Leesaa Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Here is the one I have wanted to ID since I found it years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leesaa Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 More views 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leesaa Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 More pics. It does not taste like a churro 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 I think that is a rudist. Every time I see a fossil I can't identify it must be a rudist. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 It's very nice. I think it's a rudist too. A type of bivalve that sometimes look like corals. 4 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leesaa Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 Interesting. I had never heard of a rudist before. At least some rudists have ridges the long way making that closer than anything I have been able to find online. This piece is the same diameter all the way along its length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Oh yeah, a very nice piece of a hippuritid rudist, @Leesaa. Is this really from New Mexico?? You can clearly see three pillars/infolds. Could be genus Vaccinites or something closely related. Here is a polished section from my hunting grounds (Campanian St. Bartholomä-formation, Styria, Austria), somewhat similar in cross sections to your specimen: And here are some "rough" ones, all hippuritid rudists (at least 4 different species), all from the same formation as above. Fragments can be conical or cylindrical, depending on position. Width of shelf is ca. 70 cm. Franz Bernhard 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leesaa Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 I have had it for years. Most of what I found was in my home state of NM. There is a chance I picked it up on a trip somewhere, and just did not remember. Where are these common? We do have a lot of sea fossils in NM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Rudists are common in Texas and central Mexico, as far as I know; your type (family Hippuritidae) occurs only in upper Cretaceous strata. You have lots of Cretaceous strata to the northwest and northeast of Albuquerque. Try googling for Hippurites, Vaccinites, Radiolites. Rudist database Rudist Database by Thomas Steuber contains only two entries for NM, though (and not Hippuritidae, but other rudist families): Wow, lots and lots of entries for Texas, but nearly exclusive Albian-Aptian, rarely upper Cretaceous. And no hippuritidae! Could your specimen come from quite far away? Franz Bernhard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leesaa Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 Thank you for your comments. It was to the northwest of Albuquerque. There is a big gorge/arroyo called the Rio Puerco that runs approximately north/south. There are a number of old volcanoes in the area and numerous sea life fossils (ammonites, inoceramid clams, shark teeth). I have not yet found a whole ammonite. But I have seen pics from others who have. I was closer to the Rio Grande, so not actually down in the Rio Puerco. But it is within miles of the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Thanks for regional details, @Leesaa! Inoceramids are good, pointing to upper cretaceous strata, which may also contain hippuritid rudists (But not strictly in the same rocks as the inoceramids). Well, hippuritid rudists seem to be unreported from your state, so you might go out and have a look for more of them and contribute to science. Your specimen is only slightly worn, the source rock is not far away! Have fun and success! Franz Bernhard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earendil Posted December 25, 2020 Share Posted December 25, 2020 On 12/12/2020 at 9:00 PM, Leesaa said: More pics. It does not taste like a churro That's too bad. It's about time a thrilling new discovery in science. I was hoping it was Neanderthal-made churros. "Its webs of living gauze no more unfurl; Wrecked is the ship of pearl! And every chambered cell, Where its dim dreaming life was wont to dwell" -From The Chambered Nautilus by Oliver Wendell Holmes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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