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Posted

I found this rock in Florida's Alafia River in an area with a lot of coral. Each "shell" is approximately 2mm across and the whole rock is either composed of or covered with them.

post-10484-0-80992800-1425225295_thumb.jpg

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

These look like they might be ostracods to me.

Don

Posted

Hackberry (or similar) seeds, IMO.

If that matrix is lithified, they may well be fossils. Pretty dang cool either way!

"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!

Posted

The matrix is lithified. When the photo is enlarged,a "golf ball" surface is visible on some of the structures and some of them are broken open revealing thin, uniform walls. I always like finding something new and different.

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

Hackberry (or similar) seeds, IMO.

If that matrix is lithified, they may well be fossils. Pretty dang cool either way!

Reading about hackberry seeds. Very real possibility and VERY cool. Thx!

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

I copied this photo from the website kansasgeology.weebly.com

I think it's a match. Thank you for the ID!post-10484-0-51623200-1425232784_thumb.jpg

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

The 2mm size of your finds concerns me a little as that is on the small side for hackberry seeds.

Could still be seeds, could be ostracods (of which I know very little)...any more ideas out there?

"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!

Posted

Hmmm....Any fossil plant experts around?

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

I think the fact that there is a large concentration would favor a marine deposition over a terrestrial one.

If you look under magnification you should see fibrous material if they are seeds. I don't think I've ever seen more than one hackberry seed at a time. I like FossilDAWG's ostracod thought.

It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators.

Posted

post-423-0-91377500-1425254702_thumb.jpg

I have not been able to find a spherical ostracod that looks anything like these.

"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!

Posted

Don't think they are ostracods. The interiors don't have the circular chambered look.

Posted

I also perused photos of ostrocods and didn't feel like it was a fit. I'll try to get closer with a better camera tomorrow.

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

Very cool find near my neck of the woods...I'm thinking I'm with the ostracod crowd but have no expertise with them...Have no clue which one but here's a shot of some with a more oval shape and that pitted texture that you noted from the USGS pub 0821 (viewing is a little slow...may want to download and then peruse)

post-1240-0-80713500-1425262213_thumb.jpgpost-1240-0-19893600-1425262681_thumb.jpg

http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0821/report.pdf

One of the guys on the MNH in gainesville is an ostracod expert..I've not met him but you may want to shoot it past him to see if he'll reply if noone else has an ID. Dr. Portell probably knows as well.

George D. Hecht

Curatorial Assistant
E-mail: ghecht@flmnh.ufl.edu
Collection, preparation, identification, and curation of Tertiary microfossils (Ostracoda, Foraminiferida) from the SE USA and Caribbean. Identification and Curation of the Paleozoic portion of the teaching Collection. Member of the Florida Paleontological Society.

Research interests include taxonomy and biostratigraphy of Florida brackish and marine Ostracoda.

Regards, Chris

Posted

I think the fact that there is a large concentration would favor a marine deposition over a terrestrial one.

If you look under magnification you should see fibrous material if they are seeds. I don't think I've ever seen more than one hackberry seed at a time. I like FossilDAWG's ostracod thought.

The photo I uploaded from Kansasgeology was ID'd as hackberry seeds but then we get back to the small size of my fossil spheres.

I took some better (I hope) photos this morning.

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

Forgot to attach the photo.

post-10484-0-01453000-1425323871_thumb.jpg

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

Top

post-10484-0-49573200-1425324001_thumb.jpg

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted

Side

There are tiny black pebbles in some of the recesses; I was afraid of damaging the fossil to get them out.

The rock looks similar on all sides.

post-10484-0-09427300-1425324198_thumb.jpg

Zookeeperfossils.com

Posted (edited)

UGhh I hate hackberry seeds. Though the ones I find are more oblong, your specimens could be that ole hackberry.

Mine aren't fossils, only annoying wannabe's.

I can now see a scenario by which the seeds congregated after falling into a stream blocked by branch?

The spherical shape might be a problem as Auspex noted.

Your specimens seem to lack internal structures as pointed out earlier by gturner.

The surface of your specimens look a lot like an ostracod or hackberry.

Looking forward to this one while I grind up some hackberry drupe, spread it on a stick, and cook it on a fire :P

Edited by squali

It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators.

Posted

Forgot to attach the photo.

top most pic appears to show the rim of an ostracod valve, the roundness had thrown me off because I couldn't see the edge of a shell. So I'm in the ostracod camp (but not certain of course!)

Posted

Squali, you're cracking me up! I, of course, read articles on gathering and preparing hackberry seeds. I'm all for healthy eating but thank goodness for grocery stores!

Zookeeperfossils.com

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