Unknown Mineralization - Hardin County, Kentucky
UPDATE! Someone from a university in the Kentucky Paleontological Society group on Facebook said it's a Polyrhizodus like I thought and they had also found one near Radcliff, Kentucky, which is also Hardin County!
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In honor of halloween, here's a spooky mystery for you to solve. I've had this possible preservation of death in my possession for over 15yrs, currently my primary thought from researching images that are similar is Polyrhizodus, potentially ohioensis, which is a petalodont or Chomatodus, Paleozoic shark-like fishes known by bradyodonts. I've been told by some that it's definitely teeth of either fish or sharks and by others that it's just mineralization and nothing more.
In the early 2000's, the Ring Road project in Hardin, County (Elizabethtown, KY) had been in progress. My father had a coworker friend who lived along the road and was able to obtain a few loads of the rock busted by contractors to be used in his yard. My dad scored some as well and it was used for landscaping. Ever the budding Geologist, I of course explored the rock pile and found this particular find to be both intriguing and perplexing.
State: Kentucky | County: Hardin | City: Elizabethtown
Strata: Uncertain the exact location of discovery, so used the Rockd app to determine the strata in the area. Ste. Genevieve Limestone, St. Louis Limestone, Salem Limestone. All late Mississippian. http://www.uky.edu/KGS/water/library/gwatlas/Hardin/Geology.htm
The mineralization is smooth and shiny, pale pink/peach in color. There are tiny holes all over the surface. At the top is a spongy area, with what looks like sand grains embedded within.
My current theories:
- Looks most similar to Polyrhizodus, potentially Ohioensis, which is a petalodont.
- Chomatodus, paleozoic shark-like fishes known by bradyodonts.
- scolecodonts (but I believe it's too large to be that)
- Spongy area could be bryozoan fenestella or most likely part of the root/crown area of a tooth as I've seen on others during my research.
Gallery is a mix of DLSR with flash and old iPhone images. Ink pen and scale used for size. There are no other visible fossils, would need microscope to see them, if there are.
Read More-----
In honor of halloween, here's a spooky mystery for you to solve. I've had this possible preservation of death in my possession for over 15yrs, currently my primary thought from researching images that are similar is Polyrhizodus, potentially ohioensis, which is a petalodont or Chomatodus, Paleozoic shark-like fishes known by bradyodonts. I've been told by some that it's definitely teeth of either fish or sharks and by others that it's just mineralization and nothing more.
In the early 2000's, the Ring Road project in Hardin, County (Elizabethtown, KY) had been in progress. My father had a coworker friend who lived along the road and was able to obtain a few loads of the rock busted by contractors to be used in his yard. My dad scored some as well and it was used for landscaping. Ever the budding Geologist, I of course explored the rock pile and found this particular find to be both intriguing and perplexing.
State: Kentucky | County: Hardin | City: Elizabethtown
Strata: Uncertain the exact location of discovery, so used the Rockd app to determine the strata in the area. Ste. Genevieve Limestone, St. Louis Limestone, Salem Limestone. All late Mississippian. http://www.uky.edu/KGS/water/library/gwatlas/Hardin/Geology.htm
The mineralization is smooth and shiny, pale pink/peach in color. There are tiny holes all over the surface. At the top is a spongy area, with what looks like sand grains embedded within.
My current theories:
- Looks most similar to Polyrhizodus, potentially Ohioensis, which is a petalodont.
- Chomatodus, paleozoic shark-like fishes known by bradyodonts.
- scolecodonts (but I believe it's too large to be that)
- Spongy area could be bryozoan fenestella or most likely part of the root/crown area of a tooth as I've seen on others during my research.
Gallery is a mix of DLSR with flash and old iPhone images. Ink pen and scale used for size. There are no other visible fossils, would need microscope to see them, if there are.
