Muffinsaurus Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 I picked this up on my last trip along AA highway in Kentucky. It's about 4cm long. I thought it was a crinoid stem. Recently I saw a YouTube video where someone found a fossil very similar to this and called it a cephalopod. So that left me confused. So I figured I should just post and ask here. (If I need to provide more information or pictures please let me know) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Hunter Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 Looks like a Cephalopod to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffinsaurus Posted July 29, 2022 Author Share Posted July 29, 2022 Thank you! Awesome! I kinda hope it is. It looks so rad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 (edited) It's crinoid - the serrated edges indicate the radial ridged articulation surfaces between the individual columnals. I think the apparent taper is mainly down to crushing, breakage and the way the specimen sits in the matrix. Edited July 29, 2022 by TqB 2 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 I suspect that what appears to be a line of taper is actually the exposed sediment surface at the time of deposition. Some of the piece would have eroded away before fossilization. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffinsaurus Posted July 29, 2022 Author Share Posted July 29, 2022 Thanks! So maybe my intuition was correct it is a crinoid. Just to make sure I tried to get some much better pictures just now (some with my incredibly bad magnifying glass). Thank you all for helping out with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 The tapered stem makes me think it could be from a cystoid. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 1 hour ago, Al Dente said: The tapered stem makes me think it could be from a cystoid. You could be right. 2 2 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngodles Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 I had to look up Cystoidea myself, a class under the Echinodermata, I still think they have similar stem morphology in cross-section to Crinoidea. This thing certainly tapers, to me is seems that the radius reduces rapidly in this part, alongside any natural erosion that may be occurring. That said, I just found out these existed a few minutes ago and cannot comment further. 2 Fossils of Parks Township - Research | Catalog | How-to Make High-Contrast Photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffinsaurus Posted July 29, 2022 Author Share Posted July 29, 2022 This is the first time I've heard of cystoid as well. I'll look deeper into these. At the end of the day not only is it a neat looking fossil but it has lead to me learning some new things 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacTheFossilMan Posted July 29, 2022 Share Posted July 29, 2022 +1 for a cystoid, pretty pretty find! 1 ~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com "Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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