LLBau Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Hi Everyone, This is my first time posting on any kind of fossil forum, and I was wondering if someone could help me ID something that was given to me years ago. Unfortunately I have pretty limited information, but a friend found this while motorcycling from Sturgis, SD back to Ohio. I think he said he found it along the road while still in SD, but it’s been so long I’m not sure. It’s 6.5in length and weighs about 3lbs. When tapped it almost has a ceramic sound in some places. The angle of this pic is looking down through the tubes (some of which you can see straight through). Some tubes are larger but most are 1/16in in diameter. A side angle would show that most of them are straight and run in the same direction, kind of like a bundle of straws. On the insides of the larger tubes, the walls are lined with even smaller tubes. I’ve been able to find one other pic of something similar (from northern Texas), but it was also unidentified. I thought it looked like coral or maybe even worms of some sort, but I don’t know much. Maybe it’s not even a fossil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Neat piece. It looks like serpullid tubes. ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 I've seen similar pieces that were found in calcite rich springs where calcite was deposited around modern plants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 The smaller tubes look like syringopora. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 It might be Tufa . picture from here " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 @abyssunder. Is this a photo of tufa rock containing fossils, or are the tubes a feature of this type rock? "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Sanfillipo et al: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 With @Al Dente & @abyssunder, I suspect it's tufa, formed around plant stems that have then decayed, mainly because I've seen similar coming out of limestone caves in my area. Suggested by the laminated walls visible on some of the tubes and also the little mamillated patches. Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Innocentx said: Is this a photo of tufa rock containing fossils, or are the tubes a feature of this type rock? Those are calcified twigs or plant roots in the tufa, as Tarquin explained very well. Here are similar twigs between leafs and a partial trunk, in my specimens from Romania. " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLBau Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 That is very cool - I have never heard of tufa before. Thank you to everyone for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.N.FossilmanLithuania Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 Yes it is calcitic worm tubes, probably serpulid. I think they should be cenozoic in age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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