Fullux Posted December 4, 2024 Posted December 4, 2024 (edited) Howdy all, I acquired this piece of Neuse River amber last summer. I love this piece and I'm very lucky to have it, as amber from the Bladen Formation is rare and it also is a snapshot of the ecosystem of my favorite dinosaur, Appalachiosaurus. It also preserves a land snail/slug coprolite, which I think is pretty cool. My question is, does anyone know what is likely the botanical origin of Neuse River Amber? I have heard cupressacean and araucarian before, but I'm wondering if it could be narrowed down any further. My thinking is that, the Bladen Formation being formed from a river depositing land material into the sea, it is likely that this resin was secreted and then dropped by trees that were growing near said river. Bald cypress (taxodium) and Dawn redwood (metasequoia) are cupressacean conifers that are known to have existed at that time, and if my knowledge serves me right, on the Appalachian continent. They are also known to have both grown in and near water and waterlogged soils, IE, the banks of rivers/swamps. Is my thinking logical? And could this tell us a bit more about the botanical origin of Neuse River amber? Should also mention that when I first acquired this piece, it smelled faintly like cypress. Though the piece itself no longer has a distinct smell, the foam inside the display capsule I keep it in has gained the same scent. Edited December 4, 2024 by Fullux
Al Dente Posted December 4, 2024 Posted December 4, 2024 8 hours ago, Fullux said: I acquired this piece of Neuse River amber last summer. I love this piece and I'm very lucky to have it, as amber from the Bladen Formation is rare and it also is a snapshot of the ecosystem of my favorite dinosaur, Appalachiosaurus. Are you sure it is Bladen Formation? A lot of the amber found in the Neuse River comes from the Tar Heel Formation.
Fullux Posted December 4, 2024 Author Posted December 4, 2024 5 hours ago, Al Dente said: Are you sure it is Bladen Formation? A lot of the amber found in the Neuse River comes from the Tar Heel Formation. Yes, I suppose it could be. However, I'm pretty sure the seller said it was of the Bladen. Most of the amber I've seen from the Neuse has been Bladen. 🤔
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