Kyleontheweb Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I think this fossil looks like a clam, but I can't say I've found one before so I'm not sure. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 It could be an internal mold of a bivalve. Post some pics of different views, and one close up of the surface. From the looks of it, if it is a bivalve, you should be able to see a hinge line along that exposed edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 It could be an internal mold of a bivalve. Post some pics of different views, and one close up of the surface. From the looks of it, if it is a bivalve, you should be able to see a hinge line along that exposed edge. Sorry that it took me a long time to get some new pics. I took a number of close-up pics from different views of this possible clam specimen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 As I said before, it sure looks like a sponge to me. I see nothing about it that looks like a clam other than a generally round shape, but that is not diagnostic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 As I said before, it sure looks like a sponge to me. I see nothing about it that looks like a clam other than a generally round shape, but that is not diagnostic. A sponge, interesting. I've never found a fossil sponge before. Maybe that is what this is. I haven't seen any little pores all over it like I think you had mentioned before though. Guess I'll have to look up some comparison pictures of ordovician sponges. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 It can be difficult to see any structure in some Ordovician sponges without putting them under magnification. Here is one of mine at x50 mag. Solenopora As you can see, the structure is very small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 It can be difficult to see any structure in some Ordovician sponges without putting them under magnification.Here is one of mine at x50 mag. Solenopora As you can see, the structure is very small. Cool, thanks for the info. :-} I don't have anything to take a magnified picture of it with, but for now I guess I'll say it's an unknown, possibly a sponge, possibly an internal bivalve mold. The only reasons I went with the idea of it being a clam were the shape and the "layered" appearance on the surface of what would be the shell, which I have seen on modern clam and mussel shells. If you guys think it's more likely to be a sponge, I'll assume it's more likely to be such. Thanks for the assistance on figuring this thing out. I have no idea what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 It could very well be an internal mold that is very weathered. The shape suggests that, but without having it "in hand", it is hard to ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 It could very well be an internal mold that is very weathered. The shape suggests that, but without having it "in hand", it is hard to ID. If we're able to meet up for fossil hunting in say Ohio or Kentucky sometime, I'll definitely bring it along to show you. It's pretty cool, whatever it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 I revived this thread only to say that I found out what this thing is, I think. I took it to the fossil IDers at the local rock, fossil, mineral show in Cincinnati. They say this is an internal mold of a clam. I have no idea what their particular experience is, but two of them looked at it and said that, so I am assuming their analysis to be correct. So mystery solved! Thank to everyone who helped me try to get this specimen identified. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I still say sponge. It is too big for a clam from that age in that formation. Just compare it to the brachiopods in the same rock. I would love to see it in person to verify it, but I am sticking with sponge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I have seen some ambonychiids from the Cincinnattian larger than that one. I have one laying around somewhere that is lager than my hand, and I have big hands. This is a cyrtodontid that is about the same size as yours(and a good possibility of what yours is). scale bar is 4mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I have big hands. scale bar is 4mm Is it true what they say about fossil huntes with big hands? (Insert your own joke HERE) ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn835 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Is it true what they say about fossil huntes with big hands?(Insert your own joke HERE) They can hold big fossils? With rocks in my head, and fossils in my heart.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 They can hold big fossils? LOL about the big hands thing. I would say it is still possible for it to be a sponge, however since two people saw it in person and were at least qualified enough that they felt comfortable identifying fossils for people at a major show, I am going to go with the assumption that their analysis is correct. I also have another item that was a bit smaller and kind of broken that I found in the same general location, it is a bit different but more clearly a clam. It sort of looks like the one Solius posted, except not as nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 LOL about the big hands thing. I would say it is still possible for it to be a sponge, however since two people saw it in person and were at least qualified enough that they felt comfortable identifying fossils for people at a major show, I am going to go with the assumption that their analysis is correct. I also have another item that was a bit smaller and kind of broken that I found in the same general location, it is a bit different but more clearly a clam. It sort of looks like the one Solius posted, except not as nice. There is a good possibility that it was one of the two guys in the first pic HERE. If so, they are two of the best at IDing Cincinnatian fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstreman Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Sure this is Ordovician? I it were Jurassic or Cretaceous I'd say it was an Inoceramid which were the largest bi-valves ever. Google up inoceramus images and compare. Not disputing that the matrix looks Cincinnatian just noting the similarity to a species long distanced by space and time. Eman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Sure this is Ordovician? He collects the Cincinattian of Ohio. There is no Mesozoic sediments in this part of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstreman Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 He collects the Cincinattian of Ohio. There is no Mesozoic sediments in this part of the country. Sorry I misunderstood, I thought he said that he got it at a show. My Bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Is that a Brachiopod I see in the lower right? Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Is that a Brachiopod I see in the lower right? Yep, it appears to be a Dinorthis sp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleontheweb Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 Yep, it appears to be a Dinorthis sp. Cool, thanks for the ID on that Solius, you really know your fossils! Thanks for providing the information on where this was collected from also, I hadn't been keeping up on this post, I should have turned on the reply notifications. That is correct, this was collected from a well-known area formation in Waynesville, OH, the Caesar Creek Spillway. P.S. in regards to who IDed the fossil, I know one of the people who IDed it wasn't Bill Heimbrock, because since I am an official Dry Dredgers member now, I know who Bill is, and he wasn't one of the two people who looked at it on that day. The other person you mentioned could have been one of them though, I am not familiar with Ron Fine yet. I may bring this fossil the next time I meet with the Dry Dredgers later this month just to have some of them take a closer look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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