Posted: Feb 28, 2010 2:29 pm
Piper,
Attempting to ID such objects from 2-D images can lead to many errors, but having never been afraid to screw up in the past I will not now break from that pattern.
I think what you have there is a concretion. These often form when organic matter forms a bacterial mat as the organic material is decomposing. Sediments are trapped in this mat and as other sediments accumulate and the concretion forms. This may well have a fossil inside, or be an actual fossil, but it looks like a concretion.
Can you take a more close-up picture of the strand like structures so that we can see the points between them and the interior of the layer where the filaments are seen?
Also do you know the general age of the rocks in your area where this was found?
Can you please also provide some description of the rock on either side of the layer where the filaments are seen?
This is fun, but again risky. Do you have any geology or paleontology persons locally that might be able to help?
RS
Attempting to ID such objects from 2-D images can lead to many errors, but having never been afraid to screw up in the past I will not now break from that pattern.
I think what you have there is a concretion. These often form when organic matter forms a bacterial mat as the organic material is decomposing. Sediments are trapped in this mat and as other sediments accumulate and the concretion forms. This may well have a fossil inside, or be an actual fossil, but it looks like a concretion.
Can you take a more close-up picture of the strand like structures so that we can see the points between them and the interior of the layer where the filaments are seen?
Also do you know the general age of the rocks in your area where this was found?
Can you please also provide some description of the rock on either side of the layer where the filaments are seen?
This is fun, but again risky. Do you have any geology or paleontology persons locally that might be able to help?
RS