Worm or eel like creature? ID Please

[Iguana Joe]

I collect fossils incidently usually while doing other activities outdoors .  I have a number and most I have been able to identify with books.  I'm not a really  serious collector and not great on geology.   I found  this particular fossil while on a hunting trip near Williamsburg PA Blair County near the Huntingdon County line circa 1990 and misplaced it until today.  It appears to have a worm like (or eel like) creature with what seems an identifiable head.  It could also be just a worm like stick projection.  The stone is probably sedimentary limestone but not sure.  I found another probable coprolite fossil near it.

Just would like some much more educated eyes give it a look. Dont think I'm from caliber as a collector but would appreciate whatever help I can get.  I'm retired and going to leave the collection to one of my grandsons who is very interested in them   I used metric side of tape for scale.

Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Joe

 

 

[Thomas.Dodson]

They appear to be trace fossils (burrows) from some marine animal. The burrows fill in with sediment, are fossilized, and are exposed like this when the surrounding softer rock weathers away. The area you described appears to be mostly of Ordovician and SIlurian Age. If you're interested in finding the exact age and geologic formation you can use this interactive map here. LINK

[LabRatKing]

I concur that these are ichnofossils. 

[HuckMucus]

It reminds me of all the "things" on my baculite.  A muddy sea floor comes to mind.  That little thing about an inch to the left of the end of the tape measure, and down a little bit (laying over the top of a stick?) looks like something I've seen in pictures from sea floors.  It has a thinner "stalk" terminating in a wider head of spaghetti like things.  Kind of like flower.  I don't know if they are plants or animals.  Anyway, it's cool looking.

 

Edited to add: Like the things to the left of the sponges in this drawing:      https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/prehistoric-animal/272877/media?assemblyId=52918 

[Iguana Joe]

Thanks, 

Both photos are of same impression.  Thought impression was of an actual creature so here is enlargement at what appears might be head.  Found a few of these but never one that has this detail. Any additional thoughts or possible ID of what it could be if it is a body impression.

 

Thanks all for taking the time to chime In.

Joe

[hemipristis]

Agree on ichnofossil (burrows). Nice example!

[HuckMucus]

Optical illusion?  In the first two photos, the "worm" looks positive, in the last photo, it looks negative.  Is that just me?

[jdp]

Not certain these are trace fossils. These could be what are called "toolmarks" by sedimentologists. Toolmarks are formed when waterflow poshes an object, like a stick, into a muddy bottom, causing it to leave a meandering gouge in the mud parallel to the direction of flow. I think that's what you're looking at here.

[westcoast]

My first impression is tool marks also. This is the underside of a bed.

[Fossildude19]

7 hours ago, HuckMucus said:

Optical illusion?  In the first two photos, the "worm" looks positive, in the last photo, it looks negative.  Is that just me?

This often happens with high contrast images. It is a raised bump.  

[HuckMucus]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

This often happens with high contrast images. It is a raised bump.  

 

Ha!  I see it now. And when I look at it as a raised item, I see what looks like eyes.  And the thing behind the head would be like those gills on salamanders.  Yeah, I'd be asking questions too.