Shell fossil in wrong formation

[Tigereagle12345]

I found this shell fossil 6 or so years ago on the fossil walk in Ulladulla, NSW, Australia. What I find strange about it is that it's a common species at this site, only it's deposited in a rock from after the species inhabited the area. The fossil is deposited in a stone transported to the area when glaciers moved though and, to the best of my knowledge, the fossils in Ulladulla are all from far before the glaciers arrived. Does anyone have any ideas how this fossil came to be here?

 

Thanks

 

[kgbudge]

Reworked fossils -- fossils eroded out of older beds, then redeposited in younger beds -- are a thing in New Mexico. They've caused some controversy: Some dinosaur bones have been found in beds in the San Juan Basin (Ojo Alamo Formation) that are post-K-T beds. There is a single paleontologist who insists this is evidence that a few dinosaurs survived the extinction even for a few million years into the Paleogene. Most paleontologists dismiss these as reworked fossils, citing abrasion marks and other signs of hard usage.

 

Perhaps your shell is a reworked fossil. Not the same thing as a glacial erratic.

[RuMert]

We have, for example, Callovian fauna fossilized, uncovered and used by epibionts like Serpula while lying on the ocean floor. Then those remains like shells and belemnite guards were redeposited in Oxfordian with those ephibionts attached. Double fossil Quite common occurrence

[Josh_irving]

On 1/5/2022 at 6:05 AM, Tigereagle12345 said:

I found this shell fossil 6 or so years ago on the fossil walk in Ulladulla, NSW, Australia. What I find strange about it is that it's a common species at this site, only it's deposited in a rock from after the species inhabited the area. The fossil is deposited in a stone transported to the area when glaciers moved though and, to the best of my knowledge, the fossils in Ulladulla are all from far before the glaciers arrived. Does anyone have any ideas how this fossil came to be here?

 

Thanks

 

 

do you know what species this is?

 

[Tigereagle12345]

Unfortunately, I lost the label associated with this fossil a few years ago when I moved houses. However, with a bit of googling, I found some photos of a Brachiopoda Spiriferida from the same location that appear almost identical to it.

 

Website where I found the photos:https://southcoast-nsw.naturemapr.org/species/1894

Photo:

[Mahnmut]

Hi Tigereagle,

Just speculating based on what you mentioned without knowing anything about the region:

How do you know that its not local?

could the same glaciers that brought younger material from elsewhere have shaped and moved a local older fragment to look like that?

@Johannes: your profile pic makes me think you may know something about the process?

Best Regards,

J