Paleontica Community

These were found in lower carboniferous limestone in north northumberland England.

 Could they be belemites?, I think belemnites are meant to be bigger.

Or are they coral. 

As you can see they are tapering towards one end, they are also slightly flattened. 

No corals or belemnites. Could you also place a photograph of the cross section of these things? That would help with the identification.

Cheers,
Johan

it will not let me add a photo to a reply.

I cannot see any internal structures on the cross section (prehaps you can), It just looks blank to me.

So are you saying they are Crinoids.

file:///Users/patricksmalley/Pictures/Photos%20Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/C/C9919758-0DF1-4BC5-9BDB-112045D0ADBF_1_105_c.jpeg

if you copy this into google you should see a cross section.

Hey Patrick,

Your link is not working either. If you click on the "Volledige bewerken & Voorbeeld" button below (the butten to the left of Verstuur/Send") you can go to the full menu, and add photo attachements.

Cheers,
Johan

Sorry, Here they are.

Hi Patrick,

Interesting specimens! Belemnitida can probably be ruled out, both on the basis of age (you wrote these specimens came from the lower Carboniferous, i.e., from before the belemnitida evolved) and because the cross-sections lack the "fibrous radial pattern" you would generally see in belemnites.

I cropped one of your photographs to highlight the ribbed external pattern, which is rather consistent. Cross-sections seem to lack any pattern, though. I'm certainly no expert in beasties, but perhaps also compare your find to tube worms? Surely others here will have much better ideas.

Tim

The cross sections are not typical for crinoids either. Perhaps these could be conulariids cf. Paraconularia. The size and general tapering shape would match...

Although the pattern of lines seems somewhat finer than your typical segmentation, couldn't these be sections of orthocones? They're very similar to fossils my son and I found in a "discovery box" with fossils from Morocco from Junior Geo, which described them as orthocones. Below are some images for comparison (sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

amelchers schreef: ↑14 apr 2021, 09:56 Although the pattern of lines seems somewhat finer than your typical segmentation, couldn't these be sections of orthocones? They're very similar to fossils my son and I found in a "discovery box" with fossils from Morocco from Junior Geo, which described them as orthocones. Below are some images for comparison (sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

That was my initial feeling too. But these things all appear to be a bit more tapering, compared to orthocerids.