🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Fossilized / Petrified object?

Umbrahabitator

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Jun 7, 2020
99
195
Illinois
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Metal Detecting
Hello,

I am not the owner or the one who found this and am posting for someone else. The item was found in a creek that has a large amount of petrified wood, fossils, and such of the like in Illinois. Any help identifying it would be appreciated, thank you. Also, the site looks amazing after the update, well done.

The item;
Tapers from one end to the other
Has a slight curvature
Is fairly uniform in texture
Is roughly 7 inches long
Appears to be have been broken off of something larger
 

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crashbandicoot

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Sep 27, 2020
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I don,t know what that is.My son lives in Springfield and I,ve visited the Museum there which has a lot of info on fossils in Illinois.Very interesting,I never knew Illinois was a State with such a rich fossil heritage.
 

Upvote 1

ChadPrice

Greenie
Jul 21, 2018
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It resembles slate cores here in Arkansas for some reason here there is always a odd shaped core or nodule
 

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Red-Coat

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Dec 23, 2019
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Surrey, UK
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For sure it's a fossil, but I don't think it's a belemnite rostrum. It's uncharacteristically large for Illinois (although not impossibly so). Also, the rounded end looks to be part of its original anatomy and also not typical for belemnites. They typically taper much more strongly at the posterior end, and usually come to a point.

I believe it's part of an orthocone nautiloid. Like this one, which is Orthoceras (from Illinois) and an approximate 4 inch section from a larger shell:

orthoceras.jpg

Orthocones also come to a sharp point at the posterior end but (unlike belemnite rostra) the shell is chambered, with curved septal walls. It's that septal wall which is a weak point in fossils and often leaves them with a rounded end when they break:

orthocone.jpg
 

Upvote 3
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Umbrahabitator

Umbrahabitator

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2020
99
195
Illinois
Detector(s) used
White's XLT
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Thank you,

I appreciate the help. I will relay the information to the owner, they will be happy to hear it.
 

Upvote 0

giuhalftrack

Jr. Member
Jul 13, 2017
64
64
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BFO's (DIY), Tesoro Silver, Tesoro Outlaw
Primary Interest:
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For sure it's a fossil, but I don't think it's a belemnite rostrum. It's uncharacteristically large for Illinois (although not impossibly so). Also, the rounded end looks to be part of its original anatomy and also not typical for belemnites. They typically taper much more strongly at the posterior end, and usually come to a point.

I believe it's part of an orthocone nautiloid. Like this one, which is Orthoceras (from Illinois) and an approximate 4 inch section from a larger shell:

View attachment 2041659

Orthocones also come to a sharp point at the posterior end but (unlike belemnite rostra) the shell is chambered, with curved septal walls. It's that septal wall which is a weak point in fossils and often leaves them with a rounded end when they break:

View attachment 2041660
my idea too, consider that sometimes the fossile "dissolve" in some way and you are left with the "inside" like a casting in a mold
 

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