Paw print fossil??

[mope540]

Is this impression that of a paw?? Or maybe some type of plant?? It measure 2" at the widest point, and was found in Missouri...maybe a mile west of Black River.

Thanks for any help!

 

[crashbandicoot]

Certainly looks like a bobcat track.Just a guess you understand. I know tracks well,but I don,t know squat about fossils.

 

[unclemac]

no, it is natural

 

[Older The Better]

I’m no expert on ancient feet by any means but I’m not sure paws are old enough to show up in stone, mammals didn’t really emerge until after 65 million years, who knows how long it took to evolve into something that would have a paw like that, you get into sabertooth cats and cave lions, you’re usually talking partially fossilized bones, I’d imagine not enough time for a print to become locked in stone. Just an educated guess though, looks more like some kind of mineral formation or maybe some type of coral colony

 

[mope540]

I’m no expert on ancient feet by any means but I’m not sure paws are old enough to show up in stone, mammals didn’t really emerge until after 65 million years, who knows how long it took to evolve into something that would have a paw like that, you get into sabertooth cats and cave lions, you’re usually talking partially fossilized bones, I’d imagine not enough time for a print to become locked in stone. Just an educated guess though, looks more like some kind of mineral formation or maybe some type of coral colony

Thank you both for the replies. Great information, OTB...makes sense