KingsburyFossilHunter Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Hi everyone! Holidays mean more time to photo and post. As previously mentioned in my previous post, I am finding a lot of fossil impressions and voids in chert and mudstone on a small artist residency and farm in Kingsbury, Texas, in Guadeloupe County. And some petrified wood. Most of the casts I find are pelecypods and some gastropods; however I am finding some other stuff, some of it total mystery. This time I will post the mystery items first. Let me know your thoughts! This first mystery (3 views) has tight incised lines around the darker shape - most evident in central photo. The next item, below, has lots of impressions. The closeup on right shows a spiral on left side, is that a worm, or a gastropod internal cast/mold? I think the horizontal cavities on right of closeup are some kind of coral? Here's some coral ... or petrified wood? (two images Photoshopped together) And also...the below is super interesting...at first I thought it was just a chip, or a shell impression. But starting to think insect wings! At first I thought this could be a bryozoa (left photo below), but I think it is more likely a worn pelecypod impression, re like the typical one on the other side other rock (right photo). And here's some pet wood, various types And bone? Or coral? I keep thinking bone because of smooth sides. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Welcome to fossil hunting! The first one looks like a rock. The second one could be a gastropod but I can't see enough detail in the picture. The petrified wood looks like pet wood except for the smallest one. It may be pet wood too, but I just can't see enough detail to be sure. But I must ask, what kind of paleoenvironment gives you coral and insect wings and petrified wood all together? It is not impossible, but it is unlikely. Have you researched the local geological context? That may help narrow down possibilities for ID. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I have to agree with Gus on most of these. I think shell impressions for most of these, not insect wings. No veination present that would indicate insect wings. #1 looks more like a rock. Bryozoan or coral and possible gastropod cast for #2. #3 likely coral. Small piece in the pet wood photo looks more like rock. Last item possibly a bit of bone, but I am leaning towards rock of some sort. If it is bone, though, I would say it is probably not complete enough to render any sort of positive ID. 1 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...
KingsburyFossilHunter Posted December 23, 2018 Author Share Posted December 23, 2018 (edited) Hi Gus and Tim! Reluctantly Tim I think you are right on wings, I compared to some from Colorado but the venation is missing. And it would be super unique find, no one else finds this here. Re geological context, the USGS says that the area at surface is mostly Wilcox Group undivided (Paleocene to Eocene), along with Willis Fm (Pliocene) - closest match in terms of description (fluvitile, deeply weathered, some chert & petrified wood). This region was underwater for a while, can be marsh/bay/gulf, but then rose a bit in elevation. They are digging down 2-4 feet in one spot on the ranch to use the mixed cobble and gravel for the roads (it can get very muddy otherwise). Several previously speculated that my collection looks stream tumbled, so may have washed down from an older formation (Edwards). I think we are looking at items from a variety of sources, with differing ages, all in the same place. This area of central Texas is very interesting for fossils because of how quickly the strata changes. Within 20 minute drives, people have found things like echinoids or mastodon skeletons (in different places). It also is significant for oil, Luling and Darst fields are nearby. I can rephotograph that smallest piece of pet wood, it is an unusual wedge shape. Here's a link to my earlier finds: Edited December 23, 2018 by KingsburyFossilHunter highlighted Willis Fm. Removed reference to Reklaw fm; minerals not good match Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingsburyFossilHunter Posted December 23, 2018 Author Share Posted December 23, 2018 Here's more bone or is it rock samples from the same place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 3 hours ago, KingsburyFossilHunter said: Here's more bone or is it rock samples from the same place. These look geological to me, but I can see a superficial resemblance to bone. It's just that the relationship of dense areas (that would represent cortical bone) to porous areas (cancellous bone) doesn't make sense for a bone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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