Hi,

I have just taken a look at your slides and I am sorry but I have no Idea what these could be. You might get in touch with geologists, or paleontologists that have a broader knowledge than mine, which is focused on human paleontology.

Best,

Michael

Hi Gelareh,

Interesting pictures! A bit more context would be helpful, do you know the age of the rocks and the location? I assume they are carbonates? The black lines in picture two remind me of horizontal stylolites. Picture 1 might be stylolites too, but since it is a broken off slab, I can't tell the original orientation. Pictures 3 and 4 remind me of stromatolites, or microbialites, picture 6 are maybe also these kind of structures, but not sure. Also not sure about picture 5, I assume you mean the structure just below the coin?

I think the pictures 3, 4 and 6 resemble microbialites, dome structure built by Phormidiwn crosbyanum. Maybe pictures 1 represents the sames fossil strutures.

What is location and age/Formation of the strata which contains these fossils?

Regards,

Pedro Correia

Hey. I need to know where are your samples and they are rock type, also need to know at what age are

Stromatolites?

what is your idea about Zoophycus isp. for slide no. 2?

I would say -. strings of algae, and not trace fossils. (And, some maybe were not biogenic at all ...)

Sorry, I can't help. Rock age and location will be essential for anyone to say something meaningful.

I can only comment after seeing the trace fossil photographs and their location etc

As with the other responses locatio, age, strat etc. would be useful...nevertheless, have you considered a possible plant source? Reminds me of pine needles but again need more info. Good luck!

The 3rd 4th and 5th slide seems to be Zoophycos of they belong to group of Zoophycos...

Regards

Andrea Di Cencio

My guesses are:

1. May be inorganic, and some sedimentary structure.

2. Possibly stromatolitic.

3-7. Zoophycos.

It would be useful to know more about the age, rock type and geological setting.

They remind me of some of the Ordovician Viola Springs Limestone and underlying units in Oklahoma.

Hi Dears,

Thank you

My samples are from ruteh formation (upper permian (Murghabian)). This formation is located in Central Alborz (Iran) and consist of dark gray, medium-bedded to massive fossiliferouos limestone.

I saw a lot of zoophycos trace fossil in this site and i send one of them.

I am not sure that before pictures are Zoophycos.

These are stromatolites,flow structure, and animal trail structures....

1,3, and 4 look like Zophycos to me.

5 could be some sedimentary structure induced by pressure but more some words aboput the orintation of the of the structure within the context of the rock, wihin the context of the outcrop and about the beding (or at leat some criteria for bottom and top) would be helpful.

6 could be some kind of flute casts.

I am sorry this is not my field of specialization. I work on Ostracods. Dr.S.M.Hussain, Dept. of Geology, University of Madras, Chennai - 600 025

Hi,

1, seem like an inorganic structure but could be a trace like a ridges and grooves...

3,4,5 look like Zoophycos

2: is a non-columnar stromatolite (stromatolitic lamination )

You say that the rock is dark gray, medium-bedded to massive fossiliferous limestone. What fossils are you found in these rocks?

Good Luck!

In that Formation are only fossil traces there, or some other kind of fossils? If yes, do you have some pics of these other fossils? Thnk you very much

these rocks have brachiopod, bryoza and echinoidea in Hand Samples .

Thank you very much, can you post some of that brachiopods and echinoids?

Regards

dear Andrea i sent for you some photos of my samples.

Hi,

the samples are very fossiliferous and the bryozoans and echinoderm plates are very nice!

Thank you

I don't seem able to download the photos - but if anyone wants to compare them with what microbial mats look like take a look at: Jurgen Schieber's on-line atlas at:

http://www.shale-mudstone-research-schieber.indiana.edu/mat-book-2007.htm

To my understanding the slide 1, 3, 4 and 5 are Zoophycos rest needs coating and their orientation etc.

Finally downloaded successfully -

I would say 1 - Microbial / algal mat; 2 -(referring to the vertically orientated bed bewteen 2/3rds and 3/4s towards the right of the frame) indeterminate planolites / thalassinoides type trace in a sequence of laminated carbonate sediments?; 3, 4 and 5 - zoophycos; 6 indeterminate - possible bryozoa? and curious circular feature just below the coin.

Most of these look like large Zoophycos traces in plan view. These are marine traces characteristic of quiet water settings. There is a big literature on these and plenty of images of them online. Here are some examples:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoophycos_mcr2.jpg

http://www.lakeneosho.org/Russia/TraceMenu.html#2

Hello. Yes. 1 and 2 I more or less agree with Matilde Beresi. 3,4,5 are Zoophycos and perhaps some related close forms (but of the same group) No problem. According to Seilacher, "Ichnofacies of Zoophycos" would occupy (characterize) a distal deep platform environments. However, Zoophycos, as a single trace fossil, has been found in proximal platform facies in extremely shallow environments even associated o mudcracks and other evidence for intertidal conditions. The presumable author would be a small worm, an annelid doing these long traces during its life; browsing wide areas of the substrate hence generating the "zig-zag"pattern and always returning along the peripheral way (= Pascichnia).

I forgot: Nr 6, I believe, is again Zoophycos but the trace fossils in this case seem to be not so well preserved (recent erosion, carbonate dissolution...)

Sorry for late and thank you for ppt

1-2 are stromatolite 90%

3-7 Zoophycos 95%