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Upper Carboniferous Period Id...


Guest Nicholas

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Guest Nicholas

I just got home from the hunt not even 20 minutes ago, I returned the same spot I have been getting various plant fossils from. I found some nice Calamites sp, with great detail for smaller fragments. More detailed specific stuff rather than last time where I picked up everything. However back to this task. I found this odd looking in the same spot, I can find zero evidence of any more it was so strange I decided to grab the huge rock crack it down to a reasonable size and bring it here for an id:

Here she goes....

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One of the nice Calamites I found.. :D

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That's an interesting structural pattern, but beyond the generic "plant debris", I can't hazzard a guess.

"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!

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Guest Nicholas
That's an interesting structural pattern, but beyond the generic "plant debris", I can't hazzard a guess.

I was thinking the structure may give way to a deeper insight of the object. It is a curious specimen.

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I've been digging, and the stem of Cordaites is characterized by horizontal ridges...

"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!

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Guest Nicholas
I've been digging, and the stem of Cordaites is characterized by horizontal ridges...

I have many Cordaites specimens, actually about 60 pounds worth around my room, this fossil doesn't fit. It has seems to have a rounded structure which is actually part of the fossil and the horizontal ridges are divided in to 2 parts down the middle. I've dug at this for hours and I've come up with a few similar types of branching with leaves which could have gone this way and some remnant of Arthropods which this could possibly be a section of although highly unlikely. I wish I could find an expert on Upper Carboniferous fossils which could give some insight on the fossil. It was such a hassle to take out attached to a hundred pounds of rock, cracking it on site without tools, getting it home, cracking it MORE... all because I was fascinated by the highly unusual structure.

If anyone knows anyone who has a little better insight in this field please pass it along, this is one of those types of things that will drive me mad if I don't figure it out. I'm really interested in finding out what it is, rare or not rare, I NEED TO KNOW!

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Hi Nicholas,

I use Illinois Geological Survey, Worthen 1860s- 1880s, vol. 1-8, to identify most of my Pennsylvanian Period fossils.

Your fossil impression looks neat, but have no idea what it is, in north Alabama we find a lot of carbonized fragmentary remains.

I like the Calamites in the upper left of pic 1.

Had you found any trackways?? You mentioned that they come from your area.

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Guest Nicholas
Hi Nicholas,

I use Illinois Geological Survey, Worthen 1860s- 1880s, vol. 1-8, to identify most of my Pennsylvanian Period fossils.

Your fossil impression looks neat, but have no idea what it is, in north Alabama we find a lot of carbonized fragmentary remains.

I like the Calamites in the upper left of pic 1.

Had you found any trackways?? You mentioned that they come from your area.

None yet, so far all I've found are:

Calamites

Cordaites

A single fern leaf

Tons of unidentifiable woody material

And that strange impression

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We also find a lot of lepidodendron, and something that looks like oak without the bark, since i am not familiar with pennsylvanian names what is Cordaites?

The trackways are found on real slick mud layers, no mica or sand. i am looking for a complete fossil not just the tracks.

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Guest Nicholas
We also find a lot of lepidodendron, and something that looks like oak without the bark, since i am not familiar with pennsylvanian names what is Cordaites?

The trackways are found on real slick mud layers, no mica or sand. i am looking for a complete fossil not just the tracks.

http://www.uni-muenster.de/GeoPalaeontolog...ot/seite18.html

Nice examples of Cordaites at that link.

I must thank you, because of question I discovered that the "fern" leaf I found was actually a section of Cordaites leaves.

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Thanks Nicholas, always wandered what they were named, we find lots of them too some leaves over a foot long, I have a beautiful top, crown, of one of them.

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Guest Nicholas
Thanks Nicholas, always wandered what they were named, we find lots of them too some leaves over a foot long, I have a beautiful top, crown, of one of them.

Glad to help.

For those of you who would like to know, pictures of my little unknown fossil have been sent to the Paleontology division of Nova Scotia historical museum. Although I risking them taking it from me, I need to know what it is...

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...pictures of my little unknown fossil have been sent to the Paleontology division of Nova Scotia historical museum. Although I risking them taking it from me, I need to know what it is...

Did you have a collecting permit? If not, I'll bake you a cake with an air scribe in it... :P

"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!

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Guest Nicholas
Did you have a collecting permit? If not, I'll bake you a cake with an air scribe in it... :P

These were going to be destroyed and were small. They let the general public get away with small stuff, and they like that I keep in contact with them because they know I'll trust them enough if I find something significant.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Nicholas

Finally got an ID on that bugger, the museum of Nova Scotia believes it is an Artesia which is the pith cast of the "tree" "Cordaites".

I can finally sleep again.

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Guest Nicholas

I got another e-mail from the kindly woman, she's 99% positive of this fossil id now.

I'm to report all my fossils to her now.

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Finally got an ID on that bugger, the museum of Nova Scotia believes it is an Artesia which is the pith cast of the "tree" "Cordaites".

I can finally sleep again.

Nicolas, I have quite similar fossil pic from Penn strata and black spot on it which I ided as strobile, possibly lepidodendron but not sure.

Roman

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Nicolas, I have quite similar fossil pic from Penn strata and black spot on it which I ided as strobile, possibly lepidodendron but not sure.

Roman

From what I can see, the two large elements are suggestive of Neuropteris leaves.

"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!

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From what I can see, the two large elements are suggestive of Neuropteris leaves.

Why do you think so, Auspex? Unfortunately, there is no ruler next to speciman, but size of the biggest spot is 4-5 cm. I've never seen so big fern leaf here. It looked like something new on the background of all my fossils.

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Why do you think so, Auspex? Unfortunately, there is no ruler next to speciman, but size of the biggest spot is 4-5 cm. I've never seen so big fern leaf here. It looked like something new on the background of all my fossils.

The form, texture, and vein pattern look similar. Compare:

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"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!

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