Please help me identify. I see a giant parasite eating a face.

[Guest Eileenk]

Can someone please explain what this is? It’s quite scary looking in my opinion but maybe it’s just my imagination…

 

[Rockwood]

I can't explain it, but you needn't concern yourself with the welfare of a face. 

[mighty micraster]

Definately no face here.

[Fossildude19]

Definitely no fossil, either.
This is a rock, unfortunately.

[Fin Lover]

I agree with the others...just a rock.

 

[Guest Eileenk]

Just now, Fossildude19 said:

Definitely no fossil, either.
This is a rock, unfortunately.

Why unfortunately? I love rocks. When I find an unusual one I enjoy learning what may have caused it to be unusual so that’s why I posted it for possible answers and ideas. Intriguing 

[Guest Eileenk]

2 minutes ago, Fin Lover said:

I agree with the others...just a rock.

 

Rather a cool rock then a face in my closet 🫣 thank you 

[ClearLake]

2 minutes ago, Eileenk said:

I enjoy learning what may have caused it to be unusual so that’s why I posted it for possible answers and ideas.

In this case, it looks like you have a piece of limestone which tends to weather into all sorts of shapes, some interesting, some not so much, some weird, some rather plain.  They end up being like clouds, a infinite number of shapes some of which you can easily imagine looking like something (other than a cloud or rock).  In the case of limestone, after many years (sometimes millions of them) of water which is slightly acidic percolating through and around them, the rocks weather into these shapes.  The water often follows imperfections in the rock (cracks, softer areas, etc) to further complicate/enhance the weathering process.  The process is pretty well defined, but the result is rather random.  Enjoy the rocks!

[Guest Eileenk]

2 minutes ago, ClearLake said:

In this case, it looks like you have a piece of limestone which tends to weather into all sorts of shapes, some interesting, some not so much, some weird, some rather plain.  They end up being like clouds, a infinite number of shapes some of which you can easily imagine looking like something (other than a cloud or rock).  In the case of limestone, after many years (sometimes millions of them) of water which is slightly acidic percolating through and around them, the rocks weather into these shapes.  The water often follows imperfections in the rock (cracks, softer areas, etc) to further complicate/enhance the weathering process.  The process is pretty well defined, but the result is rather random.  Enjoy the rocks!

Very awesome! Thank you!

I seem to get the oddballs lol!
What about this one? I initially thought it was coral or just limestone then after cleaning it up I saw a head..but probably just my crazy imagination!

[Fin Lover]

Heads don't just fossilize in 3-D form and look like they did when they were alive.  A skull would show bones, bilateral symmetry, holes for things like eye sockets and noses, etc.  This specimen doesn't show any of that.  

 

Since you are interested in how rocks form, etc., I think doing some research on how fossils form and what kind can be found in your area might be a worthy venture.  I have enjoyed learning about fossils since joining this forum, and there is a wealth of knowledge here.

 

Edited November 11 by Fin Lover

[Fossildude19]

Just more limestone on this latest one.

 

1 hour ago, Eileenk said:

Why unfortunately?

 

 

I say unfortunately, because most of us are here for Fossils, not rocks.

I can certainly appreciate some people's affinity for rocks in general, but some of our new members get offended when told all they have are rocks, and not fossils.
At the end of the day, we are a Fossil Forum, and that is what most of us are here to share and enjoy.

[Guest Eileenk]

46 minutes ago, Fin Lover said:

Heads don't just fossilize in 3-D form and look like they did when they were alive.  A skull would show bones, bilateral symmetry, holes for things like eye sockets and noses, etc.  This specimen doesn't show any of that.  

 

Since you are interested in how rocks form, etc., I think doing some research on how fossils form and what kind can be found in your area might be a worthy venture.  I have enjoyed learning about fossils since joining this forum, and there is a wealth of knowledge here.

 

Thanks for schooling my curios and somewhat fossil naive mind! I appreciate pros like yourself while learning on this forum. It’s all quite fascinating to me. Many prehistoric species have been known to roam Texas so that’s what lead me question. 
Question- is there a chance that the bilateral symmetry, holes, etc. could have been compromised during catastrophic events? Heat, landslides, flooding, parasitism? Also, isn’t petrification a form of fossilization? 
Thanks again! 

[Fin Lover]

1 hour ago, Eileenk said:

Question- is there a chance that the bilateral symmetry, holes, etc. could have been compromised during catastrophic events? Heat, landslides, flooding, parasitism? 

Sure, things can get broken, disarticulated, etc. so you may find only a portion of the skull (or any fossil).  Here is a sea turtle skull I found that is broken and the lower jaw is missing.  But, the bone texture is still there, you can still see the eye sockets, suture lines, etc. 

 

Part of his shell was also found with his skull, but it was in hundreds of pieces.  Limb bones were not found with him, so they may have washed away, been scavenged, etc.

 

The first steps are learning what to look for and where to look for it.  Texas (at least parts of it) is a great place for fossil hunting and we have a lot of members who live there.  

 

Edited November 11 by Fin Lover

[Rockwood]

Yes, fossils can definitely deform during fossilization. Many hours have been spent contemplating the distortion of bones as the weight of sediment settles on them during fossilization. 

[Guest Eileenk]

3 hours ago, Rockwood said:

Yes, fossils can definitely deform during fossilization. Many hours have been spent contemplating the distortion of bones as the weight of sediment settles on them during fossilization. 

 

3 hours ago, Fin Lover said:

Sure, things can get broken, disarticulated, etc. so you may find only a portion of the skull (or any fossil).  Here is a sea turtle skull I found that is broken and the lower jaw is missing.  But, the bone texture is still there, you can still see the eye sockets, suture lines, etc. 

 

Part of his shell was also found with his skull, but it was in hundreds of pieces.  Limb bones were not found with him, so they may have washed away, been scavenged, etc.

 

The first steps are learning what to look for and where to look for it.  Texas (at least parts of it) is a great place for fossil hunting and we have a lot of members who live there.  

 

My reason for question if these rocks are possibly fossils is because I consistently see the same features on most of the rocks collect, especially the crystallized ones.
I began noticing that nearly every rock, both small and large, has what looks like a centipede of some sort wrapped around it and latched onto one side of another specimen. Though far fetched, this centipede looking thing lead me to question the possibility of these oddly head shaped rocks somehow being preserved in the limestone. 
It’s hard for me to capture in photos but there’s even what looks like reptile skin on them and many sharp claws or teeth coming off the centipede looking creature. On some of them tiny claws poke through and demonstrate the sharpness. 
I began looking into what this could possibly be and is preservation of these specimens even possible. 
After doing some reading the only specimen that looks similar Radiodonts. I relate these to giant parasites but that’s just based on what I visualize and imagine. 
I do see what looks like fossil materials in all of the photos I’ve shared but a lot of the bone structure seems to be beneath this other specimen or beneath semitransparent layers of rock.
I’m quite convinced though, based on what I consistently see, that there are 2 specimens and one is being devoured by a bottom feeder of some sort. I know that sounds silly especially to the many experts on here who’ve studied fossils far more than I have so I’m very open to anyone’s educated input. 

[Guest Eileenk]

7 hours ago, Eileenk said:

Why unfortunately? I love rocks. When I find an unusual one I enjoy learning what may have caused it to be unusual so that’s why I posted it for possible answers and ideas. Intriguing 

You say definitely not a fossil.. but what brings you to that conclusion? I see what looks to be bone material in the photos. Can you point out to me why you’re so definite? 
Thank you, I appreciate your input. 

[Fin Lover]

I'm not seeing any bone in your specimens.  Definitely no parasites, claws or teeth.  

[Guest Eileenk]

19 minutes ago, Fin Lover said:

I'm not seeing any bone in your specimens.  Definitely no parasites, claws or teeth.  

Regarding the bone, what is the difference in the turtle and unknown specimen I’m questioning? Besides the turtle bone being more exposed, they both seem to have marrow or I’m I seeing this totally wrong?

[Guest Eileenk]

11 hours ago, Fin Lover said:

I'm not seeing any bone in your specimens.  Definitely no parasites, claws or teeth.  

And the parasite part- that’s just what I relate it to in my mind. I most certainly see a species of some sort latched onto the right side of an unknown bone specimen. There are very sharp teeth or claws and it wraps around the entire specimen. 

Edited November 12 by Eileenk

[ClearLake]

4 minutes ago, Eileenk said:

or I’m I seeing this totally wrong?

Yes, I believe you are. Neither one of the pictures show any marrow. The dark material you are seeing in the turtle is sediment still attached to/in the skull. Marrow is a soft, fatty substance which seldom fossilizes ( Pleistocene aged frozen animals and the like being the most notable exception). The dark material in your rock is some mineral veining or coating. Also, note how in the turtle you can see sutures in the various bones in an organized symmetrical pattern. Nothing like that exists in your rock. 

[Guest Eileenk]

14 minutes ago, ClearLake said:

Yes, I believe you are. Neither one of the pictures show any marrow. The dark material you are seeing in the turtle is sediment still attached to/in the skull. Marrow is a soft, fatty substance which seldom fossilizes ( Pleistocene aged frozen animals and the like being the most notable exception). The dark material in your rock is some mineral veining or coating. Also, note how in the turtle you can see sutures in the various bones in an organized symmetrical pattern. Nothing like that exists in your rock. 

So what I gather from this is that it’s not classified as bone unless fully exposed including sutures? And also that there is no possibility of permineralization? 

[Randyw]

7 minutes ago, Eileenk said:

So what I gather from this is that it’s not classified as bone unless fully exposed including sutures?

Actually that’s quite incorrect. Sutures are the spaces between skull bones. Regular bones won’t have sutures. 

[ClearLake]

2 minutes ago, Eileenk said:

So what I gather from this is that it’s not classified as bone unless fully exposed including sutures? And also that there is no possibility of permineralization?

No, its bone if it has the structure, composition and features of bone, none of which are apparent in your rock. I was merely using the pictures already posted as an example of some features to look for. 
 

Why do you suggest there is no possibility of permineralization?  I don’t believe that was ever stated. 

[Guest Eileenk]

3 minutes ago, Eileenk said:

So what I gather from this is that it’s not classified as bone unless fully exposed including sutures? And also that there is no possibility of permineralization? 

 

Just now, Randyw said:

Actually that’s quite incorrect. Sutures are the spaces between skull bones. Regular bones won’t have sutures. 

I do understand that, I’m an xray technologist and I’ve seen many skulls. I apologize for wording it bones rather than specifically skull. 

[Guest Eileenk]

Just now, Eileenk said:

 

I do understand that, I’m an xray technologist and I’ve seen many skulls. I apologize for wording it bones rather than specifically skull. 

Thanks for the correction 🙏🏻