Pennsylvania talon print?

[Terminal Stareasaurus]

A short while ago I posted similar pictures of what I think is a talon print. Someone asked what type of stone it was in so I posted pictures. I found this in Clearfield county PA.

[Terminal Stareasaurus]

Just now, Donna Straw said:

A short while ago I posted similar pictures of what I think is a talon print. Someone asked what type of stone it was in so I posted pictures. I found this in Clearfield county PA.

To me it looks like foot prints of something and smaller footprints of the same species. The talon print looks almost mechanical. 

[jpc]

show us what you think is a footprint...I don't see it.  I tend to be a skeptic about footprints... there are so many random rocks out there that could be footprints, but if it is not obvious or part of a trackway, or comes form a unit where they are well known then I am going to say nope.  This one is not obvious.  

[Fossildude19]

Clearfield PA has rocks of Pennsylvanian and Ordovician age exposed.

 

 

 

 

Most of the fossils you will find there are either invertebrates or plants.

Not aware of any vertebrate fossils found in the area. That would pretty much rule out footprints.

These are likely molds of fossils that weathered away, or sedimentary structures.

Not footprints, I'm afraid.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I think it's erosional.

Either chemical weathering or where inclusions have fallen out or eroded away.

[Terminal Stareasaurus]

10 hours ago, jpc said:

show us what you think is a footprint...I don't see it.  I tend to be a skeptic about footprints... there are so many random rocks out there that could be footprints, but if it is not obvious or part of a trackway, or comes form a unit where they are well known then I am going to say nope.  This one is not obvious.  

What could have made that upside down pyramid shaped print on the right?

[Danielb]

2 hours ago, Donna Straw said:

What could have made that upside down pyramid shaped print on the right?

Do you mean triangle?  Erosion can do some unbelievable things and make some interesting patterns.

Edited November 1, 2023 by Danielb

[jpc]

This looks like piece of sandstone that had a layer of mudstone balls (clasts = bigger rocks within a finer grained rock) on the 'top' surface (top in your first photo).  If not mud balls, maybe ironstone concretions like what I see still in the sandstone near the upper left edge in your fist photo.  The sandstone fell out of wherever it was and the clasts all got eroded out... this can happen very quickly (in geological time).  All of those hollows are where a clast  used to be.  I see this sort of rock a lot out here, and when you find the actual layer where it came from, it is often full of rounded clasts.  And occasional shark teeth or dinosaur bones if you are in the right place.   

[Terminal Stareasaurus]

44 minutes ago, jpc said:

This looks like piece of sandstone that had a layer of mudstone balls (clasts = bigger rocks within a finer grained rock) on the 'top' surface (top in your first photo).  If not mud balls, maybe ironstone concretions like what I see still in the sandstone near the upper left edge in your fist photo.  The sandstone fell out of wherever it was and the clasts all got eroded out... this can happen very quickly (in geological time).  All of those hollows are where a clast  used to be.  I see this sort of rock a lot out here, and when you find the actual layer where it came from, it is often full of rounded clasts.  And occasional shark teeth or dinosaur bones if you are in the right place.   

I understand erosion but this seems too perfect and too angular and what about the groove running from it...perfectly strait. Perhaps landing gear from a ufo....lol.

[jpc]

ufo...  or a non-round pebble?  

[Fossildude19]

3 hours ago, Donna Straw said:

I understand erosion but this seems too perfect and too angular and what about the groove running from it...perfectly strait. Perhaps landing gear from a ufo....lol.

 

 

Geology is filled with straight lines. It's not unusual to see straight lines in geologic items.  

Nature is strange.

[Terminal Stareasaurus]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

 

 

Geology is filled with straight lines. It's not unusual to see straight lines in geologic items.  

Nature is strange.

Ok, thank you for your time @fossildude19.

[Family Fun]

On 10/31/2023 at 12:04 PM, Fossildude19 said:

 

Most of the fossils you will find there are either invertebrates or plants.

Not aware of any vertebrate fossils found in the area. That would pretty much rule out footprints.

These are likely molds of fossils that weathered away, or sedimentary structures.

Not footprints, I'm afraid.

Thank you, I’m actually in Clearfield county visiting relatives and was wondering what fossils might be found.  

[Terminal Stareasaurus]

17 hours ago, jpc said:

ufo...  or a non-round pebble?  

Yes...Perhaps. Yous who are very experienced in the fossil world I  imagine yous scratching your heads at what some people post here. Everybody wants to find something fantastic that's true and authentic. I have so much fun collecting things around me and even if they're  not authentic they give me the material I need for an imaginative workout. Thanks everyone for your help and for being good sports.