Gregory Kruse Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I purchased this large gastropod fossil at a rock and mineral show back in 1991. The location is from Capitola, California, USA and I believe that it may be Pliocene in age. Any help in identifying it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Saunders Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 possibly or a starting point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) It is probably a Natica species such as Natica causa which occurs in the Pliocene Purisima Formation. See: White, Lisa et al. The Purisima Formation at Capitola Beach, Santa Cruz County, CA: A Deeper Examination of Pliocene Fossils. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2005, abstract id. ED43A-0845 https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005AGUFMED43A0845W/abstract The formation is in @Boesse‘s former backyard. Edited January 31, 2021 by DPS Ammonite My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 This is Polynices (=Neverita) lewisii - Natica causa (=Cryptonatica affinis) only gets to about 4cm long. P. lewisii, the Lewis Moon Snail, is still extant and the world's largest naticid snail. OP's specimen is from an early Pliocene horizon called the Clinocardium facies, which produces relatively large specimens of this, Clinocardium, and Dendraster. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 On 1/31/2021 at 9:27 AM, Boesse said: This is Polynices (=Neverita) lewisii - Natica causa (=Cryptonatica affinis) only gets to about 4cm long. P. lewisii, the Lewis Moon Snail, is still extant and the world's largest naticid snail. OP's specimen is from an early Pliocene horizon called the Clinocardium facies, which produces relatively large specimens of this, Clinocardium, and Dendraster. Hi Bobby, I don't know a lot about gastropods but recognized that one and that's a big specimen and it's in nice shape - uncommon find. I don't think I've seen one much bigger than that. A nice little guide to Purisima shells is: Perry, F.A. 1988. (though mine is from the second printing "with minor revisions") Fossil Invertebrates and Geology of the Marine Cliffs at Capitola, California. Santa Cruz Museum Association. 30p. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Kruse Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 Hello all, These are some great references. Thank you so much! The large specimen was purchased from a dealer at a rock show in Carterville, IL in about 1991. I purchased it for $9 - I really splurged to have that specimen! Thanks again! - Greg Kruse, Casper, WY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Kruse Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 Here is the second revision (1993) that is referenced above. Polinices lewisii is illustrated on page 20: http://www.idigfossils.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Perry-1993-CapitolaFossils.pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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