Skin Fossil

[MOGARDE]

Hello,

 

I found this little fossil while walking along the Missouri River near St. Louis, MO.  The fossil is two sided and the pattern is the same on both sides. The fossil is thin so I wasn't thinking a turtle shell.  The last two pictures are a picture of the top and bottom. Could it be a skin fossil?

[Micah]

My guess is it’s geologic.

[Fossildude19]

This looks geologic in nature, to me. 

Ironstone/clay concretion, possibly. 

LINK Scroll down the page, about 1/2 way

 

.

[doushantuo]

if by skin you mean:non-mineralized integument: I agree with the non-biological assessment

[MOGARDE]

Are these concretions a two sided distinctive pattern and paper thin?

[doushantuo]

All kinds of dinstinctive tesselation takes place in nature(below:J.Geoph.Res.2003)

Most gel-like substances display synaeresis cracks during shrinkage

[Micah]

 

1 minute ago, MOGARDE said:

Are these concretions a two sided distinctive pattern and paper thin?

They can be any thickness and are much more likely to have pattens on multiple sides than any skin impression.

[ynot]

21 minutes ago, MOGARDE said:

I found this little fossil while walking along the Missouri River

I agree with the mineral nature of this stone (not fossil).

I think it is a piece of hematite (iron oxide).

Can You do a "streak test" on it?

[MOGARDE]

The streak test looks brown.

 

[Kane]

If @ynot's guess is correct (and it usually is!), then the result of your streak test would conform to hematite as being red or reddish brown.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Yes, the type of haematite we used to call "kidney ore" 

[abyssunder]

and another one from here

 

[MOGARDE]

Thank so much everyone!  It was my first streak test so I'm still learning.