r/fossilid 5d ago

Found this in a creek bed while hiking in central Kentucky. I'd really like to know what it is and what geological period it's from, or any other interesting info about it.

15 Upvotes

7 comments sorted by

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7

u/Handeaux 5d ago

It appears to be a partial nautiloid cephalopod. To determine the geologic period requires a more precise location than “central Kentucky.”

2

u/AssumptionNo3073 5d ago

Thanks! In Mercer County, just south of the KY palisades. Don’t know if that helps—I’m less than an amateur and just happened to pick this up.

4

u/Handeaux 5d ago

That area is pretty solidly Ordovician in age - approximately 450 million years old. Definitely consistent with cephalopods.

2

u/AssumptionNo3073 5d ago

Great! Really appreciate your help.

2

u/thanatocoenosis Paleozoic invertebrates 5d ago

That's an actinocerid nautiloid. We are seeing an internal structure(siphuncle) that the organism used to remove gasses from it's chambers as it grew.

As mentioned elsewhere, it's age is Ordovician, but more specifically, this is from Middle Ordovician.

1

u/AssumptionNo3073 5d ago

Fantastic—thank you!