JulianoLPD Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 Hi there folks. I received these two fossil shells as a gift but they came with none information about its identity or origin. I was wondering if it is possible to have any information about them based only in these images. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure they are real fossils because (to my completely newbie understanding) they don't feel "that fossilized". Hope someone can shed a light here. Thanks in advance, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 Hi, Gastropods, but I can't say more... Coco 1 ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Carnelian agate replaced gastropods of the Moroccan desert region. Both very real. Although they have none of the original shell material left. These are called "Steinkerns". The replacement minerals that fill the inner spaces if the shell. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianoLPD Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 How interesting! Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianoLPD Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 Is there any bibliography I could use to try to ID these two pieces? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/15/2019 at 8:14 PM, caldigger said: Carnelian agate replaced gastropods of the Moroccan desert region. Both very real. Although they have none of the original shell material left. These are called "Steinkerns". The replacement minerals that fill the inner spaces if the shell. I think these might actually not be steikerns, at least not the ornate one. Steinkerns are internal molds and that kind of ornamentation, as far as I know, is only ever external. That would make these agate casts. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Carl said: I think these might actually not be steikerns, at least not the ornate one. Steinkerns are internal molds and that kind of ornamentation, as far as I know, is only ever external. That would make these agate casts. Right you are. I should have said casts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 These have been showing up in shows for the past few years out of Morocco and what little I can find about them online is that they are either Cretaceous or Eocene. They look more Eocene to me. As far as I know, I don't believe anyone has published the taxonomy of these shells, but I would be very interested if someone has additional information as I have tried to purchase as many different species as I can find when cruising rock/fossil/gem shows. Mike "A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington "I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalmayshun Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 really beautiful and the result of an amazing process...incredible when you think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClearLake Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 I am glad @caldigger chimed in with an actual response, because I would have said they look like Gummie Gastropods, you know, the soft chewable kind! Those are pretty cool, I don't think I've seen those before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenmaster6 Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 Yeah, immediately recognized agatized gastropods. I have found a few here in Washington. they are beautiful because they are now preserved as a hard mineral instead of a brittle imprint on shale or mudstone or a crumbly steinkern. It allows for more handling in my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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