Roadrunner Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I am beginning to think that this boulder might be a chunk of a rudist reef... Dating it would help, and pictures of any associated organisms would help to date it. Do the added pictures show associated organisms? And how does one go about dating it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trilobiteruss Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Very interesting, I too am stumped. But looks organic to me, the rudist reef and stromatoporoid ideas have merit. Age of rocks would narrow down a bit if those are brachs vs just bivalves in the "reef matrix" as I will term for now? Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Very interesting, I too am stumped. But looks organic to me, the rudist reef and stromatoporoid ideas have merit. Age of rocks would narrow down a bit if those are brachs vs just bivalves in the "reef matrix" as I will term for now? Russ How do I determine "age of rocks?" Thank you for all of your interest and help! Edited July 19, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Could this be some kind of stromatolite? Edited July 19, 2012 by Xiphactinus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Could this be some kind of stromatolite? I came across that too while I was researching, but I'm still learning the differences. Do you know anything about stromatolites? I also found this photo which I forgot to include with the rounded things, which I think is one of the better ones; Edited July 19, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 The area between the erasor and the ruler end looks like stromatoporoid to me, but under no conditions can I figure out how the lines/plications were made. Unless this is 2 critters combined. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teres Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Stromatoporoid?? http://it.wikipedia....matoporoids.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teres Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Ooops, Herb beat me to it, and before I saw the roadrunners new posts! But still.... Actually I think I missed the entire last page before posting (how embarrassing is that?). Edited July 19, 2012 by Teres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Stromatoporoid?? http://it.wikipedia....matoporoids.jpg Ooops, Herb beat me to it, and before I saw the roadrunners new posts! But still.... Actually I think I missed the entire last page before posting (how embarrassing is that?). Actually, I mentioned it first way back (in post # 45). But you guys are the experts. This is going to sound waaaaayyyy out there - but I'm going to bare my soul to you. These are the 3 pictures that got me to thinking; The first one - lower left-hand side was what started me on this track; Then I saw the picture below, which could possibly account for a lot. And then finally, the overall shape of the picture below - especially since I'm wondering if that opening I first posted might possibly be a "mouth", "gape" "cross section side arm," or some other type of orifice. ....OK, so don't laugh...I know nothing about these things. Grandpa - I credit you with making me think of this - but only if you want the credit. I may be totally off-base on all of this, but no worries - it is all in good fun, right? Edited July 19, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teres Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Roadrunner, (I edited my last post) I apparently missed page three before posting! It's been a long day and my dog was jumping all over my computer (he's jealous). I'm going to start over on page 1 now...... ....I seem to have missed quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Roadrunner, (I edited my last post) I apparently missed page three before posting! It's been a long day and my dog was jumping all over my computer (he's jealous). I'm going to start over on page 1 now...... ....I seem to have missed quite a bit. No problem! I've been at this nearly all day and have to get ready to go to a meeting this evening. I highly appreciate your input and thoughts. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) So, somebody tell me I'm all wet or something, I really don't know what I'm doing an could easily be going down the wrong track. Any other thoughts, or next steps that I should take to identify or do with this rock? Edited July 20, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Sometimes pictures alone don't result in positive identification. Since you have a "burning desire" to find out what this represents... I would suggest contacting a local geologist. Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Don't take any track yet; collect samples for analysis, and try to get a handle on the geologic age of the specimens. Can you locate the strata from which this boulder might have come? If you can, then look for other associated fossils therein; anything to help narrow down the age. "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...
Roadrunner Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Sometimes pictures alone don't result in positive identification. Since you have a "burning desire" to find out what this represents... I would suggest contacting a local geologist. A local geologist has only seen pictures of the striations and at first thought erosion, but upon further physical investigation I'm still thinking organic. I'll probably contact her again with more pictures that might indicate organic (but being Summer and she being at the university I'm not sure if I'll get a response until Fall), and ask her if there are any other help or referrals she can give me. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) Don't take any track yet; collect samples for analysis, and try to get a handle on the geologic age of the specimens. Can you locate the strata from which this boulder might have come? If you can, then look for other associated fossils therein; anything to help narrow down the age. Since I usually find more fossils wherever I find evidence of one, I've been surprised at the lack of them I've found in the immediate area. The area is geologically complex, and I'm still not really sure how to date it. Here is an general picture of the area; Below is a picture of the watershed where I found it, with Abby for scale. As you can see, the arroyos in the area are mostly made up of caliche. And the same area below without Abby; Edited July 20, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) Having visited the area last month, I know what you mean about it being geologically complex. With the folded strata, stuff washed down from the mountains, and incised terrain, it's pretty much a jumbled mess. It may take some type of fossil in the boulder that could index it to a particular period (unless more of the striated stuff could be found in situ). Edited July 20, 2012 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Don't take any track yet; collect samples for analysis, and try to get a handle on the geologic age of the specimens. Can you locate the strata from which this boulder might have come? If you can, then look for other associated fossils therein; anything to help narrow down the age. Good idea. Take a sample of the striated and the knoby area and do some close ups. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Thanks - I'll give that a try. I suppose I'm hesitant to get samples of the striations because; 1. I don't know how large a piece I need for testing. 2. I don't know how to test, except some simple tests for hardness. 3. Not knowing how large a piece I need, I'm afraid to damage more of if than necessary.\ So - any ideas on how large a piece some of you think I need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) Having visited the area last month, I know what you mean about it being geologically complex. With the folded strata, stuff washed down from the mountains, and incised terrain, it's pretty much a jumbled mess. It may take some type of fossil in the boulder that could index it to a particular period (unless more of the striated stuff could be found in situ). And in the class I just took last month, I found out that the red soil on top of the Sandia Mountains is older and younger than some of the huge Sandia granite slabs underneath (1.4 - 1.7 billion years old - Proterozoic). Other granite was superimposed when different tectonic plates pushed on each other, making some granite 200-300 million years old - which is the granite everyone can see on the western cliffs of the mountain. It seems the red soil on top used to be part of a lowlands marshy area (like the red soil we find in the current Rio Grande) - after the ancestral Rockies eroded away, but before the current Sandias were pushed up. I find it sometimes difficult to wrap my head around that. Thank you for the ideas, I will work on some specific fossils in it, and try and secure some of the striated stuff. Edited July 21, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) Stromatoporoid?? http://it.wikipedia....matoporoids.jpg Thank you Teres for the link. The striations sure do look like the stromatoporoid picture in that link. Someone at our local Museum of Natural History is going to show some of the pictures to their resident paleontologist. Hopefully, they will shed some light on it. I'll let you all know when/if I do find out anything more. Thank you everyone - you all are great!! Edited July 21, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teres Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Your welcome. This is a very interesting thread, I learn so much more from the debate, discussions and ideas thrown out there than from the threads that are id'd with one post (those are great too), but there's nothing better than a good old mystery! Looking forward to how this one ends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 22, 2012 Author Share Posted July 22, 2012 (edited) Your welcome. This is a very interesting thread, I learn so much more from the debate, discussions and ideas thrown out there than from the threads that are id'd with one post (those are great too), but there's nothing better than a good old mystery! Looking forward to how this one ends! I agree Teres! This kind of debate/discussion is very educational, and I like a good mystery - it is just waiting to be solved. BTW, the next clue I have is that the little piece I have will easily scratch glass - but will not scratch a quartz crystal. So that piece of material is between 5.5 (plate glass) and 7 (quartz) on the Mohs scale. Edited July 23, 2012 by Roadrunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teres Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Have you done an acid test on your sample? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 Have you done an acid test on your sample? No because I don't know which acid to use and how to do it. Any hints or directions I might follow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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