Unidentified Fossils

[RebeccaRox]

These fossils were found in our garden in Sydney, Australia. Any ideas what they might be?

 

[traveller777]

View attachment 2004945These fossils were found in our garden in Sydney, Australia. Any ideas what they might be?

Hello Rebecca. I just want to welcome you.

All from your garden? Were rocks carried in? Some look like from seabed and at least one seems to be of plant leaf. Maybe two, but one of those could be an underwater plant. They just do not look all from same place. But I am no expert. I am sure someone with more knowledge than me will help you. Cheers.

 

[RebeccaRox]

Thanks. Yes I think the previous owner of the house collected fossils, rocks and minerals, and at some point someone emptied them all into a garden bed out the back. I doubt they are originally from this location - so a seabed for many of them is probably correct. Was just curious if anyone knew what they might be.

 

[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

That's a nice accumulation to have been left for you! They certainly couldn't all be from the Sydney area, or even all from the same area since they represent vastly different geologic ages and environments... both marine and terrestrial.

1 is a clump of crinoid columnals. They’re the segmented ‘stalks’ from marine invertebrates related to starfish and sea urchins but commonly known as “sea lillies” because they have a plant-like appearance.

2 is a stony coral and I’m pretty sure it’s Plesiastrea versipora

3 & 4 are leaves from seed ferns (large shrubby and tree-like plants) and look to be Glossopteris species.

5, 8 & 9 look to be Fenestrate bryozoans (simple colonial invertebrates which are usually marine and commonly known as “moss animals”).

6 I’m not sure about, except it appears to be something marine.

7 isn’t a fossil. It’s a dendritic mineral deposit. The mineral is usually pyrolusite (manganese dioxide).

10 is a clump of indeterminate brachiopod shells and detritus (marine organisms similar to but distinct from bivalve molluscs, commonly known as “lamp shells”)..

 

[traveller777]

Welcome to Tnet.

That's a nice accumulation to have been left for you! They certainly couldn't all be from the Sydney area, or even all from the same area since they represent vastly different geologic ages and environments... both marine and terrestrial.

1 is a clump of crinoid columnals. They’re the segmented ‘stalks’ from marine invertebrates related to starfish and sea urchins but commonly known as “sea lillies” because they have a plant-like appearance.

2 is a stony coral and I’m pretty sure it’s Plesiastrea versipora

3 & 4 are leaves from seed ferns (large shrubby and tree-like plants) and look to be Glossopteris species.

5, 8 & 9 look to be Fenestrate bryozoans (simple colonial invertebrates which are usually marine and commonly known as “moss animals”).

6 I’m not sure about, except it appears to be something marine.

7 isn’t a fossil. It’s a dendritic mineral deposit. The mineral is usually pyrolusite (manganese dioxide).

10 is a clump of indeterminate brachiopod shells and detritus (marine organisms similar to but distinct from bivalve molluscs, commonly known as “lamp shells”)..

Super job, Red-Coat. Thanks for your help.

 

[Red_desert]

Now all you need to do, is locate the Sabre Tooth Tiger fossil. Welcome to TNet!

Sabre tooth tiger fossil discovered

AUSTRALIAN scientists today said they have unearthed the remains of a bizarre, prehistoric, saber-toothed cat in an ancient former rainforest, where specimens stretch back 25 million years.

www.news.com.au

 

[crashbandicoot]

Welcome to Tnet!

 

[Goldfinger450]

084302 and 308 look to be from same fossil of a frog or toad going by the skeletal shape of frog sitting..

 

[Red-Coat]

084302 and 308 look to be from same fossil of a frog or toad going by the skeletal shape of frog sitting..

No, not a frog or toad. Those are typical bryozoan patterns. For comparison, this one is Fenestella species:



These frequently grow as an ever-spreading carpet across ocean floors, smothering and taking on the general shape of anything beneath (stones, shells or whatever).

 

[Digger RJ]

View attachment 2004945These fossils were found in our garden in Sydney, Australia. Any ideas what they might be?

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[UnderMiner]

Devonian crinoids and some carboniferous plant material it looks like.

 

[Red-Coat]

For some reason, the ordering of the pictures as I now see them seems to have changed since the original posting. So, for clarity, using the last digits of the actual file-names:

084147: Crinoid columnals
084350: Indeterminate brachiopods
084408: Fenestrate Bryozoan
084308: Fenestrate Bryozoan
084325: Non-fossil dendritic mineral, likely pyrolusite
084250: Unsure
084302: Fenestrate Bryozoan
084225: Seed Fern leaves, likely Glossopteris
084203: Seed Fern leaves, likely Glossopteris
084514 Stony coral, likely Plesiastrea versipora

For comparison with picture 084325, these are typical non-fossil dendritic pyrolusite deposits (my collection). Both from Solenhoffen in Germany, but It’s a common pseudofossil in limestone and sandstone where manganese-rich groundwater has percolated through sedimentary strata.

 

[jewelerguy]

cool fossils

 

[islamoradamark]

welcome to Treasurenet