XZY Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Hello. I found this turtle mold a couple of years ago during road construction. According to geological maps, I was in Lower Cretaceous, Albian. This came out of the overburden however, so age may be incorrect. Just wondering if anyone could provide me with any information. Also wondering about image 4. Could this be skin impressions? Thank you. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Welcome to the Forum. Nice fossil. Where was this found? State and county should be close enough to get an idea of what formation was being dug up. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XZY Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Hi FossilDude, It is from NorthEastern BC, Canada. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-fossils Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Very impressive! Unfortunately I do not know much about turtles, but if I were you I would look through the Chelonia turtles. In my opinion it looks like one of the cryptodire turtles. Again, I'm not a pro so let's see what professionals have to say. Warm regards, Max Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Apparently, according to this pdf, turtle fossils of that age are very rare, and may be scientifically important. “A turtle skeleton of this age is an extremely rare find in western North America and it may also turn out to be very scientifically important among these new fossil discoveries.” You might check with your nearest museum to see if this is an important find. This website pictures a shell kind of similar to yours. Regards, 6 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 My first impression of the area in your 4th photo is that it is a cluster of coprolite pellets rather than a skin impression. Although I have never seen this in association with a turtle, it seems to be fairly common to find coprolite pellets in association with the exoskeleton of crustaceans. If they are coprolites, they are most likely from an invertebrate that fed on the soft body tissue. Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XZY Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Thank you to all for looking. FossilDude - Thanks for the info. When I first found the fossil, I did contact the BC Museum and was referenced the material you point out. I then sent photos of the fossil to my contact there, and I never heard from her again. I should follow up. Perhaps my email was simply lost in cyberspace.... GesthWhat - Interesting idea on the caprolite pellets. I had not thought of that. There appear to be such deposits in each quadrant, (although to a lesser degree than the one in the photo), which led me to believe possible skin impressions, however, scavenging would have the same effect I suppose (being in each quadrant). Thanks for your help. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 That is an incredible specimen. I have some bits and pieces of turtle from the Albian down here in Texas but nothing worthy of study let alone display. You have to follow thru with that researcher. There is no doubt yhat it is an important specimen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 That is an excellent find ! Congrats ! Just to see them together, side by side, I'll put them here : 4 " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XZY Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2009/07/09/how-the-turtle-got-its-shell-through-skeletal-shifts-and-muscular-origami/ Found an interesting article here on how the turtle shell evolved. I will follow up with researchers. We have a team of Paleontologists in Tumbler Ridge, BC and they were conducting research on a track-bed near my town. I tried to connect onsite with them twice this summer, packing my turtle with me, but no luck. I must make an appointment and a trip to Tumbler Ridge. Thank you all for the interest. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilshale Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 I would ask Walter G. Joyce for help: http://www.unifr.ch/geoscience/geology/en/people/lecturers-professors/prof.-w.-joyce He is a specialist for turtles and helped me a lot. Just have a look on his publication list http://www.unifr.ch/geoscience/geology/assets/files/Site Science de la terre/Publication Prof/joyce/Joyce_PublicationList.pdf Thomas 2 Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes (Confucius, 551 BC - 479 BC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcfossilcollector Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 What a magnificent specimen!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossiling Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 emoticons can say everything. Keep looking! They're everywhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Great find and I sure do hope you follow up! How exciting that it may be of scientific value. Way to go!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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