What am I looking at?

[Sentinel_2020]

 

 

I

 

 

 

 

I found this in my creek that also feeds into the Buffalo River. I’m located in NW AR., which is part of the Blue Ridge Mountain terrain.

[minnbuckeye]

looks like  Lepidodendron sp. Picture from Sam Nobles Museum.

 

Lepidodendron sp.OPC 3242-9609; Lycophyte; Pennsylvanian;

Edited June 8, 2022 by minnbuckeye

[Sentinel_2020]

Thank you for your reply. It does indeed look the same or very very similar to mine. I looked up some information referencing the period in which it existed (based on your reply) and if I am understanding the given information, this specimen is anywhere from 298-358 million years old.

 

Carboniferous

The Carboniferous (/ˌkɑːr.bəˈnɪf.ər.əs/ KAHR-bə-NIF-ər-əs) is a geologic period and system that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period 358.9 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, 298.9 Mya.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Sentinel_2020
Being more specific

[Fossildude19]

Nice piece of Lepidodendron. 

You are correct.

[Tidgy's Dad]

It is most likely from the Pennsylvanian subsystem, which narrows the age down a bit to 323.2 to 298.9 mya. 

[Sentinel_2020]

Thank you for your reply & That’s pretty darn old!

 

AMAZING TO ME!

Edited June 8, 2022 by Sentinel_2020

[Mark Kmiecik]

Nice find. Definitely Lepidodendron sp.

[Sentinel_2020]

Thank you. Is it rare to find these types of fossils or is this one an unusual good find. Just wondering b/c you’re the 2nd or 3rd person to say “nice find”.

[Kane]

I wouldn’t say rare, but we are a very encouraging group.  

[Sentinel_2020]

LOL! Rgr that

[fifbrindacier]

It's not rare, but it us a well preserved one.

[Sentinel_2020]

Thank you 

[Ludwigia]

7 hours ago, Sentinel_2020 said:

Just wondering b/c you’re the 2nd or 3rd person to say “nice find”.

In our book, anything well-preserved, even if not rare, deserves to be called a "nice find".

[FranzBernhard]

8 hours ago, Sentinel_2020 said:

Is it rare to find these types of fossils or is this one an unusual good find.

I am not into this type of fossils, but worldwide, these are not very rare. In certain areas, they are quite abundant. In other areas, millions and millions of square km large, however, they do not occur.

 

And more locally speaking, what may be superabundant in one formation, may be super-rare in the next formation, making a certain specimen very special. Context is very important.

 

To me, your specimen is something very special: It is an impression in a coarse-grained sandstone or fine-grained conglomerate. I have never seen a pic of this kind of "matrix" for this type of fossil before. But, well, I am not into this kind of fossils, and I don´t know if this type of matrix is common elsewhere.

 

Franz Bernhard

Edited June 9, 2022 by FranzBernhard

[Sentinel_2020]

Thank you Franz. Fossils are not my “thing” either but I f do find them extremely interesting b/c of the history attached to them.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Sentinel_2020

[Carl]

These are often reflexively referred to as tree bark but it's very different from bark and, I think, more interesting. It's best to call this periderm and although it did cover the trunk like bark it supported small scale-like leaves and was photosynthetic, unlike bark. Yours is the impression of the periderm after the leaflets detached.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Carl

[Sentinel_2020]

46 minutes ago, Carl said:

These are often reflexively referred to as tree bark but it's very different from bark and, I thinki, more interesting. It's best to call this periderm and although it did cover the trunk like bark it supported small scale-like leaves and was photosynthetic, unlike bark. Yours is the impression of the periderm after the leaflets detached.

Good information thank you. I like details.

[Creek - Don]

Some screen shot regarding those trees.  I downloaded animated program called Carboniferous Forest Artmos 3d.   

  

[Sentinel_2020]

3 minutes ago, Creek - Don said:

Some screen shot regarding those trees.  I downloaded animated program called Carboniferous Forest Artmos 3d.   

 

Extremely cool looking trees!

[jdp]

On 6/8/2022 at 1:15 PM, Tidgy's Dad said:

It is most likely from the Pennsylvanian subsystem, which narrows the age down a bit to 323.2 to 298.9 mya. 

 

I actually just did a bit of a deep dive on NW Arkansas geology as part of some research and that area is mostly on the older side of that age range (323-318 Ma). There's some stuff that is slightly older and some that is slightly younger, but most seems to be within that range.

[Sentinel_2020]

3 minutes ago, jdp said:

 

I actually just did a bit of a deep dive on NW Arkansas geology as part of some research and that area is mostly on the older side of that age range (323-318 Ma). There's some stuff that is slightly older and some that is slightly younger, but most seems to be within that range.

JDP, thanks for doing that extra dig. I wouldn't have known how to so thank you and nice information you uncovered.

[jdp]

No problem, I was trying to figure out the age and geological context of another fossil so this was actually quite fortuitous!

 

Was this found in the Fayetteville area or further south?

[Carl]

20 hours ago, Creek - Don said:

Some screen shot regarding those trees.  I downloaded animated program called Carboniferous Forest Artmos 3d.   

  

Just to clarify, the tree with the large, round crown to the right of center is Lepidodendron, like the fossil in question, but the rest are other lycopsids and giant horsetails, which are something quite different.

[Sentinel_2020]

4 hours ago, jdp said:

No problem, I was trying to figure out the age and geological context of another fossil so this was actually quite fortuitous!

 

Was this found in the Fayetteville area or further south?

Nope. It was found about 1½ hr due E of Fayetteville.  (Newton County)

[JohnJ]

@Sentinel_2020 

No need to publish coordinates on a public forum...we try to avoid that for many reasons.  The general area is usually sufficient.