Snail?

[OmegaMan]

OK, I dug this up at work in California and I can't figure out if this is a snail
or something else. It is the white object on the left of the rock.
Should I use a dremel tool to clean around the shell and snail or not.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for looking

Bill

 

[Tylocidaris]

Bill, as you know, there are several things in that matrix. The largest ribbed thing is a bivalve of some sort, similar to a modern scallop. There appears to be another one below it. If you're making reference to the round form on the left edge, then it could be the mold of a gastropod (snail). I don't know what formation this was found in, so age is a wild guess. Just carefully clean it with a toothbrush and soapy water. It looks good in the matrix. Out of it, it's just another fossil shell.

 

[OmegaMan]

Bill, as you know, there are several things in that matrix. The largest ribbed thing is a bivalve of some sort, similar to a modern scallop. There appears to be another one below it. If you're making reference to the round form on the left edge, then it could be the mold of a gastropod (snail). I don't know what formation this was found in, so age is a wild guess. Just carefully clean it with a toothbrush and soapy water. It looks good in the matrix. Out of it, it's just another fossil shell.

Thank you for the info.

 

[oldgoat]

Bill, if you do use a dremel, be very careful. Like the other man said, leave some of the matrix attached. I did a piece similar to the one you showed and used the dremel tool, as I took off some of the matrix, I found another completely different shell beneath...