River exploring finds and questions. Bamboo type stock preserved in sandstone id? Beaver skull or similar mammal extinct or alive still id?

[Callahan]

All you experts out there please help me id these finds exploring fishing with my young son yesterday in local river tributary. 

background info 

temp 108 degrees f. River spring fed and not dried up like all others in north tx. 
 

Between putting worms on 5 year olds hook I found these specimens. 
 

1.  first 3 pics found large sandstone that I had a feeling might have a fossil in it due to shape. Started to break edged off with sturdy rock and ended up breaking in half. This is what I found. Coal fossil that has chambers like bamboo. Coniferous fern like plant trunk or stem ??? Id would be much appreciated.  
 

Only one other location 60 miles from this I have found that time period nodes we broke open to find fern leafs etc 

 

2. Found this beaver looking skull and possible bison or extinct horse etc in almost water level barely sticking out of bank.  Dug em out carefully and skull was intact. Extinct type of beaver or still on this earth type of nutria beaver critter??  Id on skull much appreciated also.
 

 Don’t need id on big bone. Have tons of em and someday will get with local college UTA Arlington for id on em.  In my opinion extinct bison or other mega fauna. 

 

They are very brittle and nose already fell off and superglued back. As well all the cranium lines.  Epoxy clear coat will be applied to preserve when ready. 

 

Location found was packed damp layer about a foot above water line.  Trinity river tributary Texas if this helps for any locals that understand strata layers in north tx. Old dead roots half inch diameter grew through eye socket.  
 

washed skull and other bone best as I could with out making it fall into pieces.  
 

god bless and excited to hear back 

 

Callahan. 
 

 

[Fossildude19]

I don't think you can say much about the plant material, other than it is carbonized plant material. 

I see no distinguishing characteristics to pinpoint an ID any further than that.

[Callahan]

Ok thanks.  Going to try to use my grinding tools picks etc to get it exposed better.  Any recommendations on how to do this slowly and not destroy coal fossil and get a better look at it as display ?

 

also fossil dude you or know anybody that can ID the beaver looking skull that could actually be a beaver ?

 

thank you sir.  

[Fossildude19]

Need better pictures of the skull, but it is possibly beaver.

 

These are the angles needed:

 

 

 

[Callahan]

10 4 will do thanks. 

[Lorne Ledger]

skull is rodent, fantastic find.  Could be beaver but need those other angles of pics to be sure.  It's too small to be Castoroides (giant beaver).

[Pirategirl]

My vote is beaver, found one recently….

[Callahan]

Will do. Out of town exploring Oklahoma springs and creeks at moment.  Will send detailed like examples pic.   Yes way to small for that giant beaver. That would be awesome if it was that.    Looked into that species . I believe very old rodent of some sort due to where was preserved in the strata where find majority of bison and other unidentified mammals bones in river bank. I have only found very few skull or jaw bones where I explore.  No bison horns or skull yet.  Seems like I have a whale skeleton but not the horns or skull.  Have one tooth and one bottom jaw fragment with several teeth and that’s it.  
 

is it that rare in other places?
 

 

[FranzBernhard]

On 7/11/2022 at 5:51 PM, Callahan said:

Coal fossil that has chambers like bamboo.

Interestingly, I don´t get the coalified plant vibe for that one. I am getting a schorl vibe...

Whats the hardness of the black stuff?
Does it smoke / solder / burn when a small splinter is held into a flame?

Franz Bernhard

Edited July 13, 2022 by FranzBernhard

[Callahan]

Yes sir. Definitely a coalification plant.  Has chambers like bamboo.  Wonder what time period.  Pennsylvanian perhaps?    Cordite fern plant ?   Will look up how to do clean up /remove material without destroying fragile coal and get a better look and even display in frame.   
 

i did find fern fossils in a few counties over mostly breaking open nodes that had em encapsulated from that time period.   
 

This trunk or branch is encased in looks to be sand stone outside then looks to be a purple like quartzite that’s pretty hard around coal.  Coal has fragile mineralization crystals in actual plant that turned to coal of this helps.  
 

thank you and will grind pick and do some tool work to expose completely.  
 

I just took at big rock and bashed to see if anything was inside.  Shape of sand stone is what got my attention. 

[Callahan]

My bad I just saw you recommend not coal plant.  Could be forsure.  We’ll get a better look after some tool work and I’ll send better pics of this and beaver like skull or rodent. 

[Callahan]

Calamities I meant to say also not cordites. 

[Callahan]

Maybe this one. ?   It’s so brittle.  Will hose down with epoxy clear coat. 

[Callahan]

Here ya go fossil dude. Hope this helps with id of rodent.  

[Callahan]

While I got you old bones experts attention.  Any thoughts on this one.

 

 Also found imbedded in bank roots growing through bone and same location I find other Pleistocene bones in same strata layer in north Texas river tributary. 
 

any idea what bone part this is or animal it’s from ?
 

recommendations if these lines or cut marks are butchery marks etc ?  Can roots make these marks ?

 

 

[Callahan]

Epoxy clear coat and extensive glue was used to put together.  When it dried. Feel apart and decent grated.   Left roots in specimen.  

Edited July 25, 2022 by Callahan
Add more info

[JohnJ]

The last piece is a mammal sacrum. Plant roots can etch bone in a similar manner.

 

Nice beaver skull.

 

 

 

 

 

[Callahan]

Thank you sir on id. Beaver going in a case with my best old bones   
 

bad drought in Texas right now and no rain to wash any out etc.