Pennsylvanian unknown

[Rob Russell]

Hey folks. 
 

Here’s a fossil I found this past weekend while hunting in the black Mecca Quarry Shale in NC Illinois. 
Ive gotten some suggestions, but the one person with great knowledge of the site wasn’t positive what it was.  I do believe he was going to forward pics to fiddlehead. 
 

Anyway, I thought I’d throw it out here for you all to have a crack at it. 
It’s 5 1/2” long. 
The “points” are both exactly 1 5/8”; or 40 mm, apart. 
 

Thanks for the look, and any potential ID’s. 
 

 

    

 

[historianmichael]

I have no clue, but it is a very interesting fossil. Please let us know if you ever get an identification.

[Rob Russell]

On 7/26/2021 at 11:33 AM, historianmichael said:

I have no clue, but it is a very interesting fossil. Please let us know if you ever get an identification.

Thanks for the reply. I will indeed update the thread if I get an ID outside the forum. 

[connorp]

@Rob Russell Neat specimen. I think it might be a seed fern stem. See Fig. 2 on Page 175 of Wittry's new flora book.

[minnbuckeye]

@connorp, is this the same?? Tried to ID it on the forum a few months ago.

3. This one has evenly spaced projections which hopefully aid in identification.

[Rob Russell]

Thank you both for your replies. 
 

That is definitely an intriguing specimen, minnbuckeye. Any idea of the scale of that specimen? 
As connorp mentioned, I believe it may be a seed fern stem as well, now, since posting the photos. I sought RC’s advice via PM.
 

Regards,

 

Rob  

 

[minnbuckeye]

It measures 16 cm by 1 cm. You can check out my thread "Need Help With Woody Structures from Glenshaw Formation: Mahoning Shale of Western Pennsylvania" for more pictures.