galaxy777 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Ok, this fossil has me puzzled. It was found in Bois D Arc creek in Bonham; Fannin Co. Texas. Forgive me for not knowing much of the geological info on Fannin Co. Texas, but I think it's in the Austin Group, Late Cretaceous. This piece looks like skin. Veining in sections, and a complex structure all the way through. About 1 1/4" long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galaxy777 Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Here are some close up images of the pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Looks like fossil cartilage, to me. 2 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...
jhw Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Hmm. interesting. Looks like a good possibility. For comparison: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone wolf Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I Believe it's coral. Probably Devonian or Mississippian in age. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Shark cartilage from a post here on the Forum. 2 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...
Fossildude19 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 OP's Pictures, brightened, contrasted and cropped. 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...
galaxy777 Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 That is interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 It sure does kinda look like shark cartilage. My only concern is this view in cross section that looks like coral. I'm not familiar enough with shark cartilage in cross-section to comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JarrodB Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I think it's just an interesting rock. I've hunted points on that creek many times and see very few fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Maybe @Carl will chime in. 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...
Al Dente Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Tabulate coral, probably Favosites. It looks silicified. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 The polygonal shapes seem to be the positive structural element rather than positive relief tesserae and there does appear to be tabulae in cross section. I'm swinging with silicified coral..Never having found shark cartilage I may be biased... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Bois d' arc Creek cuts through some middle and upper Cretaceous formations like eagle Ford, Bonham and Brownstone. The only corals I find there are horn corals but there may be others. Some shark cartilage has been found in the area and I think that's what you have. Beautiful colors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 I haven't see the equivalent of your piece on that site, but you might like to visit it : http://www.northtexasfossils.com/ "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 4 hours ago, Al Dente said: Tabulate coral, probably Favosites. It looks silicified. Can Tabulate corals be found in the Cretaceous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 I am fairly confident this is eroded piece of the Upper Cretaceous rudist, Durania. Here is quick shot that shows the similar characteristics. 5 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 I will also profess to be shark-cartilage-ignorant, but this looks like coral to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 6 hours ago, BobWill said: Can Tabulate corals be found in the Cretaceous? No. I think JohnJ is probably correct with rudist unless this piece was brought into the area from somewhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 This article will show you whence the regular polygonals mass as usual with JP 's stuff,good illo's/documentation 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Fig 18 in this one does the job as well.GRRRRREAT article on the classic Pyrenean area radio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 I was firmly in the favositid camp until i saw JohnJ's post. I don't know my rudists but this certainly makes the most sense. There are a few details that sway me far from cartilage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Rudists have also been found in this area but, like Carl, I don't know them well and they come in many odd forms. This site is near the NSR and I see in the Fossil Collectors Guide to the North Sulphur River there have been two found there, Sauvagesia belti, & Durania (Radiolites) austinensis. The text says they are often mistaken for colonial coral. This makes a lot more sense than cartilage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 A couple of things could influence the color of this find. Fire could give this material a reddish color; but more likely the color comes from iron leached from decomposing pyrite (which is common in the formations where Durania are found). 2 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Glad we have locals to set the record straight. 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...
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