Coprolite Identification

[MarcoSr]

7 hours ago, JBkansas said:

 

Here's a thread suggesting they're turtles from Madagascar: 

 

 

When I asked a friend a while back who has written a number of papers on fossil turtles from the MD/VA area about the Madagascar specimens, he stated that he seriously doubted the Madagascar specimens were turtle coprolites.  Turtle excrement is very soft and almost liquid as I saw first hand from pet turtles that I owned as a kid.

 

Marco Sr.

[GeschWhat]

13 hours ago, JBkansas said:

@GeschWhat

I think I remember you posting that there isn't any evidence the "agatized coprolites" from the Morrison formation popular online are true coprolites. Just wanted to confirm because I can't find that previous post.

 

 

Found this: https://pure.port.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/13075050/_Barling_2018_PhD_Thesis.pdf

I agree with this. I have a small handful that may have bone inclusions. I’ve had discussions with a number of experts in the field. No one has been able to find definitive proof. General rule: if there aren’t identifiable inclusions or backfilled  burrows, they probably aren’t coprolites. That said, I continue to look for legitimate Morrison Formation (or other siliceous) coprolites. What I have found is dubious at best.

[MarcoSr]

19 hours ago, GeschWhat said:

I agree with this. I have a small handful that may have bone inclusions. I’ve had discussions with a number of experts in the field. No one has been able to find definitive proof. General rule: if there aren’t identifiable inclusions or backfilled  burrows, they probably aren’t coprolites. That said, I continue to look for legitimate Morrison Formation (or other siliceous) coprolites. What I have found is dubious at best.

 

A while back I bought 25+ different supposed coprolites from the Morrison Formation from a good number of different sellers to examine and take pictures of.  I looked at them extensively under a microscope.  There was no evidence at all of any inclusions or burrows.  So I definitely haven't seen any definitive proof.

 

Marco Sr.