Sizev_McJol Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 A nice old gentleman gave me a bag of fossils he gathered at Mazon Creek many moons ago. Unfortunately he didn’t bother identifying most of them or even double checking that the rocks actually contained fossils at all. So I’m left to sift through them and figure all that out. Here’s one I’m having trouble with: Now, don’t any of you be getting my hopes up by saying that it’s part of a tully monster, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Cordiates leaf? @RCFossils @Nimravis @fossilized6s I think the nodule isn't split far enough to tell. 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...
Sizev_McJol Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 11 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said: Cordiates leaf? @RCFossils @Nimravis @fossilized6s I think the nodule isn't split far enough to tell. I thought of a leaf, maybe like a neuropteris a kind of pteridosperm, but it lacks the distinct vein structure of those. In fact, it has no discernible features as far as I can make out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Let's see what the Mazon guys have to say. 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...
Nimravis Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I agree, I do not see anything to suggest that it is leaf. The concretion has the Tully shape and the portion that see appears to be a Tully Monster. Some people do do not always check fossils out when they give them away. About 27 years, my son and I visited the Field Museum on some type of Fossil day. When you went in, they were giving away scrap Mazon Creek fossils, such as fern portions or maybe a partial clam. My son who was about 7 at the time looked at the fossils and grabbed one and showed it to me and said- “Look dad, I guess they don’t know a Tully tail when they see one”. Even the Field makes mistakes. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeargleSchmeargl Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 +1 for some kinda leaf. Prep to reveal more? Every single fossil you see is a miracle set in stone, and should be treated as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizev_McJol Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 1 hour ago, MeargleSchmeargl said: +1 for some kinda leaf. Prep to reveal more? Any suggestions how? I know the freeze-thaw method is popular with Mazon nodlues, but this one has already been opened with no other fissures about. I’m not sure how to produce a new crack without breaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeargleSchmeargl Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 53 minutes ago, Sizev_McJol said: Any suggestions how? I know the freeze-thaw method is popular with Mazon nodlues, but this one has already been opened with no other fissures about. I’m not sure how to produce a new crack without breaking. Maybe more images on that front. Every single fossil you see is a miracle set in stone, and should be treated as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 2 hours ago, Sizev_McJol said: Any suggestions how? I know the freeze-thaw method is popular with Mazon nodlues, but this one has already been opened with no other fissures about. I’m not sure how to produce a new crack without breaking. With Mazon Creek concretions, some like to see how much of the Fossil can be revealed, but I have had bad experiences with that and I leave it the way the thing opened up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Trying to see this fossil on my phone is a little difficult, but I am also going to throw out the possibility that it is an Essexella asherae Jellyfish. I do have one at home that I found in a concretion that you would have thought contained a Tully. If I can find it when I get home I will post it. But with that said, from what I can see I am still saying Tully. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizev_McJol Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 11 minutes ago, Nimravis said: Trying to see this fossil on my phone is a little difficult, but I am also going to throw out the possibility that it is an Essexella asherae Jellyfish. I do have one at home that I found in a concretion that you would have thought contained a Tully. If I can find it when I get home I will post it. But with that said, from what I can see I am still saying Tully. Thanks; I would like to see your essexella for comparison as I don’t have one myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 6 hours ago, Sizev_McJol said: Thanks; I would like to see your essexella for comparison as I don’t have one myself. Sorry but I could not find the Jellyfish that I was thinking about, but here is an example of a couple Tully portions and 3 other Essexella's that I have. Tully Portions Essexella asherae Jellyfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizev_McJol Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 11 hours ago, Nimravis said: Sorry but I could not find the Jellyfish that I was thinking about, but here is an example of a couple Tully portions and 3 other Essexella's that I have. Tully Portions Essexella asherae Jellyfish I see a lot of similarities between the left half of your tolly and my fossil; as if the posterior half of mine is still covered by half a rock and the anterior half, specifically the head and proboscis, is cut short as it slides under a layer matrix. (Great fossils by the way; thanks for sharing!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFossils Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I am leaning towards it being a partial Tully. It appears the concretion was split using a hammer so it did not break well. You could try and freeze thaw off the remaining bit of rock that covers the specimen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizev_McJol Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 I am happy to try a few freeze-thaw sessions to possibly chip off the rest of the matrix, but I’ve never froze an already-opened Mazon fossil before. Because more than half of the fossil is already exposed, is there any concern that the ice crystals may damage the unprotected portion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 On 3/1/2018 at 10:39 AM, Nimravis said: My son who was about 7 at the time looked at the fossils and grabbed one and showed it to me and said- “Look dad, I guess they don’t know a Tully tail when they see one” That’s how you know you are bringing a child up right 3 “...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 More sharing options...
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