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Is this part of an oyster?


BuddingPaleo

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Found in sw fl, I believe plio pleistocene, most of what I find is. I'm just not sure how to ID this, it's such a different look than anything else I find in the area. Its quite hefty too, for only being a couple of inches. Really would like to know what I'm looking at here, so I can put it into context with its neighbors. Or is it just an interesting conglomerate... I can't figure out how to resize pics, so I'll include more in an additional post.

20180606_115124.jpg

20180606_114919.jpg

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Although oysters can have the weirdest, funniest, most inorganic-looking shapes possible, I agree with Tony that this thing is here is not an oyster piece. My knowledge on minerals is very limited, but I do know a little more about (fossil) bivalves and shells, and I am not seeing anything in here that matches what I commonly see. So mineral does seem like the best match. 

 

But if you say that oysters are so commonly found in your area, then your find here is probably a bit rarer and much cooler!

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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I have an extensive oyster collection. They're literally everywhere. So much so that I quit picking them up unless it's at least mostly intact. Oddly, I haven't studied them much...that bit looked obviously different, I'm just too new yet! Lol

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On 6/7/2018 at 5:42 PM, BuddingPaleo said:

I have an extensive oyster collection. They're literally everywhere. So much so that I quit picking them up unless it's at least mostly intact. Oddly, I haven't studied them much...that bit looked obviously different, I'm just too new yet! Lol

Oysters (especially the Ostrea edulis species) are also very common fossils at my hunting spot, the Zandmotor (Netherlands). The only ones I pick up now are those that are big and perfectly complete, or the ones with a really weird shape (so far I haven't been disappointed!). I find oysters really fascinating, it's amazing how they can have such wonky shapes. 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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I find them fascinating too, Max. They're so beautiful. Even found a green stone pearl in one, that was way cool. I just haven't spent enough time yet to figure out how to ID species. Any suggestions for material? The pink ones are by far my favorite though! I've got one piece with three stuck together in a triangle-ish block, it's gonna be beautiful when I get it cleaned all the way! Nice use of the word wonky, too. It's a favorite word. Lol 

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4 minutes ago, BuddingPaleo said:

I find them fascinating too, Max. They're so beautiful. Even found a green stone pearl in one, that was way cool. I just haven't spent enough time yet to figure out how to ID species. Any suggestions for material? The pink ones are by far my favorite though! I've got one piece with three stuck together in a triangle-ish block, it's gonna be beautiful when I get it cleaned all the way! Nice use of the word wonky, too. It's a favorite word. Lol 

:dinothumb::dinothumb::dinothumb:

 

Maybe THIS LINK will be helpful to ID the species of your oysters?

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Here are the different oysters. http://neogeneatlas.net/families/ostreidae/ (You can click on the images to view species, and view where they are found). 

Tip: instead of first trying to find the one that is the most similar to yours, first try to see which species are geologically good options.  So look which species appear in the same area as your shells, and whether the age matches well. Once you've made a list of all the possible options, then try to see which ones are the most similar. ;) 

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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1 hour ago, BuddingPaleo said:

Wow! Thanks for the tip! You're awesomeness. :D

Haha thank you :P 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Your specimen is so hardly bioeroded and probably diagenetically transformed, in my opinion, that makes almost impossible to determine the original shape or structure of it. I suppose it was an oyster, but I'm not convinced. What I think I see, is the erosional surface associated to sponge borings, like the one below (left).

 

20180606_115318.jpg.18dab8bd16200a3b414de5cc1cb3d621.thumb.jpg.81b7b9197524f7c2c87a53bda50dd052.jpg

 

43.Principles20of20demineralization.20Part201.thumb.jpg.04cf9f7593af95a953c6d9fc0e21337f.jpg

picture from here

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Ok, now I know what diagenesis is. Cool. So in my head wheels are squeaking and I'm kinda glad I found this. Maybe it'll help me put into context the types of fossils I'm finding. Thanks! 

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