Pseudofossils, Pareidolia, And Other Rorschachery

[Harry Pristis]

Not Favosites, not even coral (the specimen in focus, anyway). There is no evidence of the internal structure of corallites such as septa or septal spines. Note the great difference in size between many of the cells. This appears to be a dasyclad. A skeleton of an algae.

Read the account of dasyclads here:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/gallery/image/22057-dasyclad-green-algae/

Edited October 2, 2014 by Harry Pristis

[tmaier]

Harry, this link in your post above doesn't work properly, it points at the home page.

[Harry Pristis]

Harry, this link in your post above doesn't work properly, it points at the home page.

Fixed!

[squali]

Here's one for ya. There are 2 fossils and one concretion in the photo.

I'm looking for the 'name' of the concretion. Looking forward to Hearing your responses.

I will donate $13 dollars to the Forum in honor of my Best Friend and the first TFF member to get it right.

[Auspex]

Nipper!

[squali]

HA I knew I was being too easy

Yes Nipper the dog listening to the Gramophone. I found this concretion years ago and immediately thought of Zoey,

My most selfless friend.

So Here's to Zoey and Chas

P.S. she's listening to CSNY . now and forever.

The donation is forthcoming.

Sent.

Edited October 3, 2014 by squali

[Auspex]

Thank you for your generosity!

[ZiggieCie]

Not Favosites, not even coral (the specimen in focus, anyway). There is no evidence of the internal structure of corallites such as septa or septal spines. Note the great difference in size between many of the cells. This appears to be a dasyclad. A skeleton of an algae.

Read the account of dasyclads here:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/gallery/image/22057-dasyclad-green-algae/

Here is one of the references for the round Favosite corals of the Waldron Shale. It is in the 11 th annual report of the Indiana department of Geology and natural history, 1882 by John Collett.

The reference is shown towards the end of the report in the plate section, on plate 3 fig. 6 to 15. Favosites Forbesie, var. Occidentialis, Hall.

http://books.google.com/books?id=jUkiAQAAMAAJ&dq=indiana%20report%20number%2011%201881%20collett&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

[Harry Pristis]

Ziggie . . .

Here are a couple of the illustrations (enhanced) from your 1882 reference. I don't see the similarity to your rather good image of the 'golf ball.' Can you offer us an image of the stem, the pedicel end of the object. Corallums sometimes have an epitheca preserved, while calcareous algae sometimes have pedicels, I don't think they have an epitheca.

[garyc]

I'm a little late to this party. This is my favorite. Not quite a pseudofossil, but a steinkern pretending to be a baby shark skull. In the first pic you can see the mouth and even a few little teeth. The second pic clearly shows one of the pectoral fins.

[alfsilke]

Cool topic.

Some of these objects would definitely give me a heart attack if I saw them in the field, especially that "placoderm skull".

Don

This one made my heart skip a beat or two. Found on the Hay River at Enterprise NWT. Lots of concretions this year, but still great fossil hunting.

[tmaier]

This one made my heart skip a beat or two. Found on the Hay River at Enterprise NWT. Lots of concretions this year, but still great fossil hunting.

concretion 1.jpg

So what is this one? I've never seen a concretion like this.

[alfsilke]

A smaller one found the same day, same location. Successive layers capping each other.

[tmaier]

I think the one above is a cephalopod.

The one above that is pretty weird... paleozoic duct work?

[alfsilke]

Not cephalopod. No detail in top or bottom. Part of top layer broken away. Clay Concretion.

[tmaier]

You're right. There is no siphuncle, it can't be a ceph. I've never seen such a thing, especially that "duct work" concretion.

Thanks for posting it.

[Wrangellian]

Is that not a siphuncle off center, in the upper left of left pic and lower right of right pic?

I think the earlier item may be ceph also, just been distorted, but I'd like to see end views.

[alfsilke]

Is that not a siphuncle off center, in the upper left of left pic and lower right of right pic?

I think the earlier item may be ceph also, just been distorted, but I'd like to see end views.

Good eyes Wrangellian. Peeled off the top segment and exposed ... siphuncle ?!!

I've removed the matrix from the "paleozoic duct work." Any thoughts on the fluted look on the left end? The fluting shows better on original post. Are those two round things warts or barnacles?

The right end doesn't show anything distinct enough on this piece to call a siphuncle, so my next step will be to peel off one segment and hope for a better indication.

[Wrangellian]

Good eyes Wrangellian. Peeled off the top segment and exposed ... siphuncle ?!!

siphuncle.jpg

I've removed the matrix from the "paleozoic duct work." Any thoughts on the fluted look on the left end? The fluting shows better on original post. Are those two round things warts or barnacles?

ductwork2.jpg

The right end doesn't show anything distinct enough on this piece to call a siphuncle, so my next step will be to peel off one segment and hope for a better indication.

I'm still betting on cephalopod, I just don't have the ID guides for that fauna handy to give you a more specific name.. The 'warts' could be epifaunal (eg. limpets but not necessarily that). See what others say..

[Pilobolus]

Human head with non-Occidental features...

[garyc]

Human head with non-Occidental features...

That looks more like ET

[PFOOLEY]

A very nice Late Cretaceous shark tooth.

[Auspex]

You're right. There is no siphuncle, it can't be a ceph. I've never seen such a thing, especially that "duct work" concretion.

Thanks for posting it.

[Auspex]

Human head with non-Occidental features...

[Missourian]

Human head with non-Occidental features...

"Bring me Solo and the wookiee."