Eocene Sponge Identification help.

[masonboro37]

Hi everyone! I have been cleaning out, organizing and labeling the mounds of sediment buckets in my garage. Plenty of time over the holiday break to try and get my mind back in to the fossiling mode. I tried at the beginning of this year to get my Friday excursions going again and venture to some quarries, but there are limited areas which the fossil hunter may tread now a days. Then priorities in life too . 

 

These buckets of sediment have been waiting for me for many years and months, just waiting for me to take the time to investigate their treasures. I started a few days ago on a few of my Eocene, Castle Hayne Formation, North Carolina buckets.  Many bryozoa, crinoid, echinoid and occasional crab claw specimens appeared during my screening and washing. Several species of sponge too. I came across this dandy lil' fella and would like to ask for some assistance in identification. Has that "sponge" look to it and seems to have other characteristics. I did not find it in the NCFC Invert Book or my other Invert books.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Best, 

 

 

. 

 

 

[Al Dente]

I think it is one of the gorgonian holdfasts that are common in the Castle Hayne. I think if you clean out the circular hole on the top you will see concentric circles where the stem grew.

[Bronzviking]

Hi, I just posted one similar but mine had the stem in the middle. Take a look, good info about it.

 

[masonboro37]

3 hours ago, Al Dente said:

I think it is one of the gorgonian holdfasts that are common in the Castle Hayne. I think if you clean out the circular hole on the top you will see concentric circles where the stem grew.

Hey! Thank you very much for your information Eric. I went ahead and used the micro camera before cleaning out the area, and BEHOLD...there are the concentric circular patterns. You are right on. I have several modern fan corals and the holdfasts look so similar. Happy new Year to you and family!

 

Libby

[masonboro37]

26 minutes ago, Bronzviking said:

Hi, I just posted one similar but mine had the stem in the middle. Take a look, good info about it.

 

Hi Bronzviking,

 

Thank you for checking out the lil' specimen, great info to follow which you lead me to. I appreciate it. Happy New Year on the way! 

 

Libby