ANTHOZOA? Looks like an anemone to me

[nikkisixx]

Found this while digging in my backyard in Southern California. More specifically, Cerritos, which is just a few miles north east of Long Beach. I uncovered a whole layer of interesting rocks, a huge chunk of breccia, shale, sandstone, and even a ~2 in. long quartz, but this one actually looks like a coral to me. I can add close ups if necessary.

[Top Trilo]

I don't think this is a fossil, it looks to me like a group of separate mineral and rock types, conglomerate

[Pumpkinhead]

This is an interesting sedimentary rock instead of an interesting fossil

[Rockwood]

The shape could be sponge, but the conglomerate texture definitely carries the day.  

[Fossildude19]

+ 1 for conglomerate. 

[nikkisixx]

Thank you for all the replies!

I have a quick question though.

I used to have a salt water tank (ok, a couple of them) and the "bottom" of the conglomerate looks just like the foot of an anemone. Adding this photo for comparison to my og post bottom photo. Particularly, the attached foot 2nd from the right. Is it possible that it was an anemone and was completely replaced with surrounding course sand/sediment? The pink deposits actually look like pieces of broken seashells. Same as the sand you find at the beach. Any and all info, including constructive criticism, is much appreciated!

[Rockwood]

14 minutes ago, nikkisixx said:

Is it possible that it was an anemone and was completely replaced with surrounding course sand/sediment? The pink deposits actually look like pieces of broken seashells. Same as the sand you find at the beach. 

Sure it's possible. To prove it . I'm not sure that is.

[Top Trilo]

I think it is very unlikely because the anemone looks very soft and would not fossilize as the 3D object you have. Like leaves, trilobite legs, and soft tissue do not fossilize as physical 3D objects

[Rockwood]

3 minutes ago, Top Trilo said:

very unlikely

Ediacaran fauna sort of prove it possible though ?

[Top Trilo]

2 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

Ediacaran fauna sort of prove it possible though ?

Doing some quick research, the Ediacaran fauna are 2D imprints not so much 3D objects like a dinosaur bone.

[Rockwood]

Just now, Top Trilo said:

2D imprints

Isn't that an oxymoron ?

[Rockwood]

Rangeomorph at Mistaken Point.

[Top Trilo]

1 minute ago, Rockwood said:

Rangeomorph at Mistaken Point.

This is flat or almost flat on a rock unlike this object here

[Rockwood]

2 hours ago, Top Trilo said:

This is flat or almost flat on a rock unlike this object here

So ? It's there after almost 600,000,000 years, and it was most likely soft bodied. I think that proves something.

[Top Trilo]

13 hours ago, Rockwood said:

So ? It's there after almost 600,000,000 years, and it was most likely soft bodied. I think that proves something.

I agree with you they fossilized just like an anemone could fossilize in a similar way but I don't think they would fossilize in the shape the OP has here.

[Rockwood]

47 minutes ago, Top Trilo said:

I agree with you they fossilized just like an anemone could fossilize in a similar way but I don't think they would fossilize in the shape the OP has here.

Oh come on. Stretch your imagination. Use scientific notation to express the odds if you need to. 

[Top Trilo]

4 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

Oh come on. Stretch your imagination. Use scientific notation to express the odds if you need to. 

Not saying impossible but show me a soft bodied fossil that fossilized in a similar way to the 3D objects like bone, coral, teeth, brachiopods, and the object here. 

[TqB]

There is a conical shelly aggregate trace fossil called Kulindrichnus which has been interpreted as a hole infill left by a

soft anemone. Hard to demonstrate unless it's found in situ though. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by TqB

[Rockwood]

[Fossildude19]

1 hour ago, Rockwood said:

Oh come on. Stretch your imagination. Use scientific notation to express the odds if you need to. 

Slim to none.  

[grandpa]

Regarding sea anemone fossilization - -

 

For information on anemone trace fossils from the Carboniferous see the following:

 

 

https://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2012/02/conostichus-trace-fossil.html

 

https://igws.indiana.edu/FossilsAndTime/conostichus

 

http://ediacaran.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

(Compare the anemone polyps at the bottom of this page to the images in the first reference.)

 

• So, regarding the OP, I do not believe this is an anemone. 
• But, can one find 3-D trace fossils of anemones in the Carboniferous of Alabama and Indiana.  Sure can.
• I am also aware that 2-D anemone soft tissue fossils exist from the Cambrian.   ("Cambrian anemones with preserved soft tissue from the Chengjiang biota, China", XIAN‐GUANG HOU, et al. First published: 02 January 2007)
• But I am unaware of any 3-D anemone soft body fossil preservation from any age.

 

BTW, does anyone have a copy of the chapter "Trace Fossils of Alabama: Life in the Coal Age"  from the book by RJ Buta - Evolution Education in the American South, 2017 - Springer ?

[Mahnmut]

Hello Nikkisix,

I think this is an anemone-like shaped rock.

The discussion reminds me of something I wondered myself when at the beach though: you often find dead jellyfish that are not much more than some sticky film on the sand. sometimes their inner cavities are also filled with sand, staying "3d" for some time, as opposed to very flat 3d or "2d". Has something like this ever been found as a fossil?

 

Looking at the coarse sand that makes up the piece of sandstone/fine conglomerate discussed here, I could imagine something like that filling the inner structure of some critter, but not so easily replacing its outer shape. So I would also bet that this is only a lookalike.

You could use it as a basis for an anemone sculpture though!

 

Best Regards

[Rockwood]

2 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

Slim to none.  

Trace fossils close enough in shape should count at least .75 ?

[Fossildude19]

29 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

Trace fossils close enough in shape should count at least .75 ?

Oh, I thought we were talking about the posted item.  

[nikkisixx]

This is the part that keeps me wondering  'what if?' 

"Sea anemones when closed can frequently be seen with several small bits of shell fragments and rocks sticking to the outer body when closed up."

I have personally experienced this with anemones and have also observed this in the tidepools in Laguna Beach. Anemones will cover themselves in exactly that type of sediment during low tide to prevent drying out.