FISH FIN or possibly SEA URCHIN SKELETON???

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

I found this rock in the middle of ARIZONA, Gila County, USA. I've found thousands of fossils in Central Arizona & have identified most, but not sure on some of them, this being one;) It weighs in at approximately 135 lbs or just over 61 Kilos & my back's still feeling that one.

  Thanks, Joshua

[Ludwigia]

What's the stratigraphy?

[Tidgy's Dad]

I thought bryozoan colony at first, but with close-ups, I'm now leaning more towards sponge. 

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

35 minutes ago, Ludwigia said:

What's the stratigraphy?

Not sure about the stratigraphy. It was in a dry stream bed, which at times might flow fast enough to move this rock. However, in the same area, I have found fossilized shells & coral. Can't walk 20 feet without stepping on some kind of fossil.

[JohnJ]

What is the geologic context of the identifiable fossils you've found nearby?  Do you have some examples?

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

27 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I thought bryozoan colony at first, but with close-ups, I'm now leaning more towards sponge. 

I have found more bryozoan fossils than I can count, but in this area, they're always "out of the rock" or at least for the most part, as the picture shows. The sponge sounds good, but when I first found it, I was thinking part of it looked like dragonfly wings. I outlined the part I was talking about.

[Tidgy's Dad]

At least some of your bryozoans are corals. 

It's definitely not wings of any sort. 

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

Yeah, I knew it wasn't wings, but I was hoping fish fins perhaps. The lines are probably where something else laid over it & left important maybe 

 Thank you so much for helping me out. I have a fairly large collection, most of which I have found within 20 miles of my home. From Sea Lily's to coral, clam shells to tetrapod tracks(Coconino Sandstone), there's no shortage of fossils & minerals to be found in this area.

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

21 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

What is the geologic context of the identifiable fossils you've found nearby?  Do you have some examples?

I just added a few photos to this thread. I can download a lot more though. So far, other than the tetrapod tracks, everything was under the ocean. So lots of sandstone as far as geologic. 

 There's no shortage of the fossils and minerals I find here. 

[JohnJ]

22 minutes ago, Fossilizedfuntimes said:

I have found more bryozoan fossils than I can count, but in this area, they're always "out of the rock" or at least for the most part, as the picture shows. The sponge sounds good, but when I first found it, I was thinking part of it looked like dragonfly wings. I outlined the part I was talking about.

 

1 minute ago, Fossilizedfuntimes said:

I just added a few photos to this thread. I can download a lot more though. So far, other than the tetrapod tracks, everything was under the ocean. So lots of sandstone as far as geologic. 

 There's no shortage of the fossils and minerals I find here. 

 

The fossils found closest to your mystery find are the most in informative. 

[Plax]

primitive fish osteoderms?

[Fossildude19]

I'm thinking placoderm armor.

That blue color is a frequent feature in Devonian fish bones/armor.

 

@jdp

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

Thanks for the help everybody. I really appreciate the help. I've found sponges in the area, but they don't have the same texture or shape as fossils in this bigger rock. 

 I originally looked at the shapes and thought, fish fins. 

 

[hemipristis]

On 12/7/2022 at 7:56 AM, Fossilizedfuntimes said:

I have found more bryozoan fossils than I can count, but in this area, they're always "out of the rock" or at least for the most part, as the picture shows. The sponge sounds good, but when I first found it, I was thinking part of it looked like dragonfly wings. I outlined the part I was talking about.

That looks like a the Devonian placoderm dermals that I have from The Red Hill site in Pennsylvania.

Where exactly did you find it, and we can pinpoint it on a geo map

Edited December 8, 2022 by hemipristis

[Fossildude19]

18 minutes ago, hemipristis said:

That looks like a the Carboniferous placoderm dermals that I have from The Red Hill site in Pennsylvania.

Where exactly did you find it, and we can pinpoint it on a geo map

Red Hill is Catskill formation. Late Devonian. 

[hemipristis]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

Red Hill is Catskill formation. Late Devonian. 

I knew that, lol.  That’s what happens when I post before I have had my coffee 

[JohnJ]

Maybe Joshua @Fossilizedfuntimes can identify the geologic formation (rather than posting the location) using the map in this link.

[Fossilizedfuntimes]

Here is the general location of my fossil hunting. Map of Gila County, AZ, USA.

  Looks like Devonian for the win