talk2mrb Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 A few years ago I found what I think is a fossil in Richardson, TX between George Bush Tollway and Breckenridge Park in a area that is primarily Austin Chalk, but is close an area with Taylor Marl (per maps). The rock is hard – not sandstone. The fossil looks like Google images of tree fossils. I found the rock exposed from the dirt that was moved for streets and house foundations. Most exposed rocks were chunks of Austin Chalk (some with fossilized shells), but there were a few of these brown rocks scattered around. The fossil is about 12 inches long with smooth lines running along it with grainy texture between the rows. From the side the fossil is slightly curved within the rock. Can anyone help me determine what this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Interesting. Does the object lie parallel with the bedding (assuming bedding or the original orientation can be discerned)? Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 It's hard to imagine what else it might be, but what was a bark impression doing in that particular formation (and in that not-sandstone-so-must-be-shale material)? "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...
Ptychodus04 Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 I have seen stuff like this in the Austin before and it wasn't wood. If you look at the edge of the specimen, the opposite side of the "log" isn't there. It is really just a protrusion of the rock that is preserving a negative. Whatever made the impression is still somewhat preserved in the grooves on this specimen. So, what is this? I don't know. I've personally interpreted these occurrences as an algal mat of some kind. Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talk2mrb Posted December 19, 2014 Author Share Posted December 19, 2014 Thanks for the feedback. I can't tell the original orientation. Here is a better side view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 looks like some kind of structure to me rather than a fossil. "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...
jgcox Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Looks geologic rather than a fossil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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