Fossil ID anyone?

Little_Foot

Hi everybody! I'm really green in terms of fossil hunting/identification and I could use some help figuring out what it is that I've found.

Okay, the fossil in question is whatever is inside that large rock up in the left hand corner. The rest of it is miscellaneous brachiopods/crinoid stems. I'm assuming it's some sort of sea plant, but I'm unsure what it might be.

Also, if this picture ends up being massive, I'm sorry. I haven't quite figured out the ins and outs of posting photos here. Thanks!

MiNdGaM3

Little_Foot wrote: »

Hi everybody! I'm really green in terms of fossil hunting/identification and I could use some help figuring out what it is that I've found.

Okay, the fossil in question is whatever is inside that large rock up in the left hand corner. The rest of it is miscellaneous brachiopods/crinoid stems. I'm assuming it's some sort of sea plant, but I'm unsure what it might be.

Also, if this picture ends up being massive, I'm sorry. I haven't quite figured out the ins and outs of posting photos here. Thanks!

While I'm most likely wrong, and Palaeontology is far from my strong point, at a quick glance I'd guess some type of solitary corals like Siphonophyllia. Can you see any hints of banding on it? What kinda scale are we looking at in the pic? Any chance of an image of just the fossil in question?

Wibbs

I'd be saying solitary rugose coral too, or a solitary example of a usually more form. Lithostrotion for example. It could also be a byrozoan. The shape fits anyway. If it looks like it's covered with tiny little holes all over, then that's most likely what it is:

Little_Foot

Alright. Here are two additional views of the fossils in question, both with a quarter for scale. It is covered in very tiny pores, so I think you're right in assuming it is some kind of solitary coral. I'm going to take an airscribe to it this weekend and see if I can't clear some of the matrix off of the surrounding area to get a better view (assuming I both survive my marathon finals and get a day off work!). There are some other interesting sponges and corals I've found as well that need some cleaning up.

Alvin T. Grey

Little_Foot wrote: »

Alright. Here are two additional views of the fossils in question, both with a quarter for scale. It is covered in very tiny pores, so I think you're right in assuming it is some kind of solitary coral. I'm going to take an airscribe to it this weekend and see if I can't clear some of the matrix off of the surrounding area to get a better view (assuming I both survive my marathon finals and get a day off work!). There are some other interesting sponges and corals I've found as well that need some cleaning up.

Not sure about the fossil (I'm new too) - but I do like the Dinoskin print in the background

Wibbs

If it's covered in loads of tiny pores I'm going with byrozoan rather than coral. The branching habit would confirm it for me, if they're branches and not one laying atop another.

Little_Foot

Alvin T. Grey wrote: »

Not sure about the fossil (I'm new too) - but I do like the Dinoskin print in the background

HA! Thank you! That's my couch! It's actually this massive tufted leather chesterfield sofa I upcycled. It was a really terrible off-white so I painted it that dark purple/brown color and then scrubbed it until it looked...well, like you said, kind of like dino skin. It's totally my favorite possession, it even has claw feet!

Wibbs - I believe you're correct. They do appear to be branching rather than layered, and with further research I've found other photos that look similar. The first time I googled byrozoan fossils the images I found were much more porous than mine, however with a little more effort, and a more specific search I'm nearly certain that's what it is. THANK YOU!