booratino Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) Hi. What is it? Suppose to be covered with 6 calcic(nacre) shells. Symmetric. Bought in Thailand, possible origin - Ethiopia. Edited March 7, 2017 by booratino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 A few more pictures from other angles, plus location information (country, state/province, county, city, and/or geologic formation) will assist in a more precise identification. 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I enlarged and cropped your picture. To me, this looks like a concretion, or nodule. Not seeing shell fossils at all. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I'm with Tim on this - not seeing any shells, or fossils, of any kind on what appears to be a nodule. Perhaps they are on the other side of the piece? ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeschWhat Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Welcome to the Forum! I agree with the others. From what I can tell from the photo, it looks like a concretion. Lori www.areallycrappystory.com/fossils www.facebook.com/fossilpoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard_l Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I would try to determine the composition, is it shell material try putting vinegar on it and see if it bubbles. Howard_L http://triloman.wix.com/kentucky-fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booratino Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 Ok, here are more photos. This Item perfectly symmetric, of 6 elements opposite to each other, with scrap of fossilized mother of pearl on it. With opal inside. If it was creature what it could be? unicellular? Coccolithophorides? Diatomeae? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I really am not seeing anything fossil related in this. Looks geological. The"fossilized mother of pearl" could just be minerals, and I see no opal in the item. I also am not seeing the symmetry you are talking about. The pictures are on the small side, and blurry when blown up. Can you try taking better pictures in direct sunlight? Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booratino Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 ok, will try to make good photos later. but it's opal inside, trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 What You have is an opal filled thunderegg. This is a volcanic rock not a fossil and no shells. The "mother of pearl" is opal that is showing through the "skin" of the thunderegg. Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booratino Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 >> The "mother of pearl" is opal that is showing through the "skin" of the thunderegg. I'm the gemologist and I know what I see. Opal inside, petrified mother of pearl on the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 So where, precisely, do you see these six "calcic(nacre) shells"? If it is mother of pearl, how are you able to count six distinct specimens in this piece? ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booratino Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 >> If it is mother of pearl, how are you able to count six distinct specimens in this piece? Yes, here is only 4 complete parts and slight amount of missing. But if approximate You will realize that there was 6 parts in total. And each part was covered with mother of pearl, and all construction looks like 6 shells joined in one ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 20 hours ago, booratino said: >> The "mother of pearl" is opal that is showing through the "skin" of the thunderegg. I'm the gemologist and I know what I see. Opal inside, petrified mother of pearl on the outside. I stick with My original statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Whatever it is, it is not fossil. Better pictures may help to reveal "opal" or not, but this is a geologic item, and not a fossil. I see no evidence of ribbing, growth lines, pedicle, commisure, hinge line, plication, sulcus, fold, or costae . Regards, 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I'm also seeing no clear evidence of opal. What tests have you conducted on the specimen to arrive at this conclusion? I'm not seeing the typical faceting one associates with an opal. If it is a Welo opal, have you tried the "wet finger" test? 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 32 minutes ago, Kane said: I'm not seeing the typical faceting one associates with an opal. The orange center and whitish outer areas are opal. Opal is an amorphous non-mineral and does not show faces (facets are cut by man). Opal has a glass like structure with a conchoidal fracture. Most of this rock is opal. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Thanks @ynot - I learned something new! 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 What is a mother of pearl ? "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 1 hour ago, fifbrindacier said: What is a mother of pearl ? Some shells will show a iridescence in their nacre, this is called "mother of pearl". It is a common attribute to Abalone and Nautilus shell. Tony 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booratino Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Platycrinus symmetricus ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Thanks @ynot "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 @booratino Please do not post links to ebay fossil offers (or other seller's links). These links soon become obsolete and provide zero content to the discussion for future readers. It would be better if you could make your point with a reference to scientific documentation. 2 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 13 hours ago, booratino said: Platycrinus symmetricus ? Are You saying You think it is a crinoid calyx? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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