Partially Mummified Turtle? Fossilized Stomach Cavity? found in Englishman River area, Errington

[Dean Unger]

Found this interesting and unusual piece near Englishman River, Errington, BC, area, in a deep ravine, mostly sandstone, mudstone, shale banks in surrounding area - I think late cretaceous formation. It appears to have washed out of the side-bank and came to rest on a rocky spit in the middle of the stream. To the untrained eye, at first blush fossilized/partially mummified turtle - given the size, shape and form; second thought was that it may be some kind of fossilized/mummified stomach cavity? possibly reptile. 

[Fossildude19]

Looks like a concretion to me. 

Not seeing anything turtle related here.

[Dean Unger]

Thanks, Tim. There are what appear to be small bone fragments, sticks and vegetative matter within and underneath the mass itself which have soldified/mineralized, as well as a hard outer shell, an interesting concretion if so. Thanks. The mind reaches to make sense when inexperience at apt recognition rules the day. Cheers. 

 

 

[M Harvey]

1 hour ago, Dean Unger said:

Thanks, Tim. There are what appear to be small bone fragments, sticks and vegetative matter within and underneath the mass itself which have soldified/mineralized, as well as a hard outer shell, an interesting concretion if so. Thanks. The mind reaches to make sense when inexperience at apt recognition rules the day. Cheers. 

 

 

If what you say is true, than maybe you have a coprolite.  They come is many shapes and sizes.  

[Rockwood]

I'm not seeing anything that I would call clearly bone. Sticks, maybe. The inclusions do seem somehow just a bit too well defined for simple concretion. Coprolite deserves consideration in my opinion.

[Isotelus2883]

I think this is a very, very weathered oyster.

[FossilDAWG]

If you show it to the people at the Courtney & District Museum (ask for Pat Trask), or Graham Beard at the museum in Parksville, they should be able to give a definitive ID.  Also @fossisle should be able to help.  These people have a ton of experience with Nanaimo Group fossils.

 

Don