Texas Cretaceous Belemnite? Walnut Formation

[JamieLynn]

Found this a few weeks ago in the Walnut Formation (Texas Cretaceous) in a spot where I know belemnites have been found. It looked remarkably like the belemnites I found in England (Jurassic) because of the shallow recess and the shape, but this has these weird teardrops. I dismissed it initially , thinking it was too light for a fossil, plus, these teardrops kind of make it look more like just a woody plant something or other. So then I dropped it and it broke.  Looked at it under the microscope and it is for sure not a woody plant something! It is crystalized inside so maybe that is why it is lighter than a "regular" fossil.  Any help with positively ID'ing this as belemnite or not would be appreciated!  @erose @Uncle Siphuncle

 

It is 1 1/2 inches long

 

One of the belemnites from England:

 

 

[FossilDAWG]

It is definitely  a belemnite.  The radiating crystal structure is distinctive.  However the teardrop shaped holes are not part of the belemnite, they are borings made by a boring sponge or possibly a boring barnacle.  It was clearly exposed on the sea floor for a long time.

 

Don

[JamieLynn]

@FossilDAWG - Thank you!! That makes sense- bore holes. 

[erose]

Yep! Don FossilDAWG nailed it.  Nice find. Rare. Hit it with a black light. 

[FossilDAWG]

Could we see the left-hand end from a couple of different views?

 

Don

[JamieLynn]

5 hours ago, FossilDAWG said:

Could we see the left-hand end from a couple of different views?

 

Don

I will take some photos next week and tag you when I get them up.