KCMOfossil Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 I know nothing of the real provenance of this specimen. It was found near a house here in western Missouri where everything is either Pennsylvanian or Quarternary--there is no igneous rock in the area. I have three questions about it. First, is it a fossil or is it modern? Second, is the rock on which the specimen rests igneous? Third, is it a forgery—something made for a novelty shop? Any answers or comments you can give will be appreciated. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMOfossil Posted November 5, 2016 Author Share Posted November 5, 2016 Two more views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 Looks like a tube worm that grew on the rock. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertramp Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 51 minutes ago, Al Dente said: Looks like a tube worm that grew on the rock. I agree with Al...and the texture reminds me of a weathered "black" pumice ; what about its weight? ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMOfossil Posted November 5, 2016 Author Share Posted November 5, 2016 It weighs about 7 ounces and feels heavier than pumice. The weight is only slightly less than other rocks I have of similar size. If the shell is the remains of a tube worm, would that mean that it is recent and not a fossil? Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 It looks like a snail (or its shell) fell into some kind of asphalt/sand mixture. So, in a sense, it is a 'fossil'. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 I'm leaning toward a gastropod, not because it doesn't look like a calcareous tube of a serpulid worm such as Neomicrorbis, but because of its large dimension compared to the latter. A worm snail Vermetidae , versus tube worm, could be the other possibility. Excerpt from Ippolitov, A.P., Vinn, O., Kupriyanova, E.K. and Jäger, M. 2014. Written in stone: history of serpulid polychaetes through time. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 71: 123–159. 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...
DNF Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 I agree that it looks a lot like pumice, not tar or asphalt. Also, the "shell" does look as though it is attached to the rock rather than a part of it. I wonder if it might be what archaeologists call a manuport, which is an unmodified stone that has been carried from its original context. Maybe someone found this in their travels and brought it home because it was interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Definitely not pumice. Does not look like a igneous rock at all. Snail looks modern. I agree with Missourian, a sandy piece of asphalt. Hold a flame to it and see what happens. If it stinks and gets soft or burns then it is asphalt. Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNF Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 30 minutes ago, ynot said: Definitely not pumice. Does not look like a igneous rock at all. Maybe some sort of scoria? it just doesn't look like any bitumen I've ever seen. 33 minutes ago, ynot said: Hold a flame to it and see what happens. I agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMOfossil Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 I tried the candle test, and it did not give off much smell, did not burn, and did not get soft--but then again, a candle flame is not very hot. I compared it to putting a piece of limestone in the candle and the results seemed very similar. Is there some further test that might show it to be asphalt. As Missourian noted, there is sand ingrained in the shell that may be indicative of the process that created this. 3 hours ago, DNF said: Maybe someone found this in their travels and brought it home because it was interesting I thought of this too as a good possibility. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Try a streak test. What color does it leave? (use an unglazed porcelain and drag the stone across it. Bottom of a toilet tank lid will work.) Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMOfossil Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 7 minutes ago, ynot said: Try a streak test. What color does it leave? (use an unglazed porcelain and drag the stone across it. Bottom of a toilet tank lid will work.) It leaves a black streak on the porcelain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Tar would be brown. Black indicates iron oxide or manganese. This may be a concretion. Tony 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Hi, Abyssunder, Do you have this PDF ? I would be interested in... Coco EDIT : sorry, I've found it ! ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Here you go ,Coco https://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/58006/123-160_MMV71_Ippolitov_4pz_WEB.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Thanks Doushantuo ! Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Sorry I was late, Coco ... " 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...
Coco Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Don't worry, it is the intention which is important, and I know that you are always quick to supply with the documentation ! Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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