Found this in Monmouth, Illinois. Help me identify it?

[Jaymi Garrison]

I found this amazing fossil and I've just been so interested in it! I think it might be an aquatic reptile of which I can't remember the name of but it was found in a watery rocky sewer area near where I reside. 

I noticed it looked like an animal and took it home. I've washed it and took these pictures and really would love it if someone could help me identify it.

Thanks

[Lone Hunter]

First couple pics resemble a frog face but I assure you it's not a reptile.  I think I see bryozoan but not sure about circular thing maybe coral?

Edited August 4, 2022 by Lone Hunter

[Rockwood]

1 hour ago, Jaymi Garrison said:

I think it might be an aquatic reptile

Sorry. As stated, this is not reptile skin, but a fenestrate bryozoan. I think the round shapes must be crinoid columnals. The piece looks like it nearly degraded to lime mud before being lithified.

[digit]

I agree that I see the imprint of a crinoid columnal (the circular area which you are interpreting as an "eye).

 

https://kristinabarclay.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/fossil-friday-11-crinoids-the-oceans-feather-dusters/

 

What is appearing to you as "fins" are fenestrate bryozoans (tiny colonies of little animals called zooids).

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenestella_(bryozoan)

https://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossils/fossil-bryos.php

https://geokansas.ku.edu/bryozoans

 

The rest of the "body" that you are envisioning is merely the shape of the rock matrix containing these fossils. You can see from this geologic map that your area has Pennsylvanian rocks exposed at the surface.

 

 

Crinoids and bryozoans were common fossils of the Pennsylvanian. Have a look through the attached PDF for more information on crinoids, bryozonans, and the other types of fossils you might encounter in your area.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

ssils_Pa.pdf

[Fossildude19]

Great pseudo-fossil.