Lobolite From Scyphocrinites? (Morocco)

[araucaria1959]

Hello,

this is a Scyphocrinites plate (Scyphocrinites elegans) from around the silurian-devonian boundary (lochkovian?) of Morocco. There is a crown fragment near the margin of the plate (pic 5) and a couple of crinoid stems.

My question is:

Is the circular structure in the middle of the plate a flattened (compressed) lobolite?

For comparison, I show an unquestionable lobolite of Scyphocrinites (Erfoud area) in pics 6 - 8.

The circular structure on the plate has about the same size (width: 9 cm). If the structure is normal matrix, I wonder why the crinoid stems lie outside around the structure and do not cross it. Furthermore, there is an elongate depression which crosses the surface of the circular structure (unfortunately with a scratch) as if a neighbouring crinoid stem had left a depression on something with a soft, resilient consistency. If the circular structure is normal matrix, I would expect an exact cast of an overlying crinoid stem and not a depression.

Maybe someone knows something about this?

Thanks,

araucaria1959

[araucaria1959]

Here is a link to a drawing which shows how lobolites worked:

http://www.mineraltown.com/Reports/crinoid_fossils/scypho.gif

araucaria1959

[araucaria1959]

Meanwhile I'm convinced that it is a lobolite, after I found this in the net:

http://www.paleofox.com/Public/data/fiore/200692222448_email%20lobolite%20e%20calici%20+%20cozze.JPG

araucaria1959

[Auspex]

I was shy to comment on something I know so little about, but the texture certainly looked promising; looks like you found a good example to solve it!

Very nice fossil!