Meganeura Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 So did some fossil hunting yesterday and found what I was told was a Crocodilian Gastrolith. Which while technically just a rock, is still a really cool find. So I wanted to see if anyone else could confirm the ID or not! Link to post Share on other sites
mr.cheese Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 No I can't so that is a not from me! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jpc Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 How did the identifier ID it as a croc gastrolith? I am a gastrolith skeptic; you better have a good reason to call something a gastrolith. There too many roundish rocks out there. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Meganeura Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, jpc said: How did the identifier ID it as a croc gastrolith? I am a gastrolith skeptic; you better have a good reason to call something a gastrolith. There too many roundish rocks out there. She's been fossil hunting for years and actually runs the dig site I found it at, which while not any credentials, is probably some level of "This person knows what they're talking about". Specifically though, the dig site is in Bone Valley, which is clay, sand, gravel, etc. The only big chunks of rock are iron and... well I'm not a geologist so I really can't say what the other rocks are, but they're sharp/rough and layered. I've been 3 times to the dig site now and this is the only time I've found a rock that's been remotely smooth, let alone circular. I actually had just left it as I was thinking "Oh just a rock", but then the identifier came over, saw it, and pointed it out to me. I know it's wikipedia I'm quoting here, but wikipedia says the Bone Valley formation is Sand, Marl, Clay, Phosphate, and Chert, if that gives any indication why the rock is unique. Edited June 18, 2022 by Meganeura Link to post Share on other sites
Harry Pristis Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 No, not a gastrolith. It's sandstone which wouldn't last long as a gastrolith. Keep in mind that Florida is flooded with erosion products from the breakdown of the Appalachian Uplift. Those sand beaches are former rocks from the North. There are plenty of rounded quartz pebbles included, any of which would be a more likely gastrolith. (I've never been tempted call an isolated pebble a gastrolith.) Gastroliths are identifiable when they are found as an artificial grouping -- deposited where the bearer died. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Meganeura Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 35 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said: No, not a gastrolith. It's sandstone which wouldn't last long as a gastrolith. Keep in mind that Florida is flooded with erosion products from the breakdown of the Appalachian Uplift. Those sand beaches are former rocks from the North. There are plenty of rounded quartz pebbles included any of which would be a more likely gastrolith. (I've never been tempted call an isolated pebble a gastrolith.) Gastroliths are identifiable when they are found as an artificial grouping -- deposited where the bearer died. That makes sense to me, and I really wasn't sure if it was one, so i appreciate the confirmation otherwise! Link to post Share on other sites
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