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Small unknown segmented fossil from the Devonian of Ohio


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These came from the Silica Shale Formation near Sylvania Ohio, Middle Devonian. They seem far too small for the orthoconic cephalopods they resemble and I can see no evidence of septa or siphuncles on the ends. The scale is millimeters. This is the best image I can provide.

The ratio of diameter to segment spacing ranges from 3:1 to 5.33:1.

 

IMG_20230821_211224.thumb.jpg.da94fdcad69f3251ffb2c53e43634d06.jpg

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@Herb these are from the matrix you sent.

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Tidgy's Dad

I think at least some of those are likely to be Tentaculites bellulus. 

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15 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I think at least some of those are likely to be Tentaculites bellulus. 

Thanks. I hadn't thought they could be that small but I suppose broken pieces could be.

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I'd suspect tentaculitids too.

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Rockwood

Could there be Cornulites in the mix too ?

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Fossildude19

They look like Tentaculites to me. 

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minnbuckeye

How does one differentiate Tentaculites from Cornulites other than Cornulites are often attached to another fossil???? This has always been a question in the back of my mind and is good for @BobWill to understand.

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Tidgy's Dad
11 hours ago, BobWill said:

Thanks. I hadn't thought they could be that small but I suppose broken pieces could be.

They are often microfossils in the Silica Shale, here's an image, the ones without striations are Styliolites cf. fissurella, another tentaculitid. 

  • tentaculida.jpg

    Tentaculida'

     

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Tidgy's Dad
2 hours ago, minnbuckeye said:

How does one differentiate Tentaculites from Cornulites other than Cornulites are often attached to another fossil???? This has always been a question in the back of my mind and is good for @BobWill to understand.

It's a question of shell microstructure, but, loosely speaking, tentaculitids may have a slight curve in the microconch but are otherwise uniform in growth in each species. Most are straight, but some have a slight curve or bend at the apex which will be fairly consistent within a species. 

Cornulitids grow more irregularly and exhibit more seemingly random bends, curves and growth lines. 

Microconchids are mostly coiled. 

Usually, it's wise to try to establish which species are found in a formation and work from there. 

Edited by Tidgy's Dad
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There are both Tentaculites and Cornulites in the Silica Shale

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  • 5 weeks later...

Those look to be Orthoconic nautiloid if cross referencing it with the Silica Formation book.

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