Jim Chandler

Hi Dave,

Cool fossil!  I am an amateur like you. I did some searching on the web and found an article about brachiopods with spines. Perhaps the author has the knowledge you are after. Also there are some references about identifying similar brachiopods you mentioned. Good luck hunting let me know what you find out.

https://woostergeologists.scotblogs.wooster.edu/2014/07/18/woosters-fossils-of-the-week-silicified-productid-brachiopods-from-the-permian-of-west-texas/

Jim Chandler

Hello Apostoulos,

“Horn coral. Horn coral, any coral of the order Rugosa, which first appeared in the geologic record during the Ordovician Period, which began <b>488 million years ago</b>; the Rugosa persisted through the Permian Period, which ended <b>251 million years ago</b>. (Britannica Encyclopedia)”  I know virtually next to nothing about Crete geology.  If I read this 1996 reference correctly  ( http://www.uqac.ca/mhiggins/chapters.html )  It seems like the geology of this area is much younger except for maybe the Permian Period.   Let me know what you find out about the Vatos unit.  I live in Maine, USA.  Perhaps the Natural History Museum of Crete can help.  http://www.nhmc.uoc.gr/   or http://www.nhmc.uoc.gr/en

Also see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugosa

Jim

Possibly a horn coral. Where did you find them?

Perhaps this is a calyx.  Good eye to  pick up this subtle detail. However it is too indistinct to be sure it is a calyx.  Check out some images of better preserved calyx at:https://www.google.com/search?q=crinoid+calyx&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi43eLPlP7YAhXHg-AKHX30CVoQ_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=630#imgrc=_

Jim

Most definitely crinoids. You could probably also find them in a nearby outcrop.

Jim

Hi Gail,  I have not collected any fossils in the West so I am not very familiar with fossils in that area.  My best guess to get the discussion going is that it is a bone of some kind. (maybe a hoof, but I am very much guessing.)  If I found a similar fossil in a marine sediment I might be tempted to call it a coral, but I think it may be a bone.  Where in South Dakota did you find it.  Combining the location with a geological map may help you narrow down what kind of environment it was formed in. A simple map is found at http://www.sdgs.usd.edu/geologyofsd/geosd.html  

Also look at websites about the fossils of South Dakota.  https://www3.northern.edu/natsource/earth/Fossil1.htm  

If it is a bone it does not look like it has much matrix to remove.  Hopefully someone more knowledgeable of fossils in your area will respond too.

No poster was attached. I see it now.  Thanks.

The “Poka-dotted” fossils in photos 1&2 are bryozoans.

Jim

Here are some good guides to dinosaur teeth:

http://www.ebay.com.au/gds/Buying-Fossil-Dinosaur-Teeth-What-You-Should-Know-/10000000052928415/g.html

http://digfieldschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Fossil-ID-Guide_06_28_12.pdf

https://www.fossilera.com/pages/dinosaur-teeth

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/70319-theropod-premax-tooth-hell-creek/#comment-785188

It is probably not possible with a small piece to identify a dinosaur bone to this level.  There is a good discussion of this on the fossil forum:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/38748-could-this-be-real-t-rex-bone/

My only direct experience with dinosaur bones was on a tour of the Gobi desert.  We were told if you licked a rock and it stuck to your lip it was a dinosaur bone, if not it was a stone.  So we spent the afternoon in the desert licking stones.

Jim

I agree. Where can we go for oysters?

Jim

Yes thanks.

Jim

Hi Lance @lance-comfort,  I am just trying to learn about fossil identification so I think your knowledge base is much greater than mine.  I did do some web searches about Lopha species.  I did find one East Coast citation in North Carolina for Lopha frons

http://discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Mollusca_Bivalvia_species&flags=HAS:

Also checking further the name Lopha frons is not accepted and the valid name is:  Dendostrea frons

http://z14.invisionfree.com/Conchologist_Forum/ar/t2410.htm

Might this be what you found?

What resources do you find best for identifying invertebrate fossils?

Jim Chandler

Thank you Eleanor for a wonderful webinar series.  I am glad for your email on how to become certified by listening to the webinars online and making a comment here on each webinar.

I have watched each webinar online and here are my comments and questions:

Session 1 (Fossil Collecting):  Nice to hear how important how amateur paleontologist is to donated fossils.  I am most appreciative to joining fossil clubs.  I am a member of the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society and Penn Dixie.  This is how I found out about this project.  Maine does not have many fossils but has an excellent publication <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Maine’s Fossil Record </span>by Lisa Churchill-Dickson available from the Maine Geological Survey. http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/explore/fossils/fossil-record.htm

I used to start my research on fossils sites at :  http://www.fossilsites.com/STATES/ but this website is no longer available. Do people know where to find these state lists?

The resources mentioned by Jay are very good.  Good to know about the Neophyte guide to vertebrate fossils.

I will join the fossil forum soon as well.

Session#2 (Field notes 101): This webinar was excellent.  I have found Mancos app very useful and an amazing resource for identifying the formation for any site. This webinar is essential for the serious paleontologist.

Session#3 (Excavating Fossils):  This webinar was well organized and a great resource to share with students.  It was good to focus on ethics as well as collecting law.  The case studies were a good way to handle this diverse topic.  I work mostly with invertebrates, so it was good to see examples with a vertebrate example.  It would be good to have an invertebrate case study.

Session #4 (Fossil Preparation):  I like the progression of tools from simple to more complex tools.  You gave enough details so that each method could be implemented.  In doing a cast do not forget to mention spraying the specimen and mold with release solution.  If you forget this step (from experience) you can have a big mess and ruin either the specimen or the mold.  Great information on cataloguing and storage. I was not aware of the problem of storing fossils in wood. I am also now using B-72 to seal labels.  The links were most useful.

This series and project has been most helpful to developing my skills as an amateur and improving my practices to a much higher level.  Thank you.

Jim Chandler, Bryant Pond, ME

It would be most helpful in a future video or webinar to do one on fossil identification and resources for identification.

Lance,

I agree it looks like some kind of bone, especially in your close up views.  Look at this website showing microscopic images of bones.  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/311241024224539876/

Some place like the Smithsonian could help you to identify it.  Keep us posted.

Jim

How heavy is it?  Does it float?