Any Fossil Experts Out There Know What This Is?

[Centsless Detecting]

Hey everyone, I found this fossil in the Milwaukee River yesterday while looking for bottles. Got skunked other than this, the river was too murky. I know nothing about fossils. It's about 7 inches long and 2 inches wide. Can anyone tell me what I found? Took some wet and dry pics for you.

 

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[Red-Coat]

Nice fossil. Looks to me like part of the shell from an orthocone nautiloid.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

Nice fossil. Looks to me like part of the shell from an orthocone nautiloid.

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RedCoat you're wealth of knowledge is incredible. Thank you. I was hoping it was some kind of creature. Now how old do you think it could be?

 

[Red-Coat]

RedCoat you're wealth of knowledge is incredible. Thank you. I was hoping it was some kind of creature. Now how old do you think it could be?

You're most welcome.

Orthocones existed from the Late Cambrian period of the Palaeozoic era through to the Late Triassic period in the first part of the Mesozoic era, but are most common in the early part of the Palaeozoic. The Palaeozoic era in toto began 538.8 million years ago and ended 251.9 million years ago. The Triassic period of the Mesozoic era ended 201.4 million years ago.

Exactly how old your specimen might be will depend on the age of the marine strata in the area where you found it, but it’s at least 200 million years old and likely rather older.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

You're most welcome.

Orthocones existed from the Late Cambrian period of the Palaeozoic era through to the Late Triassic period in the first part of the Mesozoic era, but are most common in the early part of the Palaeozoic. The Palaeozoic era in toto began 538.8 million years ago and ended 251.9 million years ago. The Triassic period of the Mesozoic era ended 201.4 million years ago.

Exactly how old your specimen might be will depend on the age of the marine strata in the area where you found it, but it’s at least 200 million years old and likely rather older.

That's almost unimaginable. Here I was searching for bottles from the 19th century and this guy shows up. Thanks again RC.

 

[Red-Coat]

PS: Note also that orthocone forms reappeared in the palaeontological record during the Cretaceous as baculitid ammonites, but the heavily ridged chambers don't look typical for a baculitid.

 

[Hunter1805]

foot print from the moon landing?

 

[Digger RJ]

Hey everyone, I found this fossil in the Milwaukee River yesterday while looking for bottles. Got skunked other than this, the river was too murky. I know nothing about fossils. It's about 7 inches long and 2 inches wide. Can anyone tell me what I found? Took some wet and dry pics for you.

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Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Looks like Crinoid fossil.

 

[Red-Coat]

Looks like Crinoid fossil.

... except that it appears to be tapered, and the segments have lateral curvature. Neither would be the case for a crinoid columnal.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

More Crinoids with tapered ends.

 

[Red-Coat]

More Crinoids with tapered ends.

... but what you originally showed were crinoid columnals, which are not tapered. You're now showing the arms for the crown, which do indeed taper, but don't have the deep ridging, or the kind of lateral curvature for the segments seen in the item originally posted.

The specimen is moderately well-preserved (what's left of it) and there's no evidence of any pinnules on what you are suggesting might be crinoid arms, They can be seen clearly in both of the pictures you posted, as feathery attachments to the arms.

You can keep looking for a picture of some kind of crinoidal part which has a better resemblance, but what I see is more consistent with a shell from an orthocone.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Agree to disagree, not worth arguing.

I found so many of them in Missouri when hunting for points.

 

[Red-Coat]

I found so many of them in Missouri when hunting for points.

Then please show us one that has a morphology consistent with what was originally posted.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

I was planning on giving the piece a light pressure wash if I have the time today. I'll start on the underside first to see how it turns out. Then move to the top. I assume that it won't cause any damage. I'll add those pics to the thread asap. Thanks for your input fellas!