Triceratops Posted May 28, 2016 Share Posted May 28, 2016 I bought this alleged coprolite, assuming it was one of those turtle coprolites you see for sale from Madagascar, the colour is certainly right, but the coprolite's structure doesn't seem right. Most of those Madagascan coprolites you see have a twisted, 'coprolitey' shape. What do you guys think, is it a worn turtle coprolite or something else? Thanks, -Lyall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 28, 2016 Share Posted May 28, 2016 There is nothing diagnostic showing. Unless proven differently by microscopic examination, the odds alone favor "no". 1 "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...
Triceratops Posted May 29, 2016 Author Share Posted May 29, 2016 Thanks Auspex! -Lyall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Just by shape of the object it would come from a Screaming Turtle. OUCH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piotr Bajdek Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) Dear Triceratops, Unfortunatelly, the specimen you bought is rather not of a turtle, and not a coprolite at all. It's uncertain whether such limonitic structures (known e.g. from Madagascar, Saskatchewan and the Washington State) are fossils at all. Even if we suppose they are fossils (an unproven interpretation, though), it seems that most of them are rather cololites, i.e. intestinal casts. But as you can see, your specimen lacks any specific morphology. I think it would be hard to prove it's a fossil. Most likely, it's merely a limonitic concretion. It's not surprising that the sellers never say that, though. Review my discussion with Paul L. Broughton (the researcher who discovered such specimens in Saskatchewan in late 70') herein: https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_animal_has_an_intestine_consisting_of_tightly_coiled_back_and_forth_loops_not_spiral_and_tens_of_centimeters_long You shoud rather search for phosphatic specimens. See also: Mustoe, G.E. 2001. Enigmatic origin of ferruginous „coprolites”: Evidence from the Miocene wilkes Formation, southwestern Washington. Geological Society of America Bulletin 113: 673–681. Seilacher, A., Marshall, C., Skinner, H.C.W., and Tsuihiji, T. 2001. A fresh look at sideritic „coprolites”. Paleobiology 27 (1): 7–13. Edited May 31, 2016 by Piotr Bajdek 4 PaleoBiology Blog (in English, Spanish, and Polish) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triceratops Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Thanks alot Piotr! -Lyall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piotr Bajdek Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 http://blogs.plos.org/paleo/2014/07/23/pseudo-poo-glitters-isnt-fecal-gold/ PaleoBiology Blog (in English, Spanish, and Polish) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triceratops Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 Thanks again Piotr! -Lyall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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