Need help with knowing what types these are.

[Daniel C.]

I've been working on a job site and we dug a huge pond about 25 feet deep and these old Shell's were everywhere. I've been trying to look them up but haven't had much luck. How can I find out what types there are and possibly how old? We were working about 10 miles from the ocean so they had to have been there for meany years I would think. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Daniel C.]

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

I've moved your topic to the Fossil ID forum.

 

I take it these were found in Rockledge, Florida?

 

@MikeR  @Plantguy  @digit @Sacha  @Shellseeker

 

[Daniel C.]

Yes they were

[Sacha]

Most look like Whelk shells, probably Lightning Whelk which is still an extant species in Florida waters.

[Tidgy's Dad]

I agree, Sinistrofulgar sp. 

[digit]

Yup. Could be Sinistrofulgar contrarium but @MikeR would be able to give an authoritative proclamation. The "sinistro" in the genus name and the "contrarium" both refer to the fact that this is a "left-handed" shell. Most gastropod sea shells are "right-handed". That is to say that if you imagine curling the fingers of your right hand into the opening in the shell, the thumb of your right hand would point to the spire ("top") of the shell. You'll notice that these shells are "backward" and that trick works for the left hand as opposed to the right.

 

It's a nice looking collection of fossil shells you found there. Many times interesting fossils are found when digging down to the fossil rich layers that underlie the surface in Florida. Mike would probably have a better guess at the formation and approximate age but these are likely Pleistocene Epoch (at least 11,700 years old). Be on the lookout for more fossils--shark teeth or even land animal bones that occasionally turn up at construction sites while digging retention ponds.

 

Welcome to the forum. I hope this may have sparked an interest in Florida's fabulous fossils. A visit to the exhibits at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the campus of UF in Gainesville may prove enlightening.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

[Daniel C.]

Wow thank you very much. Just moved here from Missouri and this is something that really makes my day. Thank you again. I will be looking for more .

[Plantguy]

Nice finds. I've seen a bunch of those sized guys over that way in our regular travels to visit relatives over there.

Those big whelks are cool. I cant remember if the fossil genus is Busycon---seems like there was a change in the designation at some point..Mike would know the latest. You may need to show different views of the clams to get ID's for those. ****Just saw your post...looks like the big clam is probably one of the Mercenaria's. 

 

Here's some geology maps that show some of the types of sediments that you may have dug into.  Keep your eyes peeled there may be some other things mixed in with the shells...teeth, bones..you just never know. Good luck!. 

 

Regards, Chris 

 

Brevard county. http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00094370/00001/1x

 

https://sofia.er.usgs.gov/publications/maps/florida_geology/

[Max-fossils]

Whoa, those are stunning shells!!! I really love them 

 

Oh, by the way, @digit @Plantguy , the big whelks look more to me like Busycon contrarium than Sinistrofulgur contrarium. They are likely from the Pleistocene (I'm not familiar with the area, so I can't tell whether it's early/middle/late Pleistocene...). That will be those marked with a red dot.

 

Those with a yellow dot seem to me to be Busycon carica. 

 

The one with a green dot is too broken down to pin a species to it, I'm afraid. All I can say is that it is a gastropod, likely from the Caenogastropoda/Neogastropoda.

 

The one with a purple dot is a bivalve, but it's basically impossible to tell what species it is from such a fragment and that photo. Either a scallop or an egg/heart cockle.

 

Those with light blue dots are I believe Oliva carolinensis. Those are beautiful btw!

 

The one with a dark blue dot is likely a Mercenaria mercenaria clam like Chris suggested.

 

The one with a pink dot is perhaps an Anadara sp? Would be useful to have more pictures of it individually. 

 

Once again, great finds 

 

Best regards,

 

Max

 

 

 

[Daniel C.]

Ok with all this being said if someone asked to buy them are they valued at anything or just nice shelf ornaments? Just don't want to find something so cool than part with it for Penny's. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Sorry, Daniel, but we're forbidden to make valuations on the forum. They'll be worth something to somebody, though, I guess. 

Have a look on the well known auction-sites to get an idea. 

[digit]

Yup. As mentioned above, we don't get into valuation of fossils (there are a number of other sites that buy and sell fossils--including a rather large auction site). We try to promote more on the informational side and let the other websites deal with the fossil marketplace.

 

That being said, I can pretty much answer your question by saying that Florida is underlain by a vast layer of billions of fossil shells of a similar age to the nice ones you found. I don't really see that there is a market for these (though I have seen one fossil marketplace with an unbelievably silly price for a reasonable specimen). You can ask whatever you want for a fossil (or any other item). The only thing that makes is worth such a price is to find a sucker buyer willing to pay what you are asking. If you were working at a tourist shop near a popular tourist beach, I could see someone buying a fossil shell as a tourist curio but you'd have a hard time locating an average fossil collector to part with much for even the nicest of Florida fossil shells--the supply simply outstrips any demand.

 

They are, as you mentioned, really cool shelf ornaments--I have several nice specimens in my display case that I've come across while planting things in my backyard (including a small coral that looks like a golfball). If you have buddies who likewise are interested in these relics from Florida's past and wish to trade you some greenbacks for a specimen or two--I'd take that deal. Otherwise, clean up some of the nicer specimens and fill an empty space on a shelf with a cool memento from the past. If you keep digging around in the area you'll probably continue to discover lots of interesting fossils. Before long you'll be addicted to fossil hunting and will be looking to expand your growing collection (this is how it starts).

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

P.S.: They make unusual Christmas presents for those who are impossible to shop for.