fattsomattso Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 We found these while fossil hunting in a creekbed close to the "checkerboard limestone" in Okmulgee County, OK. We are amateurs, albeit eager amateurs thank you, so please bear with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Definitely siderite nodules similar to what is found in Mazon Creek, Illinois. They can be opened by freezing/thawing (best approach) or by a whack with a hammer (not so good because they might break apart the wrong way). Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 Here are some others we found. It's funny how we know what to look for but we don't know what they are. Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) Some appear to be mollusks, possibly cephalopods. Do any show sutures? (Sutures: https://www.google.com/search?q=cephalopod+sutures&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=bInGVLHaCcu1ggTM9YL4CQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1200&bih=656 ) Some similar looking cephalopods (nautiloids & goniatites) found in Oklahoma: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/37578-another-trip-to-oolagah-more-pennsylvanian-shark-material/?p=413886 Edited January 26, 2015 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 Oooo....I will check them for sutures whenever I get home. I'm at work now (just not work-ING...lol). Thanks for the help. It is much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) The first one of your second post seems to have sutures but they look too complex for goniatite, more like ceratite which would be a fair bit later than Pennsylvanian, is there any Permian or Triassic around there? Edited January 26, 2015 by TqB Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) About two counties farther west from where we found these is almost exclusively Permian which I would guesstimate is about 200 miles from there. Interesting. Edited January 26, 2015 by fattsomattso Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) I had assumed from the location (Okmulgee) and the appearance of the last photo in the first post that it must be Carboniferous siderite nodules. But with the other photos, I might be wrong. Are most of the unopened items like flattened spheres or more ball like? Edited January 26, 2015 by Stocksdale Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 Some of the ones we found were hamburger-shaped, which I supposed resembles a "flattened sphere". While others are just about as round as a rock can get. But there are a ton of them that are split perfectly in half almost to where it looks as though someone used a laser to cut them. We are less knowledgeable on the geology aspect of fossil hunting and barely near novice level otherwise. I have more at home that I can post pictures of later. Please keep an eye on this posting around 6pm Central this evening. Thank you for freely sharing your knowledge with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) I'm kicking myself for not getting into fossil collecting earlier because 15 years ago I was driving around Oklahoma doing genealogy and visiting courthouses and old cemeteries in Okmulgee county (Weleetka, Bryant), Okfuskee county (Okemah), Creek county (Sapulpa), Muskogee county (Ft Gibson), and Pontotoc county (Ada, Francis), and others. Every place I visited 15 years ago turns out was great for fossils. Edited January 26, 2015 by LanceH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 I'll post more pics in a moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Here are some more pics of these dadgum things. They're all over my dining room table. It's like the movie "Gremlins". Attachments_2015126.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 If the zip file won't open...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Here are some more pics of these dadgum things. They're all over my dining room table. It's like the movie "Gremlins". It's ok to get them wet, but don't feed them after midnight. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I was thinking of tribbles. Anyway, concretions like these often form around some sort of a fossil, so you have the potential to find some pretty cool things. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) Some of the ones you've found open look like there is a fossil in them. The creek may have eroded them to a point where it is hard to identify. Here are some closeups of your items that I pulled out of your zip file images. I can see something in each of these but can't be certain. Maybe shrimp or crab? Or eroded fern leaf? First one vaguely looks like a jellyfish. But mostly hard to tell. Perhaps you could try to get better images of the ones like these that appear to have impressions. Edited January 27, 2015 by Stocksdale Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 My curiosity about these took over me a bit. So I found a geological map of Oklahoma and made a detailed section of Okmulgee County. I marked the area with the Mazon Creek type fossils. I see now that the rocks you were in are a bit younger but still in the middle Pennsylvanian. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Thank you both. Please forgive my ignorance but is there a chemical or product I can use to clean these up to where I can see the actual fossil more clearly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fattsomattso Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 In reference to your map, these were found quite a ways from the Mazon pinpoint. Assuming that fossil hunters follow a similar code of ethics as fisherman do, I'll say this...I am a fisherman before I'm a fossil hunter and fisherman get tight lipped about pubicly revealing their "honeyholes"....lol. Private message me if you would like the details of the location or if you're ever down this way, holler at me and I'll either direct you there or just go with you. I very much appreciate your insight and advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now