Rckhound Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 (edited) I was recently given the opportunity to hunt at a place in Central Missouri where the owner said they have been finding Petrified Wood for generations. Once I came across it and begin to study it further, I became curious. I have been told by several geologists and a few seasoned rock hounds, that it is petrified Palm, but I have also been told it was absolutely not and was coral. Would love some advice and explanation if possible. I love to learn and want to be better educated on this material. I have attached some rough and some from the same location that has been tumbled. Thank you all in advance! Edited July 21, 2022 by Rckhound 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Welcome to TFF from Austria! The second and third pic (very detailed pics! ) clearly look like a tabulate coral, perhaps Favosites. I am unsure about the other specimens. You may check out a geological map of Missouri (you find them online) and check the age of the bedrock in that area. I see lots of Paleozoic formations, which would be consistent with tabulate coral. You can indeed also google up fossil palm wood from Missouri, but it looks quite different compared to your specimens. Btw, very nice material, I like it! Franz Bernhard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 I agree, these look like corals. What county were these found in? Much of central Missouri surficial bedrock is Ordovician in age: too old for palm wood. Missouri geologic bedrock map: 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rckhound Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 It was found in Johnson County, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 2 hours ago, Rckhound said: It was found in Johnson County, MO So, Pennsylvanian aged bedrock. Still too old for palm wood, I believe. 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 I think this looks more like a chaetetid sponge. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Yes, chaetetid sponge. This is an excellent marker for the Pennsylvanian Marmaton Group (Desmoinesian Stage). 3 Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Here are a few I found near Warrensburg.... Mound: With the tabulate coral Syringopora: 'Columnar' growth. These formed reefs in many cases: Flat growth, at top: 3 Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rckhound Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 These were found south of town in Leeton, MO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 The ledges in two images in my post above are the Blackjack Creek Limestone, which lies near the base of the Marmaton. Note the massive, brownish appearance. The Higginsville Ls. and Coal City Ls. are also possibilities. Geologic map of area: I believe the blue/pink boundary is the transition from Cherokee Group to Marmaton, respectively. 2 Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rckhound Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 I finally have a definitive answer! Missourian, you were correct! I contacted the Missouri geological survey and spoke to a geologist. Send him a raw picture and some pictures that I sliced yesterday. I included them in this post. Below is his response if anyone is interested: The three pictures you submitted show silicified fossils of a sponge-like marine invertebrate organism called Chaetetes that lived in an inland sea that covered much of the central United States during the Middle Pennsylvanian Epoch of geologic time, about 310 million years ago. Chaetetes can be rather abundant in certain portions of Middle Pennsylvanian-age strata. For additional information on Chaetetes, go to Chaetetids (berkeley.edu). If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Pat Mulvany, Ph.D., R.G. Missouri Geological Survey 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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