Jump to content

Devonian Unknowns, probably nothin


minnbuckeye

Recommended Posts

Here are some Devonian finds from Iowa that are likely Nothing but geologic. Before they go on my junk pile, I want to see if I possibly could be wrong: 

 

1: I have hunted in this quarry many times and have never seen these little  "lines". They were frequently  present in a certain pile of broken rock. First and third picture shows rocks about 6 " in diameter. Any ideas?

 

DSC_0944.thumb.JPG.cbadd9487d5805adb2a556ee57a9bccb.JPGDSC_0943.thumb.JPG.d265dc529e672011309d4440cfb91035.JPGDSC_0941.thumb.JPG.4677402ebcc7cad9d12756abebeee353.JPG 

 

 

2: These circular specimens have a distant appearance of a crinoid stem cross section. Again, having been to this quarry many times, this structure is new to me. Usually crinoids are well preserved. The face of the rock had 20? of these imbedded in it. As you can see, it goes through the sample and is visible on the back side.

 

2017-05-18.thumb.jpg.d558c7e4b0b145a497802daf1511820a.jpg 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally, this also intrigued me so I brought it home to post:

 

DSC_0933.thumb.JPG.73503355881b9c1a59257f6defe254ec.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, very benign finds but my curiosity was raised on discovering these. 

 

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To my untrained eye, the lines do appear to be fossils. They may be plants. I would say graptolite but the lines are too straight and don't have any bumps. I have come across annelid worm burrows here in Maryland on Devonian rocks, And that would be my bet for the first one. Here's some examples:

IMG_1461.JPG

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is another

IMG_1462.JPG

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first item looks like the pyritized burrows that I have found in the Middle Devonian of New York. 

The second item I have no idea. Any chance of breaking it along the edge of the circle, to see what it looks like inside??

My first thought was a burrow cast on that.   

Can we get better pictures of the last item?

To me, it looks like a modern lichen pattern?   :headscratch:

 

 

DSC_0933.JPG.b292870c31597f4f0cc7f4bd69006aca.JPG

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  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

The fragmented appearance in places gives the first one the look of plant material to me. Something like Psilophyton  perhaps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The items in the first picture look like they are pyritized. Is the the case?

 

DSC_0943.JPG.bb66af6bba5340ed4c9d71f4e4d75be4.JPG

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  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

7 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

The items in the first picture look like they are pyritized. Is the the case?

 

pyrite is very common in this quarry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Rockwood said:

The fragmented appearance in places gives the first one the look of plant material to me. Something like Psilophyton  perhaps.

 

Great try!! Looked up images and they do have a very similar  appearance. Unfortunately, from my understanding, the location, Central Iowa, was always submerged in the Devonian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They look quite like the pyritized burrows found in the Devonian deposits in New York. 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  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

@minnbuckeye  sometimes plant material can find its way into ocean deposits, because of storms and such.

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Fossildude19 said:

They look quite like the pyritized burrows found in the Devonian deposits in New York. 

That was my thought, too. 

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plant stem from middle Devonian sea deposits in Maryland.

IMG_1463.JPG

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, plant bits are common in New York Devonian marine environments, as well, ... however they tend to be like yours - imprints or carbonized films. 

Any pyrite on them is usually spotty, at best. 

I'm going with burrows on these. 

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  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

9 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

The first item looks like the pyritized burrows that I have found in the Middle Devonian of New York. 

The second item I have no idea. Any chance of breaking it along the edge of the circle, to see what it looks like inside??

My first thought was a burrow cast on that.   

Can we get better pictures of the last item?

To me, it looks like a modern lichen pattern?   :headscratch:

 

The second item was split in half. no structures were visible on the cross section. It is odd how the pattern emerges on the other side of the rock. Acid rain leaching through the rock?? LOL.

 

I took a knife to the last item. Lichen it is! Very distinctive pattern that I won't forget. Odd that it was in a pile of recently blasted material. It must have been on the exposed face of the blast site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Fossildude19 said:

I'm going with burrows on these. 

 

 

I tend to agree. Anyways, my junk pile of rocks outside  just grew a little bigger today. 

Thanks for everyone's help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

Plant stem from middle Devonian sea deposits in Maryland.

IMG_1463.JPG

 

As @Fossildude19 said most plant fossils in Devonian marine deposits are carbonized remains of woody plants since the more fragile non-vascular ones like Psilophyton would typically have been chewed up before being deposited.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Btw I didn't find that plant

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a note to novices who might be looking in: Even if I were nearly certain of the worm burrow ID myself it would still be correct to bring up the alternative. 

I think this is a fine example of how we sort out the evidence and probabilities. :goodjob:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

Btw I didn't find that plant

 

Just keep looking, you'll find them eventually. Especially the Hampshire Formation for Devonian plants.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...