Misha Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Hello everyone, I am slowly trying to get the things in my collection more organized and here I have a piece of what was sold to me as coprolite from Madagascar, I was wondering if we can certainly call this a coprolite and not just a concretion, And if so what animal could it have come from or what the age is as that was not given along with the piece. Ruler is in inches. Thank you everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 I believe these are often sold as turtle coprolites. Don't know whether it's true or not, though. 3 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said: I believe these are often sold as turtle coprolites. Don't know whether it's true or not, though. Ever find anything in Tidgy's litter box that remotely resembles these things? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 6 hours ago, caldigger said: Ever find anything in Tidgy's litter box that remotely resembles these things? Very vaguely like it occasionally, i suppose. But she's a tortoise. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Experts. @Carl @GeschWhat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Always sold as turtle coprolites from Madagascar. 1 John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 sold as < is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 On 5/11/2019 at 1:03 PM, JohnBrewer said: Always sold as turtle coprolites from Madagascar. 21 hours ago, Rockwood said: sold as < is Would that make it "turdle"? 3 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I have no confidence that these are genuine coprolites. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 4 hours ago, Carl said: I have no confidence that these are genuine coprolites. That’s interesting. What do you think that they could be? John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 5 hours ago, Carl said: I have no confidence that these are genuine coprolites. I agree. I've found similar unusual shaped rocks that were just weird, exfoliating mudstone concretions. There are "billions and billions" of poop shaped, naturally formed (non-poop) rocks in the world. 1 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Has anyone examined any of them for interior organic remains? Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 17 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said: Has anyone examined any of them for interior organic remains? I am sure somewhere, sometime, someone has tried. How else did they find mazon creek. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Most of the rocks sold as coprolites are not. Many are hardened siderite mud extruded through harder rocks due to pressurized gases. The most common ones, those sold from the Miocene Wilkes Formation in Washington State, contain no recognizable matter such as bones, shells and plants. In fact the formation contains no vertebrate remains of a possible coprolite maker. https://blogs.plos.org/paleo/2014/07/23/pseudo-poo-glitters-isnt-fecal-gold/ 6 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 20 hours ago, JohnBrewer said: That’s interesting. What do you think that they could be? I honestly don't know. But they lack several of the features we want to see in order to ID them as coprolites: phosphatic chemistry, biologic inclusions, associated vertebrate fossil context. I'd love them to be coprolites but they don't offer anywhere near enough proof. I'd just love to know what they are. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 17 hours ago, ynot said: I am sure somewhere, sometime, someone has tried. How else did they find mazon creek. Right -- so, if they have been examined and found to be Moroccan coprolites, what's the problem? I don't get it. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 55 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said: Right -- so, if they have been examined and found to be Moroccan coprolites, what's the problem? I don't get it. Moroccan? Otherwise, many incorrect identifications have gained popularity, but are still wrong. There are many that see a mosasaur coprolite in every geologically originated pyrite/marcasite/limonite nodule; but, it doesn't make it so...neither does an out of context, vague similarity to an image in a scientific article. Guesses are guesses; an identification takes another level of evidence. 1 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 2 minutes ago, JohnJ said: Moroccan? Otherwise, many incorrect identifications have gained popularity, but are still wrong. There are many that see a mosasaur coprolite in every geologically originated pyrite/marcasite/limonite nodule; but, it doesn't make it so...neither does an out of context, vague similarity to an image in a scientific article. Guesses are guesses; an identification takes another level of evidence. Oops, meant Madagascar -- my bad. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 On 5/10/2019 at 10:38 PM, Misha said: sold to me as coprolite from Madagascar Of what geologic age is it purported to be? Is the name of the formation known? "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Posted May 14, 2019 Author Share Posted May 14, 2019 18 minutes ago, Auspex said: Of what geologic age is it purported to be? Is the name of the formation known? Nothing other than Madagascar is known Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Mine said Eocene, but again i'm not saying it is! 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Well, it certainly looks like something scooped out of the litterbox, but that may just be why they called it a coprolite. 2 "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hndmarshall Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 this is the small one i found that i had posted here a while back it looks very similar but just a small portion ... mine was found in Texas USA near Houston from Brazos River I have found fragments of fossilized turtle shells also. The pics are not too good but a few you can see the texture in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 2 hours ago, Auspex said: Well, it certainly looks like something scooped out of the litterbox, but that may just be why they called it a coprolite. This is certainly part of it. What do you think sells better: fossil poop or anomalous extrusive ironstone? Dino dung or amorphous silica mass? Marketing of fossils is an entirely different venture from scientific identification. I wouldn't trust the "coprolites" from Washington, Madagascar, Utah, or any pyritized mosasaur feces. Caveat empturd. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 4 minutes ago, Carl said: Caveat empturd Nice title for a sub-forum in "Is It Real?". 1 "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now