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Coprolite Identification


GeschWhat

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On ‎18‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 4:28 AM, GeschWhat said:

See this is another reason I love studying coprolies, poop is pun!

Coprolies ?:P

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"On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

"We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes."

 

In memory of Doren

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4 hours ago, fifbrindacier said:

@GeschWhatand @Carl, what is the ratio to know what size is the bug that produced a coprolite ?

There is no practical lower limit to the unit size for feces - only an upper limit. In other words, large animals can certainly make small turds (cervids) but small animals can only make turds up to a certain size.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 7/24/2018 at 8:36 AM, MarcoSr said:

 

Lori

 

The herbivore coprolites don't fossilize very well and are pretty rare in the badlands.  They must have been similar to modern cow pies.  Also their thin form makes it easy for them to break apart even if they do fossilize.  Their flat shape makes them really blend into the formation.  I haven't seen any yet but I do look for them.

 

Marco Sr.

If you step on one and it sticks to your shoe, chances are it is not a coprolite.

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  • 4 months later...

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

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On 24/12/2018 at 4:21 PM, duffer43 said:

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

Not where i collect! I think it just varies.

Yorkshire Coast Fossil Hunter

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On 12/24/2018 at 10:21 AM, duffer43 said:

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

For the most part, it is impossible to determine what creature was kind enough to donate their droppings. The fecal origin of many "turtle coprolites" is somewhat questionable. I have not personally examined nor read up on turtle scat. From what I understand, the siderite concretions/coprolites that are usually attributed to turtles have no inclusions, and are thought to be from turtles based on shape alone. 

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Hey Lori! @GeschWhat

 

I received this specimen from my Secret Santa this year - it's from northern Texas in an area that's Permian/Triassic.  Any idea as to the type of animal that would have made this poop?

DSCN4436.JPG.12b65563fd19e26304d8f48069be3109.JPG

Thanks a bunch!  I hope you're having a great new year so far! :)

 

Monica

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On ‎24‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 5:21 PM, duffer43 said:

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

There is none in the different places i collect in.

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"On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

"We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes."

 

In memory of Doren

photo-thumb-12286.jpg.878620deab804c0e4e53f3eab4625b4c.jpg

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Hi @Monica! The New Year is off to a GREAT start. I hope yours is as well. 

 

Unfortunately, there is no way to determine what type of critter produced a coprolite. Usually best we can do is identify whether the creature was an herbivore or carnivore and the type of prey that was eaten if inclusions are present. Other than that, we can only make guesses based on other fossils found in the same location. If it had a spiral or scroll shape, it would be pretty safe to say it was from a fish. 

 

Maybe someday we will know more. I find myself collecting scat when I know the "poopetrator" in order to put together a library of modern examples for comparative purposes. But many critters make similar shaped poop. I found this little deposit from a Cope's Tree Frog on my aunt's patio swing. Evidently, they don't digest the exoskeleton of their prey. It even contained a compound eye. Now to find a coprolite with similar inclusions!

Copes Tree Frog Scat - Inclusions.jpg

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On 1/3/2019 at 9:16 AM, GeschWhat said:

Hi @Monica! The New Year is off to a GREAT start. I hope yours is as well. 

 

Unfortunately, there is no way to determine what type of critter produced a coprolite. Usually best we can do is identify whether the creature was an herbivore or carnivore and the type of prey that was eaten if inclusions are present. Other than that, we can only make guesses based on other fossils found in the same location. If it had a spiral or scroll shape, it would be pretty safe to say it was from a fish. 

 

Maybe someday we will know more. I find myself collecting scat when I know the "poopetrator" in order to put together a library of modern examples for comparative purposes. But many critters make similar shaped poop. I found this little deposit from a Cope's Tree Frog on my aunt's patio swing. Evidently, they don't digest the exoskeleton of their prey. It even contained a compound eye. Now to find a coprolite with similar inclusions!

Copes Tree Frog Scat - Inclusions.jpg

 

Very cool poop, Lori!

 

Just wondering now, after looking at photos online - do you think the specimen I have is likely a coprolite, or do you think it's just a rock that's high in iron content?  I've noticed that there are similar-looking specimens out there that ended up not being fossilized poop...

 

Thanks again for your help!

 

Monica

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On 1/3/2019 at 9:03 AM, Monica said:

 

Very cool poop, Lori!

 

Just wondering now, after looking at photos online - do you think the specimen I have is likely a coprolite, or do you think it's just a rock that's high in iron content?  I've noticed that there are similar-looking specimens out there that ended up not being fossilized poop...

 

Thanks again for your help!

 

Monica

You know, it is really hard to say for sure. Since I have never personally hunted in the area where this was found, I would hate to make the call. I guess I would want to know if there were other rocks with a similar composition in the area that had shapes or inclusions that could more easily be identified as a coprolite - or the opposite - larger rocks with shapes that couldn't possible be coprolites.

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  • 3 months later...

Care must be taken when dealing with what appears to be a coprolite with any spiral characteristics that is found in what would have been a marine environment. Many shark egg cases have spiral markings and depending on how complete the specimen is may be mistaken for a coprolite, and vice versa.

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've always found taste to be a determining factor :ninja:

'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'

George Santayana

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On 12/24/2018 at 10:21 AM, duffer43 said:

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

Not at Mazon Creek -- no turtles for another 80 million years and coprolites are as common as _ _ _ _! Amphibians, giant millipedes, fish, monster dragonflies and a host of others, but no turtles. If you collect 100 MC concretions there's a good chance that five of them will contain coprolites.       (d i r t)

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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On 12/24/2018 at 11:21 AM, duffer43 said:

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

 

There are a lot of what are called "Turtle coprolites" on the internet for sale. There is much debate as to whether they are actually coprolites, or some odd type of geologic or sedimentary structure.

 See this article, and this one.

 

They have also been discussed on the Forum, before.

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On 1/1/2019 at 5:47 PM, GeschWhat said:

The fecal origin of many "turtle coprolites" is somewhat questionable. I have not personally examined nor read up on turtle scat. From what I understand, the siderite concretions/coprolites that are usually attributed to turtles have no inclusions, and are thought to be from turtles based on shape alone. 

That's exactly what I know, but I'm not an expert on this. :)

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Thomas Mann

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On 12/24/2018 at 10:21 AM, duffer43 said:

I liked your poo ID summary mainly because it had a lot of common sense it except for

the lick test. I read some where that the most common coprolite is turtle excrement and do you agree to this statement?

Nope. Mazon Creek is a good example. Poop by the truckload. Turtles not invented yet. (I love chocolate, peanuts and caramel) The other turtles!

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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  • 4 months later...

In 1996, I was being introduced to coprolite hunting in Northeast New Mexico, when I found these two pieces in close proximity to one another. The larger plop, has an indentation on the side, where something stepped into it. The longer piece has obvious sphincter marks along the taper.  It seems entirely possible that both pieces were left by the same visitor.

two-pieces.jpg

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On 9/24/2019 at 6:50 PM, caldigger said:

20190924_154937.png

Well you have "Poopeye", where's Olive oil?  :heartylaugh:

Ugh... sadly that was one of Popeye's kids in the cartoon. :shakehead:

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