kelemen Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Hi! I would like help with identifying the fossil in the picture. The fossil is about 4cm big and it is from Miocene formation. The formation also includes other fossil such as Protoma, Turitella, Dentalium some fish scales, bivalvs and echnioids. I have never seen anything like this befor and I don't know what could it be so any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance Kelemen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Whoa... I, too, have no idea. But I am definitely going to follow this thread to learn something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 This is very puzzling! Could it be a spiny brachiopod? "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...
Ludwigia Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I was also thinking along the lines of shellfish with spines, but I actually am really at a loss. Never seen anything like it. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I'd like to stake my claim on the wild speculation of the eye of a trilobite, with the lenses eroded out. http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/facilities/sem/eye.html Notice there is a bit of what could be a carapace in the matrix, off to the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I'd like to stake my claim on the wild speculation of the eye of a trilobite, with the lenses eroded out. http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/facilities/sem/eye.html Notice there is a bit of what could be a carapace in the matrix, off to the side. A Miocene trilobite would be quite a find, no? "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...
tmaier Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 A Miocene trilobite would be quite a find, no? Opps.. In that case, I really have no opinion. This might be something that is eroded in an unusual way and exposing a structure that is normally not seen in this way. Also, notice that piece off to the side that looks like a carapace. Something in arthropoda? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Could we get some better, larger pictures of the item? Also, what formation (name?) was it found in? Is there a definitive faunal list for that formation? Right now, I am leaning towards either a fish scale/bone element, or spiny brachiopod. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilcrazy Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I'm going to go with Receptaculites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I like the idea of fish scale as well. This specimen... ...from an older post, has some similar features. "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janislav Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Isn't Receptaculites restricted to lower Paleozoic rocks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelemen Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 thank you for all the answers so far. I don't have any better pictures of the fossil and as to the regards to what formation this is I don't know much about it that I haven't already written. It is miocen sillt of some sort verry crumply and soft)you can dent and scrape the rock with your fingernail), fossils of gastropods practicaly fall out or you can easily extract them. but fossils like this and some others that are just impresions are therefor verry fragile. AND also this may not be a complete fossil it could be just a part of a larger organism. Also I have a questin if this is a fish scale what are those pores or holes all over the fossil and same for the brachiopod ? I searched for some similar brachiopods but couldn't find anything that would make those dots. Could it be some sort of speciment from echniodermata? like a part of the starfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilcrazy Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Isn't Receptaculites restricted to lower Paleozoic rocks? You're right. I wasn't paying attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 If it was a brachiopod, then the bumps would be attachment points of spines. Often times, the spines themselves are not preserved, but the attachment points on the brachiopod are. If it was a fish scale, then they would just be ornamental bumps on the scale or bone. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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