Salamander?

[Noisette]

Hi

I found this on a walk today, I’m not a fossil hunter but thought it looked interesting. Can anyone give me some idea of when it was formed and what it is?

 

It measures approximately 10” or 26cm long when measured round the rock.

 

Thanks

[Fossildude19]

Hello, and Welcome to the Forum.  

 

Where was this found? 

[Noisette]

Charmouth

[Fossildude19]

Thank you.  

I just noticed it in the tags.   

The tags are often overlooked, so it is always best to include  the location found in the body of the main topic post.  

 

That said, this looks like some kind of cross section, or mineral inclusion to me.    

Maybe some of our members from the area will weigh in. 

 

@TqB  

 

 

[Noisette]

Thanks, the beach at Charmouth is famous for its fossils but I was just walking my dogs!

[Tidgy's Dad]

It might be a part of something, but I think it's probably just calcite. There are lots of calcite bands in the shales at Charmouth.   

[jpc]

Just now, Tidgy's Dad said:

It might be a part of something, but I think it's probably just calcite. There are lots of calcite bands in the shales at Charmouth.   

I agree... calcite.  

[TqB]

I agree with calcite - a version of a septarian structure, in a clayey limestone. There's plenty around there but it is a striking one!

Edited February 1, 2021 by TqB

[FossilDAWG]

That is a pretty striking pseudofossil.  I would probably have picked it up just as a conversation starter!  I found a similar rock that I thought was a fossil seahorse when I was 6 or 7; it took me years to accept that the "seahorse" was the dark inside of a water-worn flint nodule.

 

Don

[Noisette]

Thanks for the replies. I love the rock even if it’s not a fossil. It looks like an aboriginal painting! 
 

I will pay attention on my walks in future, as a Somerset girl, fossil hunting is a new persuit for me.

[Seaspawn]

Good luck fellow English fossil hunter. I hope you'll have fun with it.

https://ukfossils.co.uk/

I was given this link in this forum, and found it very exciting/helpful. There's a Somerset section.