Arthropod-thingy (???) from Upper Carboniferous of Germany

[paleoflor]

L.S.,

 

Would like to call upon TFF's collective expertise to help with the identification of fossil I found in the Westphalian D (Upper Carboniferous) of the Piesberg quarry near Osnabrück, Germany. The specimen (part and counterpart) shown on the photographs below is almost 8 mm large along its longest dimension. The surface is relatively shiny compared to plant material in the same slab of rock and covered in small tubercles (or other little bumps). The shape is subtriangular in outline and seems to be bounded by a "band" of some kind along at least half its circumference. The "bumpy surface" with tubercles makes me think in the direction of something arthropodan (ostracod???, branchiopod???), but honestly I'm quite out of my depth here... Clam??? Would love to hear your thoughts!

 

Thanks for your interest,

 

Tim

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by paleoflor
typo

[Mochaccino]

Could it be an armor fragment of Arthopleura armata? Seems like it's found from the Carboniferous of Germany, though I'm not familiar with exact locality.

 

https://depositsmag.com/2020/10/06/arthropleura-germanys-fossil-of-the-year-2016/

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Mochaccino

[paleoflor]

@Mochaccino Thanks for the suggestion and apologies for the late reply! Unfortunately, I do not think this specimen can be assigned to Arthropleura armata. I have quite a few bits for comparison and the tubercles of the specimen here are much smaller-scale. I also have difficulty explaining the overall shape within the context of the bits of Arthropleura I'm familiar with. What part of the animal we would be looking at?

[Fossildude19]

Could it be one of the plates from under the legs? Sternite or K-plate?

 

Image by Jun075 one Deviantart.

 

 

[paleoflor]

@Fossildude19 Interesting option. Will have a look for photographic examples of Arthopleura sternites.