Paleome Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I just received a new shipment of matrix/prep material from the Wheeler Formation of Utah this afternoon. What should be looking at me from within the box is THIS! It is huge, about 3 inches wide by 5 inches long, very smooth and flat, with a well-defined margin to it. I don't yet know if I have the other side to it, yet. First, I thought it might be the remains of a jelly, but I don't see any structures within, like concentric rings or radiating lines. Then, I thought maybe it is a cephalon shield or carapace of a very large phyllocarid, like Branchiocaris. I am still feverishly researching every type of Phyllocarid it might be. There is only a very faint area of changing width of slightly darker material, wrapping around the inside of the circumference of its margin/edge. Did I finally get lucky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorp Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I think it's just mineral staining. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleome Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 At the very least, you are correct. I have looked at many varieties of phyllocarid fossil photos, and I would be much more convinced of a carapace/shield if the shape of this thing were a little different, namely flat along one lengthwise side. Perhaps I shall dig around from the other side. It could be a geological thing, like a lenticular deposit of lighter-colored matrix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Using an "if it walks like duck" parallel, I'd say this is a concretion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I would say that this is a concretion split through the middle. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Bisected concretion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleome Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 Thank you all for your inputs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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