Oblixius Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Hello, I am new to geology and fossil hunting. I have very little knowledge in this area and would love for somone to help me identify it! It is a snail incased in sedimentary rock, the shell itself has also turned to stone it seems. The snail is about 2 inches across, the rock itself it 4 inches at its longest point. I found it on surface level, on the side of a trail in the forest. I live in Montreal QC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Welcome to the forum. Not bad at all for a first find! That is indeed a gastropod, and more specifically a steinkern (where sediment has filled the inside of the shell, while the shell itself is lost). I am at a loss to ID this down to the genus and species level, but perhaps someone else here can. Cool find! ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Welcome to the Forum. Nice first find! Looks like it may be some form of Maclurites, or a related genera, but wait for some other opinions. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblixius Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 Thank you for the warm welcome! I was wondering why my fossil looked different from others I've seen, this is great info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblixius Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 The other subject I was interested in was it's age Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Welcome to the forum! Fossil hunting can be quite an addictive passtime (if done correctly). Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 I have found similar gastropods in both Ordovician and Devonian deposits. If I recall correctly, the area around Montreal has some good Ordovician deposits. Do you have a geologic bedrock map of PQ? ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblixius Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 As I said I am a clean slate, I have only done a few days of research before turning to the experts. I got lucky on this one, recently there was a very strong storm that knocked some trees down, these downed tree exposed rocks from beneath them. I think that is where it came from as it was nearby. Is it normal to break open rocks to expose a fossil? I have seen some shale and more sedimentary rock like this one, but I am afraid to break the fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 17 minutes ago, Oblixius said: The other subject I was interested in was it's age The postulation is that this gastropod is from the Ordovician/Silurian/Devonian span of the Paleozoic, which would put it at between 488 and 359 million years old. Finding the site's location on a geologic map of the area should barrow it down. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblixius Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 Thank you for your help! You all seem very knowledgeable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Very nice find! And a warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. Split some rocks, give 'em a bash, you'll soon learn how it works and there's always a risk of some damage when the fossils are not exposed. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Welcome to the forum. You should be able to find a geological map online or else someone may provide a link. Knowing the period will narrow down the age some but finding the name of the formation may limit the possibilities for a better ID. As Kane mentioned it is a steinkern so none of the ornamentation that may have been present on the outside is present. That will make a positive ID more difficult. More modern paleontologists call a steinkern an internal mold since it would be able to make a cast of the inside of the original shell You will sometimes see it called an internal cast but not in a peer review paper. I rarely break open rock to look for fossils but exceptions to that are site-related like the Green River Formation where there are so many fish fossils that your chances are very good of exposing one that way. Some collectors also take home concretions with the hope of finding fossils inside but I've heard that at some locations you have to bust open 100 concretions to find one fossil! There is a quarry in Texas I visit where you can take home chunks of rock with the right "look" and find shark teeth inside fairly easily. Otherwise the only time I break rock is to remove matrix or to remove a partially-exposed fossil from a rock too big to carry out. That said,it is always tempting to smack a rock that is already cracked if your hammer is handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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