mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Everyone, Any help appreciated. It has been cast and is being referred to others as well. This is a large shale slab fro the Devonian which appears to have been flipped over from stream bottom during a heavy flood event. So this is most likely a positive of an actual negative trace. i.e. a perfect squiggly "groove" 3 feet long. Marc Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramon Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Interesting trace fossil!! It’s symmetry stands out!! I have no clue to what made it. "Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramon Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthopsis "Without fossils, no one would have ever dreamed that there were successive epochs in the formation of the earth" - Georges Cuvier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 The trail of Helminthopsis is not so symmetrical. Instead this sinuous form matches well with Cochlichnus (regularly meandering smooth trails, resembling sine curve; Treatise W) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 Yes....but the difference in scale is way off! Crazy big. This is a 3 ft specimen vs a 1 cm. So its like a Godzilla Cochlichnus? Here's hoping its something new Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 1 hour ago, mcgcsp said: Yes....but the difference in scale is way off! Crazy big. This is a 3 ft specimen vs a 1 cm. So its like a Godzilla Cochlichnus? Usually Cochlichnus is very small but this paper reports 13 cm trails, so larger specimens do exist. Cochlichnus is unique in exhibiting this type of sinusoidal trail with equal wavelength and amplitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 I do t know if this will be helpful, but it may. http://pages.geo.wvu.edu/~kammer/g231/TraceFossils.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Just in case there was another possibility, I consulted with an ichnospecialist colleague: Q: Do we follow the usual ichnofossil formula and assign it to the most dominant morphology of Cochlichnus (sinusoidal, equal wavelength, amplitude), or is it something else entirely? A: Yes, I would put this in Cochlichnus, and it is unusually large for that ichnogenus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 2 hours ago, piranha said: Thanks for the citation! I don't usually pursue traces but this one has me intrigued! Usually Cochlichnus is very small but this paper reports 13 cm trails, so larger specimens do exist. Cochlichnus is unique in exhibiting this type of sinusoidal trail with equal wavelength and amplitude. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 2 hours ago, KimTexan said: I do t know if this will be helpful, but it may. http://pages.geo.wvu.edu/~kammer/g231/TraceFossils.pdf Thanks Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Was the specimen in question in marine or terrestrial (fluvio-lacustrine) environment? " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 Marine, Ohio Shale, Chagrin Shale member, Devonian arthrodires, brachiopods, arthropods, all known to be present. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 5 minutes ago, mcgcsp said: Marine, Ohio Shale, Chagrin Shale member, Devonian arthrodires, brachiopods, arthropods, all known to be present. That's better. Thank you! " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 Cochlichnus is common in nearshore shallow-marine and is found in various other marine and non-marine environments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 I can't disagree with that, but it's also present in the terrestrial (fluvio-lacustrine) environment. I see that it was edited. " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 Cochlichnus is still Cochlichnus regardless of where it is found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 5 minutes ago, piranha said: Cochlichnus is still Cochlichnus regardless of where it is found. That is correct! " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 12 minutes ago, abyssunder said: I see that it was edited. Just trying to give a complete and more precise answer, so I added various marine besides shallow-marine. Thanks for critiquing me in real time (30 seconds?) lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 Cool... You guys are like Google Assistant for fossils. As you may be aware the Chagrin Shale is considered to be an offshore formation though the devonian here was a shallow sea. I guess "shallow"is a relative term. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 FYI we were able to make a mold of the specimen in place and then remove the original as well. Excellent first cast has already been made. We may already have a university involved if it is determined to be a holotype. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, mcgcsp said: ...if it is determined to be a holotype. Cochlichnus colossus ...rolls off the tongue very nicely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgcsp Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 I was going for C. bigassus Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 1 hour ago, mcgcsp said: I was going for C. bigassus LOL that one got me laughing out loud. Too funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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