Several Fossils

[roustabout149]

Needed some fresh air and sunshine so I went to the river for a couple of hours. Found these three fossils that I thought were interesting.

[painshill]

Interesting items, Pam
We're on the sea-bed again here. A warm shallow sea, a few hundred millions of years ago. Before we indulge in some speculation I should just clarify that of all the groupings of animal life you find in the fossil record, these organisms are the most difficult to classify… never mind identify down to a species. Among others, we find sponges, corals and bryozoans with outwardly similar appearances that can be extremely deceptive. Palaeobiologists continue to argue about where some of these things belong from a classification standpoint – even with the benefit close examination under the microscope.
Anyone who has dived a coral reef will know just what a fantastic diversity of exotic forms exist in the modern world. Much of what casual divers may describe as “coral” is actually nothing of the sort. The fossil record is even more diverse.
So, subject to that disclaimer, here goes.
The first item looks like a branched coral, doesn’t it? It might well be…. but I suspect that it’s actually a bryozoan of the kind known generically as “sea whips”:

Sea Whip Bryozoan (Iciligorgia schrammi)
I think sometimes it’s more illuminating to look at living examples, like the above. Here’s a mixed bunch of bryozoan fragments in oil shale (from Estonia), including some "sea mat":

Here’s another type of bryozoan, known generically as “sea fans”:

Bryozoan Sea Fan (Gorgonia sp.)
I fancy that I can see fragments of a bryozoan of this type in the other rock you posted (“A Rock for Painshill”). It’s been pretty much squashed flat during the fossilisation process, but in life it would have looked something like this… a beautiful delicate structure, curled round into a partial cone:

Venus fan (Gorgonia ventalina)
[Copyright: Jaro Nemcok (Creative Commons license)]
  The second item? Well, we’re seeing something which has eroded to give us an unusual viewing angle and aspect. I would suspect that it’s a partial remnant fossil from a coral… possibly a mushroom coral:

Mushroom Coral (Fungia sp.)
[Copyright: John Zander (Creative Commons license)]
  The third item? Who knows. There’s not much in the way of features to help identify it, apart from the fact that it’s round. Coral or sponge maybe? Certainly more sea-bed material.
Hope this helps.
Roger

[roustabout149]

Thanks, Roger.  I'm going to box up several of the fossils I found and include them with the other one.  As much as I love them, maybe you can make better use of them than I.  This means, I will be sending you a box of rocks if you want them! :laugh:  I should say fossils!  Shoot me an address as to where to send them.  After all, what can it hurt?
Pam

[itwasluck]

Are you taking pieces Roger? Cause I have been finding what I think is pottery but might be fossils. If I sent you a piece you wouldnt have to send it back cause I got plenty. But I would like to know if it is pottery or fossils.

[painshill]

itwasluck wrote:

Are you taking pieces Roger? Cause I have been finding what I think is pottery but might be fossils. If I sent you a piece you wouldnt have to send it back cause I got plenty. But I would like to know if it is pottery or fossils.

  Hi Glenn
Thanks for the offer but no, I'm not touting for specimens. I made a promise by private mail that I would send Pam a gift for Brian if she wanted it. This was her way of reciprocating, which is very kind (but also unneccessary).
Since you seem not to be able to upload into the forum, if you drop some pics into your profile picture gallery (groan!!! inch: ) I'll give you a view if I can... as long as the pics are clearly identified so I know what I'm supposed to be looking at.
Re the correspondence elsewhere about profile pics versus forum pics I hope you understand I was only trying to help... if you needed it... to resize pics so the forum would accept them. Can't help much if the problem is that your PC is antiquated, I'm afraid. Not wanting to labour the point, but I did have a look at your library afterwards and although over 1,000 people had viewed your profile only around 35 people had gone on to look at your pics, and out of 80 or so pics only 4 had received any comment... and only then as a one-liner. If you can persuade that gal of yours to upload for you (bribery? :whistle: ) then you will get more interaction.
Roger

[itwasluck]

Thanks Roger the or some is on my prolfile now in all those pic there. My brother says it might be dobb from when they use to build their huts.

[painshill]

itwasluck wrote:

Thanks Roger the or some is on my prolfile now in all those pic there. My brother says it might be dobb from when they use to build their huts.

  Glenn... there are 83 pictures in your album! As I said, you need to give me some idea of what I am supposed to be looking at... a file number or something.
Roger

[itwasluck]

Says NW fiber pottery on the bottom of the pictures and one has a stamp on it.

[painshill]

See new post here:

http://forums.arrowheads.com/forum/general-discussion-gc5/native-american-pottery-non-lithic-artifacts-gc23/30048-fibre-tempered-pottery-from-georgia

Roger