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Fossil, Minerals Or My Imagination?


Suvi

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Please help me identify these 3 different kinds of fragments. All are found in North Dallas, near water. I would mainly like to know what they are, if I should keep tossing them back.. lots of all 3 around here.

1. Bumpy small fragments

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2. Dark areas are almost glass like, has general direction of lines. Light areas are more porous. *Excuse the bad nail polish - I should give up doing my nails with this hobby :blush:

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3. Light fragments with lines usually in two different directions. Looks like layers, some with grey wavy material. Few found with pores/holes.

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Thanks again, in advance!

-Suvi

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Well, that would be a good reason not to collect those! :) What would explain the bumps? All the fragments are long worm like, but softer than most rock.

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The bumps could simply be a negative impression from mud seeping into a crack. After a long time the mud solidified and the outer rock eroded away.

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Photos 1 and 2 are fecal pellet lined crustacean burrows: Ophiomorpha

image.png.a84de26dad44fb03836a743755df237c.png

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Photos 1 and 2 are fecal pellet lined crustacean burrows: Ophiomorpha

What he says for #1

#2 mineral

#3 assorted stuff. Maybe some pieces of coral.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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I agree with #1 being pellet-lined shrimp burrows (If they are rock hard, they are probably fossil).

#2 might be industrial slag.

#3 are mineral.

EDIT: Just caught the Dallas origin; the shrimp burrows are certainly fossils.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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As always, you guys are full of great information! Thank you for all of your replies!

All I have been wanting to find is a TOOTH. And today was my lucky day! I have found a Ptychodus tooth, but this one is "the sharp kind". Now to research what it really is!

Thanks again everyone!

-Suvi

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If #1 and #2 are Ophiomorpha, they are really nice examples.

Context is critical.

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I have to disagree with the group here on the purported Ophiomorpha. Those are way more likely to be invertebrate coprolite masses. Ophiomorpha is larger, tends to be grainier, and the pellets are rounder as opposed to elongate. I posted some photos recently of similar masses - I'll look for it.

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Here it is: I posted to the thread called "Eggs Or Poop Or?" started by stxhunter Jun 30 2013 02:44 AM

post-186-0-97012100-1374585428_thumb.jpg

From the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey.

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And from the Pliocene of California (These are almost certainly from galatheid crabs)

These new ones very nearly match the NJ samples.

Edited by Carl
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