Italo40 Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 Hello everybody, In my forst post, I'm asking you to identify this fossil that I found this summer in a public park of Pittsburgh, Pennsilvanya. I found it alongside rocks dating to the Carboniferous bearing marine fossils (mostly crinoids stems). I have not removed the matrix yet, but the exposed surface of the fossil is less than 1 cm (0,40") long. The magnified pics were taken at 20x. I can't think of anything that I know of. Can you help me? Thank you, Fabio Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 The only thing that comes to mind for me is maybe a Carboniferous fish scale. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Either a scale or a tooth. Can you get a pic of the other end? I might be seeing enamel or it could just be rock. 1 -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Enlarged, cropped, and brightened: 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...
Italo40 Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 Thank you guys! Tooth or scale are the most plausible answers, given the shape, color and size. I think that only removing the matrix it's possibile to give a definitive answer. I'll update you once I'll have prepared the specimen Thanks, Fabio Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Hm interesting. I'd like to see additional pictures once this is fully prepped. I think this is Ames Limestone. I generally agree that this looks to be vertebrate but I am having trouble placing it. More prep might help that. Which park? Frick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Italo40 Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 36 minutes ago, jdp said: Hm interesting. I'd like to see additional pictures once this is fully prepped. I think this is Ames Limestone. I generally agree that this looks to be vertebrate but I am having trouble placing it. More prep might help that. Which park? Frick? Hi jdp, Yes it was Frick Park! I did not know that I could find fossils there, so when I saw large fossil-bearing boulders I was very amazed! That's the only rock I took home, but it seems very interesting. For sure I'll work on it ASAP Fabio Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalodus12 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Looks like a fish scale to me as well. If it’s from the Ames, a marine unit, then it’s probably from a small paleoniscoid fish. These were small ray-finned fish that were very common in the Carboniferous. Scales like this and teeth, and even partial specimens can be found in the Pittsburgh area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 So what I will say is that I don't think this is an actinopterygian scale. The reason for that is that, despite having fine ridges, there's no ganoine and instead there are periodic tiny holes which probably represent blood or nerve supply from within the bone to the dermis. Actinopts also have a really conspicuous peg-in-socket system I don't see here. I'm wondering if maybe this is some sort of sarcopt or early tetrapod, but I'm having trouble sorting that out from the anatomy present. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 On 9/17/2019 at 9:28 AM, Italo40 said: Hi jdp, Yes it was Frick Park! I did not know that I could find fossils there, so when I saw large fossil-bearing boulders I was very amazed! That's the only rock I took home, but it seems very interesting. For sure I'll work on it ASAP Fabio What sorts of fossils did you see in the other rocks? I'm trying to figure out if this is Ames Limestone (Marine) or Casselman Formation (freshwater) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Italo40 Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, jdp said: What sorts of fossils did you see in the other rocks? I'm trying to figure out if this is Ames Limestone (Marine) or Casselman Formation (freshwater) I took a few pictures. I can distinguish a brachiopod (less probably a bivalve), a few crinoid stems and solitary corals. No doubt then that it is a marine assemblage! Edited September 18, 2019 by Italo40 Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 Ok yes that's classic Ames Formation. I have to ask, what were you doing in Pittsburgh? It's not exactly a major tourist destination! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Italo40 Posted September 19, 2019 Author Share Posted September 19, 2019 23 minutes ago, jdp said: Ok yes that's classic Ames Formation. I have to ask, what were you doing in Pittsburgh? It's not exactly a major tourist destination! I do enjoy non major touristic destinations actually. I heard wonders of the Carnegie Museums and I proved they were right! Besides, I spent a few days in other locations in Pennsilvanya (Ohiopyle area, where I saw other fossils) and in Ohio and Kentucky, most of them fossils-related. I'll share the pictures of them in future posts! Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdp Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 Glad to hear you had a nice time! Pittsburgh's my hometown (and has some great paleontology) but I never think of it as a major tourist destination. Glad you enjoyed yourself! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 On 9/18/2019 at 8:06 PM, Italo40 said: I do enjoy non major touristic destinations actually. I heard wonders of the Carnegie Museums and I proved they were right! Besides, I spent a few days in other locations in Pennsilvanya (Ohiopyle area, where I saw other fossils) and in Ohio and Kentucky, most of them fossils-related. I'll share the pictures of them in future posts! I'll bet that Kentucky may be your favorite. Pennsylvania is nice, but Kentucky is something else. 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...
Italo40 Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said: I'll bet that Kentucky may be your favorite. Pennsylvania is nice, but Kentucky is something else. I really can't pick a favorite! In Kentucky I spent a very short time (visited the Big Bone Lick State Park). A few days more in Pennsilvanya, enjoying both cities and nature. 100% I'd come back in both of them anyway!!! Edited September 21, 2019 by Italo40 Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 Just now, Italo40 said: I really can't pick a favourite! In Kentucky I spent a very short time (visited the Big Bone Lick State Park). A few days more in Pennsilvanya, enjoying both cities and nature. 100% I'd come back in both of them anyway!!! You'll have to come back now to visit again. Having to make up your mind is the best excuse to come back. I have been in Italy twice and I can't decide if my favorite is the area around Naples or up in the hills around Cassino. 1 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...
Italo40 Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 1 hour ago, Mark Kmiecik said: You'll have to come back now to visit again. Having to make up your mind is the best excuse to come back. I have been in Italy twice and I can't decide if my favorite is the area around Naples or up in the hills around Cassino. Yeah, I definetely want to come back! Naples and the nearby areas are great, you keep discovering new places!! I've never been in Cassino, but I'm sure it's another must-see place 1 Follow me on Instagram (@italian_fossilhunter). 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