Miatria Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I found this rock in Florida's Alafia River in an area with a lot of coral. Each "shell" is approximately 2mm across and the whole rock is either composed of or covered with them. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 These look like they might be ostracods to me. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hackberry (or similar) seeds, IMO. If that matrix is lithified, they may well be fossils. Pretty dang cool either way! "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...
Miatria Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 The matrix is lithified. When the photo is enlarged,a "golf ball" surface is visible on some of the structures and some of them are broken open revealing thin, uniform walls. I always like finding something new and different. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hackberry (or similar) seeds, IMO. If that matrix is lithified, they may well be fossils. Pretty dang cool either way! Reading about hackberry seeds. Very real possibility and VERY cool. Thx! Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Very interesting what ever they are! Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 I copied this photo from the website kansasgeology.weebly.com I think it's a match. Thank you for the ID! Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 The 2mm size of your finds concerns me a little as that is on the small side for hackberry seeds. Could still be seeds, could be ostracods (of which I know very little)...any more ideas out there? "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...
Miatria Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hmmm....Any fossil plant experts around? Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I think the fact that there is a large concentration would favor a marine deposition over a terrestrial one. If you look under magnification you should see fibrous material if they are seeds. I don't think I've ever seen more than one hackberry seed at a time. I like FossilDAWG's ostracod thought. It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I have not been able to find a spherical ostracod that looks anything like these. "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...
gturner333 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Don't think they are ostracods. The interiors don't have the circular chambered look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I also perused photos of ostrocods and didn't feel like it was a fit. I'll try to get closer with a better camera tomorrow. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 What about forams or eggs? I'm an expert in neither...just throwing it out there Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Very cool find near my neck of the woods...I'm thinking I'm with the ostracod crowd but have no expertise with them...Have no clue which one but here's a shot of some with a more oval shape and that pitted texture that you noted from the USGS pub 0821 (viewing is a little slow...may want to download and then peruse) http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0821/report.pdf One of the guys on the MNH in gainesville is an ostracod expert..I've not met him but you may want to shoot it past him to see if he'll reply if noone else has an ID. Dr. Portell probably knows as well. George D. Hecht Curatorial AssistantE-mail: ghecht@flmnh.ufl.eduCollection, preparation, identification, and curation of Tertiary microfossils (Ostracoda, Foraminiferida) from the SE USA and Caribbean. Identification and Curation of the Paleozoic portion of the teaching Collection. Member of the Florida Paleontological Society. Research interests include taxonomy and biostratigraphy of Florida brackish and marine Ostracoda. Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I think the fact that there is a large concentration would favor a marine deposition over a terrestrial one. If you look under magnification you should see fibrous material if they are seeds. I don't think I've ever seen more than one hackberry seed at a time. I like FossilDAWG's ostracod thought. The photo I uploaded from Kansasgeology was ID'd as hackberry seeds but then we get back to the small size of my fossil spheres. I took some better (I hope) photos this morning. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Forgot to attach the photo. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Top Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Side There are tiny black pebbles in some of the recesses; I was afraid of damaging the fossil to get them out. The rock looks similar on all sides. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 (edited) UGhh I hate hackberry seeds. Though the ones I find are more oblong, your specimens could be that ole hackberry. Mine aren't fossils, only annoying wannabe's. I can now see a scenario by which the seeds congregated after falling into a stream blocked by branch? The spherical shape might be a problem as Auspex noted. Your specimens seem to lack internal structures as pointed out earlier by gturner. The surface of your specimens look a lot like an ostracod or hackberry. Looking forward to this one while I grind up some hackberry drupe, spread it on a stick, and cook it on a fire Edited March 2, 2015 by squali It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Forgot to attach the photo. top most pic appears to show the rim of an ostracod valve, the roundness had thrown me off because I couldn't see the edge of a shell. So I'm in the ostracod camp (but not certain of course!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Squali, you're cracking me up! I, of course, read articles on gathering and preparing hackberry seeds. I'm all for healthy eating but thank goodness for grocery stores! Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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