Hi, I'm Trying To Identify This Fossil I Found In New York State, Looks Like The Bottom Of A Mushroom.

[MikeDel]

I found this fossil in NYS near a creek in Hillsdale. Any ideas on what it is?, It has defined grooves, curved shape like it's half of the bottom of a mushroom. Searched the web but saw nothing like it. Please let me know if you have any tips for me. Thanks.

-mike

[Carl]

It looks like a brachiopod. But it could also conceivably be a coral. Can you shoot if from some other angles, too?

[RyanNREMTP]

Looks Brachish to me.

[old dead things]

I'd say brachiopod too. What is NYS?

[Herb]

brach.

[MikeDel]

New York State, Hillsdale. (upstate new york)

here's another photo….

[MikeDel]

has a shine to the fossil surface as well. grooves continue straight from middle to end.

[MikeDel]

[MikeDel]

maybe it's Daonella…what you guys think?

[Fossildude19]

maybe it's Daonella…what you guys think?

No, not Daonella - much older.

Your's is probably from the Ordovician, (Not the Triassic) and a brachiopod, rather than a pelecypod.

Hopefully, one of the brachiopod experts may weigh in soon.

Regards,

EDIT: According to this geologic bedrock map - your area is probably Ordovician in age, so, I have retracted my earlier PDF link.

It maybe something similar to Sowerbyella sp.

Edited October 17, 2014 by Fossildude19

[MikeDel]

the groves are very thin, easly over 100 lines on this 2 inch area, no horizontal grooves, doesn't quite look like a shell, lines look more like fibers, like they have a slight waves in some places.

other ideas...

Middle Devonian Nautiloid….

maybe Mushroom coral fossil?

[MikeDel]

Resserella pirguensis?

[MikeDel]

Brachiopods Atrypa Reticularis?

[Fossildude19]

No, on all 3.

Just give it a bit of time - others will weigh in. Sometimes, it takes a few days.

Regards,

[Brewcuse]

It's not a nautiloid, definitely. You'd have either a coil/curve (a lot like modern nautilus) or it would be straight-shelled.

My vote goes to "brachiopod" of some sort. The hinge seems to be missing judging by the photo in post 8.

That would help a lot, but rest assured, you've got something that lived 400 million years ago and the part you have is well-preserved.

[tmaier]

The straight and wide hinge line and fine rib lines lines look like this might be of the genus Strophomena. I leave it to you to find the species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strophomena

Dig around in the documentation for that genus from your formation in New York, and you might find it.

[squali]

You can't go wrong with this excellent website by TFF member Karl Wilson.

It helped me tremendously while I was working in the state a couple of years ago.

http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~kwilson/home.htm

[Shamalama]

I think it's a partial Rafinesquina or Strophomena. I don't see a complete hinge line but the rest seems to indicate something along those lines.

[erose]

I think it's a partial Rafinesquina or Strophomena. I don't see a complete hinge line but the rest seems to indicate something along those lines.

If indeed it is Ordovician I would agree with Dave. But without an intact hinge line it will be just an educated guess. Hopefully you will make return visits and eventually find a complete specimen or at least one with a few more diagnostic features preserved.

[MikeDel]

Thanks guys, i'll look there again in a few weeks, it's on my own land so it doesn't get disturbed too often. Any tips on what types of rocks (colors and size) i should be looking for around there for fossils besides ones like this? . I'm assuming this one is some sorta shale.

(New York State, Hillsdale, Agawamuck Creek area)

[MikeDel]

so far looks most like this from your guys help:

Rafinesquina

maybe:

Strophomena