daves64 Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 I recently bought some microfossil matrix from the Jasper Creek formation in Bridgeport Texas. Found lots of crinoid stem pieces, some about as big around as the lead from a mechanical pencil, lots of sponge pieces & quite a few Girtyocoelia Sponge ball and chain sponges. I also found what I think is a complete shell, but I'm not sure. Everything else is a tan color, but this is more of a brown & black. When putting it in hydrogen peroxide to try to clean some of the left over matrix of, it floated. So I looked at it with my DinoLite & took some pics of it. Both sides have 2 shots showing different levels & the "hinge" area. It's .5 cm at the widest. 50x magnification. Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 If it floated- maybe a seed? I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 small gastropod? "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittle Star Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Hi I am not familiar with the area, the shape suggests a bivalve, if it is a fossil. I have found casts as small as a foram in the residue I search. Never ask a starfish for directions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daves64 Posted October 15, 2018 Author Share Posted October 15, 2018 I don't think this is a cast. As to whether it's a fossil or not, I don't know that either. Only that it was covered with a layer of the tan clay matrix & it floats. Found another oddity as well. Seems to be a partial husk of something with some plant material inside. I'll try to get pics posted of it when I get home. Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 12 hours ago, Darktooth said: If it floated- maybe a seed? I think so too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 2 hours ago, daves64 said: & it floats. Fossils do not float. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daves64 Posted October 15, 2018 Author Share Posted October 15, 2018 So.... should I plant it & see what happens? Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 I'm with the seed believers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 hour ago, ynot said: Fossils do not float. True, most do not. But amber floats in seawater, and there are a few more rare preservations that would float in water, too. Back into my crevice I retreat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 hour ago, Carl said: True, most do not. But amber floats in seawater, and there are a few more rare preservations that would float in water, too. Back into my crevice I retreat. Amber is technically not a fossil, and I have never heard of any other "fossil" that will float without aid. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 3 minutes ago, ynot said: Amber is technically not a fossil, and I have never heard of any other "fossil" that will float without aid. I've had small brachiopods float when loose matrix was dumped into water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 15 minutes ago, Al Dente said: I've had small brachiopods float when loose matrix was dumped into water. Well now I have heard of floating fossils! Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 3 minutes ago, ynot said: Well now I have heard of floating fossils! They do fairly well if you sail them on small boats. ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 2 hours ago, Kane said: They do fairly well if you sail them on small boats. Big boats too! Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 4 hours ago, ynot said: Amber is technically not a fossil, and I have never heard of any other "fossil" that will float without aid. Amber is most certainly a fossil by the definition of a fossil as any evidence of life from a previous geologic time period. Plant resin is evidence of ancient plants and technically a kind of body fossil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 17 minutes ago, Carl said: the definition of a fossil as any evidence of life from a previous geologic time period. You left out a word in Your definition....LITHIFIED. (should be between ANY and EVIDENCE.) Sorry, but amber is not classified as a rock. It is a biologic compound. Therefore it can not be a fossil, just really old plant goo. I know that in common vernacular it is considered a fossil but in a technically scientific sense it is not a fossil. At least that is how I lernt it. Regards, Ynot, nut case for lithified life! Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 14 minutes ago, ynot said: You left out a word in Your definition....LITHIFIED. (should be between ANY and EVIDENCE.) Sorry, but amber is not classified as a rock. It is a biologic compound. Therefore it can not be a fossil, just really old plant goo. I know that in common vernacular it is considered a fossil but in a technically scientific sense it is not a fossil. At least that is how I lernt it. Regards, Ynot, nut case for lithified life! I respectfully disagree. I purposely left out the word because there is no good reason to include lithified in the definition and many reasons to exclude it. I used to favor a preservation-based definition until I looked into other definitions and how the word was actually being applied. The age-based definition includes all the things that most paleo treatments consider fossils and excludes many that these same treatments wouldn't consider so. If you are having insomnia I can send along an essay I wrote delving deeply into this issue further justifying this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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