Nautilus from Oman

[badeend]

Hello,

 

I managed to obtain this nautilus from the internet. The former owner told me she got it 60 years ago from an employee from Shell. He took it from the desert in Oman. He told her, there where many more fossils to find there, but that the accesibility was very complicated. She could'nt tell me the age from the deposits.

 

So I tried to google some information. At first, looking at the pictures I thought about a jurassic nautilus. But the more I am diving in to search the possibilities and the fact that it is quite slender for a nautilus I'm leaning towards a Eocene nautilus. Deltoidonautilus would be a possibility.

 

It is 27 cm.

 

Can anyone help me with the ID, or pherhaps put me on a good path to find it?

 

Greetings Walter

 

 

Edited January 23 by badeend

[Ludwigia]

I'm afraid it's going to be difficult to determine  an exact ID without any kind of provenance other than the country, since many spiral nautilae are very similar in form and appearance across the entire Jurassic and Cretaceous.

[badeend]

I'm convinced it will be difficult! But not impossible! Pherhaps a collector from Oman recognizes a local fossil or someone knows where Shell was active in Oman. The woman I got it from thought it had be from the North of Oman. 

 

If you google nautilus Oman, you get to see this picture in an article from the Muscat daily.

[Ludwigia]

37 minutes ago, badeend said:

But not impossible!

Of course you are right. Keep on googling.

[Fossildude19]

42 minutes ago, badeend said:

I'm convinced it will be difficult! But not impossible!

Perhaps a collector from Oman recognizes a local fossil or someone knows where Shell was active in Oman.

 

 

I did a search of Forum Members, to see if anyone had Oman for a location. Haven't found any.   

[Ludwigia]

Check this out.

[badeend]

3 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Check this out.

Very interesting! Thanks!

[badeend]

I have sent an e-mail to the Museum of Natural History of Oman. But sadly got a reply the e-mail adress was not in use. But keep trying!

[deltav2]

You can check this publication, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330037167_Identification_of_the_Middle_Eocene_Nautiloid_Genera_of_Qatar_Middle_East, it has pictures of over a 100 specimens of nautiloids. There's also an image of a partially exposed nautiloid from Oman (either deltoidonautilus or cimomia). Most of the nautiloids found here are deltoidonautilus so yours is probably deltoidonautilus too. 

[badeend]

Hello,

 

An update;

 

I've been quite cheeky and sent a message to the Museum of Natural History of Oman. But sadly did not get any response. It could be I have the wrong e-mail adress.  At the same time I've sent a message to the writer of publication deltav2 reffers to. He sent me the following answer;

 

Quote;

 

However, making reference to page 26 in my publication, I would say that this specimen is Cimomia (see also pages 44, 48, 49). The dorsum is very rounded and the sutures on the dorsum are quite straight (your pictures 523 and 528). The sutures also form prominent saddles on the side (picture 328). It is difficult to pinpoint the species of Cimomia but it could very well be any species similar to those in Somalia (pages 48 and 49)

This brings us to the age of the specimen. On page 26 you will see that Cimomia extended from upper Late Cretaceous to Oligocene, so your sample could be from any of these time periods. All this said, however, due to the extent of the Eocene on the Arabian Peninsula, I would not be surprised if it is from the Eocene.

 

So, not quite there yet, but having a possible genus is a step further. He sent me some adresses from other people who might have an opinion on the matter. I will keep you informed!

 

Greetings Walter

 

 

[badeend]

Hello,

 

I recieved another mail on this matter. Nice to see that people are friendly and make the effort of returning an e-mail! Thanks for the coöperation.

 

Quote;

 

You take me back to 1990 when I visited Muscat. I remember I visited an Eocene section very close to Qabus University. This section was very rich in larger foraminifers as will as many other macrofossils. I recorded my Cimomia cf. mokattamensis from the middle Eocene Dukhan Member in Um Bab section in west Qatar. This species I have recorded from the middle Eocene Upper Building Stone in G.Mokattam near Cairo in 2018.
Thus, I think your specimen is Cimomia from middle Eocene Dammam Formation and this you can search for it in the area near Qabus University. You may be lucky and collect another specimen after 60 years!!!!
Best regards

 

Geetings Walter

 

 

[Ludwigia]

Persistence pays off!