Still_human Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 A friend of mine(yes, it really is a friend, not just me lol)apparently got these in a box of stuff, and they were labeled as being from mosasaurs. He asked if they were coprolites, but i don't know exactly how they were described. I told him no, I don't think any coprolites would be so smooth, even, and without any imperfections(I'm sure there are some like that out there, but that must be pretty rare. A random group of coprolites aren't going to all be like that, I'd imagine). I told him I don't really know and that id ask, but my best guess would be either gastroliths, or nodules. I don't think mosasaurs have gastroliths, but plesiosaurs do, and the ID of mosasaur seems bunk anyway, no matter what they are. As far as nodules, I don't know if nodules are found in that kind of site, so yeah......does anyone have any idea? Oh yeah, they're from Khouribga, Morocco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 When rocks like these have been separated from the contextual information of the discovery location, then the possibilities of their origin are huge. To me, they might just be the result of a bias toward rounded stones picked up (in an area where they occur) by a single collector. 2 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 They look like tumbled river rocks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 I was afraid of that. I was worried that's what I was going to hear:/ bleh, I hate giving bad news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Round rocks seem to be the most confusing for people. Makes me wonder why? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Gastroliths are a possibility if these came from a credible source. As @caldigger said, it looks like tumbled river rock. But that is what happens in the stomach of animals with gastroliths. I have NO idea how to tell gastroliths from river rock!! Plesiosaur gastroliths from the Tropic Shale. A gastrolith, also called a stomach stone or gizzard stone, is a rock held inside a gastrointestinal tract. Gastroliths in some species are 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Gastroliths would likely have a similar polish to them not unlike being in a drum rock tumbler on one of the finer grits. Somewhat shiny, but not all the way fine polished. Another way to tell gastroliths is their location. Where they found within the deposition of bones? That is always good key. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Just pebbles, methinks. 2 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted November 22, 2018 Author Share Posted November 22, 2018 Thanks a bunch:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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