Ally Stenhouse Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Hi all, I have a "lump" of coal which I found at the side of a playpark many years ago and have never been able to identify the tiny fossilised things inside. I'll attach pictures I've taken down a dissecting microscope - the brown circular things are 1mm in diameter and the only other fossilised section is a 5mm wide length of something (possible plant stem) which is incomplete at both ends (and therefore not very useful). Hope someone can maybe give a suggestion or 2... Thanks in advance! Also, sorry if pics not that good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Welcome to the Forum. Ostracods, perhaps? Maybe some "locals" can help. @TqB @Strepsodus 3 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...
Ally Stenhouse Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 Yeah, looking at some images of these, you could be right! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 I'd go along with ostracods too, looks like Coal Measures marine band stuff I used to find in north England before all the mine tips were landscaped and tree covered. I've got a bit somewhere, will try to find it... EDIT: probably not ostracods - see below... @Archie might know more. 3 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strepsodus Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Hi. I agree that they are ostracods. They are very common in some layers but extremely rare in others. Daniel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strepsodus Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Hi. Another possibility is plant spores, which are often found in coal rich shale. I'll try to find a picture of one which I found. Daniel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strepsodus Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Hi. Here is a picture of two plant spores which I found. They are useful for finding fish fossils as most of the ones which I find come from thin layers of coal-like shale from within coal seams, so once I have found a coal seam I usually look in the shale above it which usually contains fish fossils. Overall I think your fossils are most likely to be macrospores, though ostracods are a possibility. Daniel 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 no ostracods What TqB prolly is looking for: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Looks slightly like Saccaminopsis,BTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 OK, I agree they don't look like typical ostracods, I rushed into that... These are though, from the Coal Measures. About 1mm long (small divisions are mm). 4 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Great pic,Tarq. Namurian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 48 minutes ago, doushantuo said: Great pic,Tarq. Namurian? Thank you! Westphalian, almost certainly Harvey Marine Band which is on the A/B boundary. From a pit heap in Co. Durham. Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 possibly Carbonita?in your pic,I mean? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Eagar,on a Wigan coal seam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 again,from Hladil: The association he documents is quite intriguing g 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 Welcome to the forum from a fellow Fifer! I agree with Daniel that these are Macrospores, when I first came across these in the Westphalian beds of Fife though I thought they were Ostracods because of how common they are in the Lower Carboniferous beds in my part of the county. Regards, Sam 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 4 minutes ago, Archie said: Welcome to the forum from a fellow Fifer! I agree with Daniel that these are Macrospores, when I first came across these in the Westphalian beds of Fife though I thought they were Ostracods because of how common they are in the Lower Carboniferous beds in my part of the county. Regards, Sam Sorry I didn't tag you on this one, Sam. Thanks for weighing in - I love when I learn something new! 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...
Archie Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 4 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said: Sorry I didn't tag you on this one, Sam. Thanks for weighing in - I love when I learn something new! No worries Tim! Me too! I only learned these were Macrospores thanks to @Strepsodus/Daniel showing me some of his specimens, its amazing how large they are! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Stenhouse Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 Thanks for all the replies! Did look quite like an ostracod (especially maybe a Cypris sp.) But now that I look at macrospores I'm being swayed- easy for a complete amateur! Especially looking at the 1st photo, slightly left of centre where the possible macrospores has "creases" in it (if you know what I mean... Anyway, thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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