is important. How big are they ?

They look like bryozoans to me.

But not fenestrates.

Oh, my bad!  I got so excited about the rock that I forgot one of the cardinal rules - SCALE! I will upload some photos with a measuring tape right now.  And measuring them was an educational experience - I can really see how important it is, as I made the fossils the same in my original photos, even though they were far from the same size!  Thanks for pointing this out!

Ramona

[Ramona]

7 hours ago, TqB said:

I think they're all trepostome bryozoans, including the last one. Definitely not fenestellids.

OK, great!  I will look those up!  And I will try to research the area and the rest of the fossils before I ask for ID's.  I was just so excited to have new stuff that I came straight to the Fossil ID forum.  ;-)  I know it's best to have an idea of what I have first, so I will do more research.  At least now I have a direction to go in - thanks!!
Ramona

[Ramona]

15 hours ago, Ramona said:

I had a chance to look for rocks in a new location today and WOO HOO, I found a huge rock that should keep me busy for a while!  This baby is filled with tons of interesting things! I am going to start with just a couple of questions that I THINK I may know the answers to.  Are these samples of a type of Fenestrate Bryozoan fossil?  If not, maybe coral of some type? These were found at the base of a small mountain/hill in Pulaski, TN, where no fossil hunting has been done (yet!).  If these are a type of Fenestrate Bryozoan, it looks like they have more of the structure intact than I am used to - thoughts on that? 

Thanks again!
Ramona

 Here are the images with a measuring tape - I should have included this from the start!!

 

[Rockwood]

Confirms @TqB has a well calibrated eye. 

[Ramona]

15 hours ago, Ramona said:

Here are two more photos of the rock.  The first one is some kind of structure that is on the edge of the rock.  I may need to get better photos of it... Top of photo is the top of the rock and what you are looking at straight ahead is the side of the rock.  And I think the second one might be Rugosa (Rugose?) Coral?

Thanks again!

Ramona

Here are these two with a measuring tape!

 

 

[Ramona]

Another interesting shot, from the side of the rock.  This was shot while the rock was wet.  Bryozoa, and looks like the same as above to me.  I am fascinated by the colors! First image is wider, next one is closer in, third is with measuring tape for scale.

 

[erose]

Definitely bryozoans and definitely not the fenestrate type.  They do appear to be Trepestomes.  But there are many many orders of bryozoa and many many shapes they can take on.  

 

They can also be quite difficult to identify to species.  You can search for lists of what genera/species are known from this formation and then possibly get down to genus based on general shape or growth structure.  But if there are two or more species per genus you start to need thin sections or at least high levels of preservation to sort them out.  If I can get a bryozoan to genus I am happy. Rarely do I feel comfortable applying a species to the identification.

 

But this is some interesting preservation so do a little homework and let us know what you find out.

[Ramona]

34 minutes ago, erose said:

Definitely bryozoans and definitely not the fenestrate type.  They do appear to be Trepestomes.  But there are many many orders of bryozoa and many many shapes they can take on.  

 

They can also be quite difficult to identify to species.  You can search for lists of what genera/species are known from this formation and then possibly get down to genus based on general shape or growth structure.  But if there are two or more species per genus you start to need thin sections or at least high levels of preservation to sort them out.  If I can get a bryozoan to genus I am happy. Rarely do I feel comfortable applying a species to the identification.

 

But this is some interesting preservation so do a little homework and let us know what you find out.

Thanks!! I am studying now and learning a lot!  I am finding this website very helpful, especially the 3D models:  https://www.digitalatlasofancientlife.org/learn/bryozoa/  I will keep studying and then come here and see if I actually learned anything, LOL!

 

Ramona

[Rockwood]

There is a time curve for the amount of water a sponge soaks up. The wetter it gets the faster it gets wet.

Forget the other end of the curve. 

[Ramona]

On 10/19/2020 at 2:35 PM, Rockwood said:

There is a time curve for the amount of water a sponge soaks up. The wetter it gets the faster it gets wet.

Forget the other end of the curve. 

Considering the size of the rock that these tiny fossils are on, I think I have enough to keep me busy learning for a while.  ;-)  It's so heavy that I cannot lift it, so I have not weighed it.  My hubby and I lifted it from his trunk onto this workbench after my son put it into the trunk, LOL!  Traditional learning curves may be out the window here!  :-o 

Thanks!
Ramona