JoyH Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 I have recently come across baculites from the Cody Shale that appear to have other baculites inside them. These are not broken or crushed sections. Is anyone familiar with this? Unfortunately, I do not have pictures to share right now. I hope to get some soon.
Auspex Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 I cannot imagine what that could be... "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!
caldigger Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 A mama with baby bacs. inside. Aww how cute!
Al Dente Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 There is a bed of Odovician nautiloids in Iowa that are shoved into one another. There are sometimes referred to as telescoping nautiloids.
old dead things Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) Most likely one baculite eating on a dead baculite, then died while inside. I find that a lot in the Pierre and Cody shale baculites of central Wyoming. I'll see if I can find some better photos. I know JPC has another idea and I'll have him post it. Jim Old Dead Things Edited September 21, 2015 by old dead things
Foshunter Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 I have found ammonites that after death shells etc gather in the aperture, maybe Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me"
old dead things Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 A few more photos of baculites in baculite. top view two baculites in one baculite Baculite and a clam in a baculite Clam in a baculite Collected in the Pierre Shale of central Wyoming. Jim Old Dead Things
jpc Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 I think these are some sort of deposit where the water actually has an effect on the shells at the bottom of the ocean. So it ismoving them around and gently pushes one baculite, or clam, or a small ammonite, into a bigger baculite. It is not uncommon in baculite accumulations. 1
JoyH Posted September 22, 2015 Author Posted September 22, 2015 I think these are some sort of deposit where the water actually has an effect on the shells at the bottom of the ocean. So it ismoving them around and gently pushes one baculite, or clam, or a small ammonite, into a bigger baculite. It is not uncommon in baculite accumulations. What you describe fits what I have seen well. I will post some pictures in the next day or two.
Ludwigia Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 It's quite common actually that currents sweep shell substance along with sand, clay and other material into openings at the very beginning of the sedimentation process. It can sometimes be interesting what can be found in the living chambers of ammonites and nautiloids, for example. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/
bone2stone Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 (edited) Most "lens" accumulations have multiple species all bundled together and the smaller material gets trapped in the apertures "housing chamber" as has been previously suggested. It does not necessarily have to be a "lens" though. Some creature may have used an old sea shell as a hidey hole and grabbed it's victims as they cruised by. Depositing it's debris nearby, eventually accumulating as a mass breaking apart once exposed. Jess B. Edited September 22, 2015 by bone2stone
JoyH Posted September 24, 2015 Author Posted September 24, 2015 Here are a few pictures of one example of what I have been finding. It is much more open than my other examples.
JoyH Posted September 24, 2015 Author Posted September 24, 2015 This piece appears to have had something that was the right shape to be a smaller baculite threaded inside of it at one time and to have a small one still in place. The outside of this piece has a moderate covering of caliche on the outside of it.
JoyH Posted September 24, 2015 Author Posted September 24, 2015 One final example. These are all from Cody Shale in central Wyoming
Wrangellian Posted September 25, 2015 Posted September 25, 2015 IMG_4701 save as crop doc.jpgIMG_4702 crop edit.jpgIMG_4703 crop doc.jpgIMG_4708 crop doc.jpgHere are a few pictures of one example of what I have been finding. It is much more open than my other examples. I'm not sure the outer shape represents anything but an elongated concretion, maybe same for your other examples too. Concretions tend to form around fossils and if the fossil is long the concretion might be long too.
PFOOLEY Posted September 25, 2015 Posted September 25, 2015 I'm not sure the outer shape represents anything but an elongated concretion, maybe same for your other examples too. Concretions tend to form around fossils and if the fossil is long the concretion might be long too. Agreed...I can see what may be shell, but does the inner feature have a suture pattern? "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins
Wrangellian Posted September 25, 2015 Posted September 25, 2015 Agreed...I can see what may be shell, but does the inner feature have a suture pattern? It might not, if we're looking at the living chamber. I see what looks like a hint of nacre in one of the pics, so I would bet on the inside thing being a bac... Another test would be to get a view of it directly end-on, for the symmetry.
PFOOLEY Posted September 25, 2015 Posted September 25, 2015 It might not, if we're looking at the living chamber. Well, I agree...again. More photos, please. "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins
JoyH Posted September 28, 2015 Author Posted September 28, 2015 IMG_4701 save as crop doc.jpgIMG_4702 crop edit.jpgIMG_4703 crop doc.jpgIMG_4708 crop doc.jpgHere are a few pictures of one example of what I have been finding. It is much more open than my other examples. Here are more images of the same piece. The pictures don't show it well, but there is nacre on both the inner and outer pieces.
jpc Posted September 28, 2015 Posted September 28, 2015 I'm not sure the outer shape represents anything but an elongated concretion, maybe same for your other examples too. Concretions tend to form around fossils and if the fossil is long the concretion might be long too. Having collected my fair share in the Cody Shale of central Wyoming, i think these are indeed baculite pieces. The living chamber does not have sutures and is often (around here) preserved as a simple baculite shaped pseudoconcretion such as these.
Wrangellian Posted September 29, 2015 Posted September 29, 2015 I can see this now by the extra pics. That makes in more interesting...
jpc Posted September 29, 2015 Posted September 29, 2015 Joy brought these by the Tate today, and indeed she has a bunch of baculites in baculites. And a bunch more that are just baculite pieces. 1
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