bockryan Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 (edited) Hi all - reposting from the FB group as I know some people here are more active on the Forum: Any ideas on this one? Cassville Shale, so Carboniferous/Permian boundary in Southwest PA, found alongside mostly classic Carboniferous plant fossils like Neuropteris and Macroneuropteris, so a terrestrial/swamp setting. Trace fossil of some kind? A plant? An animal? Geologic? No idea! Difficult to photograph as the relief is pretty shallow - the spiral pattern stands out, detail is relatively poor but hopefully the pattern is unique enough to get an ID Ryan Edited July 30 by bockryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 A welder might get the urge to grab the chipping hammer to tap off slag. I think it's actually the feeding trace Zoophycos though. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bockryan Posted July 30 Author Share Posted July 30 Just now, Rockwood said: A welder might get the urge to grab the chipping hammer to tap off slag. I think it's actually the feeding trace Zoophycos though. I looked at Zoophycos, but it says that it is known from marine deposits, and most often deep marine deposits, which I why I ruled it out. I saw that it is possible in shallower depths but I haven't seen it associated with a terrestrial deposit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 (edited) 8 minutes ago, bockryan said: I looked at Zoophycos, but it says that it is known from marine deposits, and most often deep marine deposits, which I why I ruled it out. I saw that it is possible in shallower depths but I haven't seen it associated with a terrestrial deposit. Swamps aren't really that terrestrial. They were commonly flooded be marine transgressions and storms as well. Edited July 30 by Rockwood spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 Zoophycos has been recorded from shallow and non marine environments. This doesn't quite look like the Zoophycos i am familiar with but i don't have a better suggestion right now 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 One has to keep in mind that trace fossils, especially at the ichnogenus level, are based on morphology and not the identity of the maker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 31 Share Posted July 31 It could be a fern fiddlehead. 1 Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 31 Share Posted July 31 26 minutes ago, Missourian said: It could be a fern fiddlehead. That would explain the slag look better than a trace. And it looks like those could be pinnules. I think you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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