Scatology

[Frank Menser]

Ok...Since I have come to this forum I have seen numerous posts involving fossilised "#2". Not my favorite thing to collect as the dog reminds me daily. However, I do have a fairly impressive fossil gator dump that I like to hand out.

One thing that was very interesting to me in my S. Florida adventures, was the frequency of finding fossils with a bit of "added" material. I am told the cats (who seem to have been particularly partial to turtle down there) mark their kills to keep others from eating the leftovers and to relocate what they left for later.

Often those goodies were forgotten till a fossil hunter stumbles on them.

Below is an example of Cat Scatology.

So what's the story behind your favorite Coprolite?

[Harry Pristis]

I've always thought of this specimen as cat scat, though there's no certain way to know, I guess. This one is from the Peace River and is quite silicified. It's the right size for a "river cat" (Felis amnicola) or even a small Felis rexroadensis, I think. The consistency suggests a meat-eater like a cat.

[RJB]

Years ago, while at a fossil fish quarry in wyoming, the guy who owned the quarry had a super large alligator poop absolutly loaded with gar scales!! He wanted 40 bucks for it. At the time I thought it was way too much for just some poop. Im sure its worth quite a bit more that 40 bucks now!!!! It was a huge poop and all the gar scales showing were shiny and glass like! A really super nice poop specimen!!! I just wish I had a photo!

RB