Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Possible Devonian fossil

[Beluga]

Hello, I am seeking help identifying the fossil(s) in this rock. I am new to fossil collecting myself and found this on a chesapeake bay beach well known for miocene fossils in maryland. I spoke to someone that is familiar with the area and they said that it looks like it could be a Devonian fossil that got trapped in asphalt and that it is possible that it has been displaced from its original location. I am not sure if it is an imprint or a fossilized animal and I do not know how or if I should try to remove some of the surrounding rock for identification. The pattern on the side as well as the central point are of interest to me. Thank you!

 

It is 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 centimeters

[abyssunder]

Which I believe are tabulate coral, bryozoan and a brachiopod imprint (in the center of the matrix), make me think it's older than Miocene, so Devonian might be a good guess.

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.  

 

Yes, this looks like Devonian aged fossils - Favosites type of coral, some Bryozoans, and the internal mold of a brachiopod "beak."

This actually looks like a piece of limestone, though, rather than asphalt. 

 

 

My friend @abyssunder beat me to the punch.  

[Miocene_Mason]

Definitely looking like a Paleozoic fossil. Closest in Maryland are not typically coral bearing and around three hours from the bay, so musty be either glacial erratics or anthropologically brought in. That being said, if this is from the northern part of the bay, the Susquehanna might bring this stuff from PA.

 

Almost forgot, welcome to the forum from Carroll County, MD  

[Auspex]

This is a well-traveled fossil!
The occasional Paleozoic fossil (always well water-worn) does turn up along the Chesapeake Bay, presumably a relic of long-gone mountains (evidenced now by their worn-down roots, AKA the Appalachians).

[Beluga]

Thank you so much guys! This is very cool

[Rockwood]

Tsunami. Remember the crater in the bay.  

[Plax]

pebbles of all sorts are included in gravel. The chert? pebble is resistant to erosion and can be transported a very long distance and sorted by size along with similar sized rocks. I'd look in the area where the pebble was found and see if there isn't a gravel concentration. Don't climb of course but I suspect there are gravel lenses along many of the Maryland cliffs. They are usually higher up and Pleistocene or perhaps slightly older. (am agreeing with the previous posters)

  I like your mention of the Chesapeake Impact Rockwood! It happened in the Eocene as did the volcano in Virginia but little evidence of either in later sediments. I find that a bit odd. There is a very thin bentonite layer, presumably from the Virginia volcano, in the Castle Hayne formation here in NC.