Torres Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Hi. Total noob here, but have been finding stuff here and there for a while. I don't know anything about identifying or dating fossils, but I knows one when I sees one. So, here's a shot of a couple things I found here in NW Florida on a river bed this past weekend, just north of Pensacola. They just popped out at me within a few minutes of looking for nice rocks. Now I'm hooked on trying to find more this coming weekend. Fossils are awesome!!! ...but I guess that's why you're all here. Anyway, they're both about 1.5" long and 3/4" wide. The one on the left (which I think is the tip of a small sea turtle's front flipper) is only about 1/4" thick at the wide end and tapers towards the tip. Both sides have the same pattern, which wraps around the edges without break. Any info regarding the two fossils show would be much appreciated. Hopefully more to come! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 def. a portion of articulated crinoid stem. cant help you on the other Knowledge has three degrees-opinion, science, illumination. The means or instrument of the first is sense; of the second, dialectic; of the third, intuition. Plotinus 204 or 205 C.E., Egyptian Philosopher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 I don't know what the first item is either (but flippers don't just turn to stone; when they fossilize, they bear little resemblance to a flipper). The crinoid stem had to have been transported from someplace else, as there is no rock that old in Florida. Could have washed down a river from the north, or it could have come in as driveway gravel. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torres Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 Thanks guys! It seems like most of the fossils I've picked up around FL are more ocean-based for sure. That's why I assumed the one on the left was a turtle flipper - well, actually more of a ceramic slip cast of a flipper since it's hollow. The crinoid was definitely a unique find for me, but then I found another rock that had about 5 perfect imprints of much smaller ones. I have a feeling I might find some more of those. The stream I'm looking in has cut a valley about 60-70 feet deep over the years. There is a large variety of pebbles, hardened clay, and petrified cypress wood all over the sand bars here. Can't wait to go back, and can only dream of finding something like some of the guys have on the forum . .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 the flipper looks more like an iron carbonate concretion than a fossil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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