bone2stone Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 We all find things that just gets our imagination going. This particular specimen was found in the Britton member of the Eagle Ford Formation. (Upper Cretaceous) The membrane "onion skin thin" shell is slightly irridescent gold/green. The overall impression is unusual. I do not think it is an inoceramus (Looks simuliar) but then again I really do not know just what it is. Any ideas? Jess B.
fossilized6s Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 It looks like it was something hard and then crushed prior to fossilization (like a shell). Rudist maybe? Interesting piece. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG
Auspex Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 Could it be an operculum? It seems to show a somewhat radial growth pattern. "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!
Herb Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 operculum seems like a fair guess "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
abyssunder Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 It could be an operculum...and is very nice! " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library
bone2stone Posted March 28, 2015 Author Posted March 28, 2015 (edited) Could it be an operculum? It seems to show a somewhat radial growth pattern. Well guys, that is the consensus. It does seem to be an operculum. It would have to come from a very large specimen. To date I have not found a gastropod large enough, out of the Eagle Ford, to have one this large . Lots of gastros but normally nothing larger than a Half dollar. Auspex, Under higher magnification it does have growth lines. It looks as though it was crushed but managed to stay together. The golden and green pearl coloration is beautiful. Thanks for the attention. Jess B. Edited March 28, 2015 by bone2stone
Fossildude19 Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 Maybe they meant fish operculum/gill cover? Cool find! Thanks for posting it. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me
Auspex Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 Given the nacreous appearance, I was thinking mollusk. "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!
Al Dente Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 It reminds me of this scale:http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/5393-cretaceous-fish-scale-id/
bone2stone Posted March 30, 2015 Author Posted March 30, 2015 It reminds me of this scale:http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/5393-cretaceous-fish-scale-id/ It has some simularities but the scales we find in this deposit are normally deep brown in color and does not have the pearl like irridescense. Same goes about fish obercums, deep brown.
Al Dente Posted March 30, 2015 Posted March 30, 2015 If it is a mollusk my guess would be Anomia. Anomia are usually thin shelled, calcitic and are fairly abundant in some Cretaceous deposits.
Diceros Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 I believe Al Dente was right the first time, it's a very thin, fairly large, bony fish scale. It wouldn't pick up the color of the bone in the same bed because it's so thin, and has so little bone in it (it's mostly keratin). It's specifically a ctenoid bony fish scale - you can see the concentric growth lines at the top, and the hook-like ctenii at the bottom. I think the radiating creases are to strengthen the scale.
Wrangellian Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 First thing I thought of when I saw it was 'scale', too.
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