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Post by oregon on Oct 31, 2020 22:21:55 GMT -5
I was looking over the latest haul and found one bristling with gastroliths.
waiting to see the inside  |
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 31, 2020 22:50:09 GMT -5
The gastroliths fascinate me. I can see the exposed stones have become smooth I'm assuming due to exposed weathering, but do the non-exposed sections of the gastroliths have rougher edges to them? I wonder to what degree they would have been "tumbled" inside the gizzard (I'm assuming gizzard) before they were "exited" out... |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Oct 31, 2020 23:53:54 GMT -5
[/quote]The gastroliths fascinate me. I can see the exposed stones have become smooth I'm assuming due to exposed weathering, but do the non-exposed sections of the gastroliths have rougher edges to them? I wonder to what degree they would have been "tumbled" inside the gizzard (I'm assuming gizzard) before they were "exited" out...[/quote]
All the evidence I've been able to process points towards the gastroliths having been rounded by action within the innards of the dino, not by weathering after excretion. For example the exterior texture of many coprolites are well preserved (not weathered) yet have rounded gastroliths protruding from the surface. I'll have to look in my pile and see if I can find some good examples to share.
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dreamrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
I got lucky this morning and was able to post this no others since
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Post by dreamrocks on Nov 1, 2020 0:05:13 GMT -5
How do they look slabbed on the inside it would be interesting to see inside of those or do you just leave them whole
I am thinking like just slice & polish as if you were making a pair of book ends.
I would think if there were more inside that would look really cool they would be exposed from all four sides or from three sides and leave the back as the original texture
That one looks like it’s big enough for something like that
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 1, 2020 0:34:25 GMT -5
So, it would be safe to say dinosaurs are basically the oldest known non-terrestrial tumblers! That both fascinates and amuses me!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 1, 2020 0:40:40 GMT -5
All the evidence I've been able to process points towards the gastroliths having been rounded by action within the innards of the dino, not by weathering after excretion. For example the exterior texture of many coprolites are well preserved (not weathered) yet have rounded gastroliths protruding from the surface. I'll have to look in my pile and see if I can find some good examples to share. I know what you mean, but it still sounds funny... |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 1, 2020 22:24:19 GMT -5
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 1, 2020 22:34:22 GMT -5
Here are some with protruding gastroliths. Notice how the coprolites have retained a somewhat rugged exterior, but the gastroliths have been well rounded. Thanks for posting these. Those pics really do show how much smoother the gastroliths are compared to the coprolite! Wow. Makes me wonder how long they were "tumbling" inside the dinosaur prior to passage! |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 1, 2020 22:43:34 GMT -5
Here are some with protruding gastroliths. Notice how the coprolites have retained a somewhat rugged exterior, but the gastroliths have been well rounded. Thanks for posting these. Those pics really do show how much smoother the gastroliths are compared to the coprolite! Wow. Makes me wonder how long they were "tumbling" inside the dinosaur prior to passage! That my friend, is a good question. I have a hunch the larger pebbles stayed inside the critter longer than the fine grit because I've never found a non rounded pebble larger than an acorn, yet grains of grit the size of peas or smaller are often angular. The largest gastrolith I ever found entombed in a coprolite was about fist size and was very rounded. |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 1, 2020 22:47:49 GMT -5
Here's one that was bisected by the saw. Sorry for the poor photo.  |
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 1, 2020 22:48:43 GMT -5
Thanks for posting these. Those pics really do show how much smoother the gastroliths are compared to the coprolite! Wow. Makes me wonder how long they were "tumbling" inside the dinosaur prior to passage! That my friend, is a good question. I have a hunch the larger pebbles stayed inside the critter longer than the fine grit because I've never found a non rounded pebble larger than an acorn, yet grains of grit the size of peas or smaller are often angular. The largest gastrolith I ever found entombed in a coprolite was about fist size and was very rounded. When I first started getting interested in hounding and tumbling...and rocks in general, I never in a million years would've guessed I would be so fascinated with poop! LOL I really do find coprolite very engaging and I'm truly fascinated with what it discloses about dinosaurs. |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 1, 2020 22:53:29 GMT -5
That my friend, is a good question. I have a hunch the larger pebbles stayed inside the critter longer than the fine grit because I've never found a non rounded pebble larger than an acorn, yet grains of grit the size of peas or smaller are often angular. The largest gastrolith I ever found entombed in a coprolite was about fist size and was very rounded. When I first started getting interested in hounding and tumbling...and rocks in general, I never in a million years would've guessed I would be so fascinated with poop! LOL I really do find coprolite very engaging and I'm truly fascinated with what it discloses about dinosaurs. When I'm telling my sister in law about coprolite she looks at me like I've lost my mind and she keeps saying "but it's poo." |
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 1, 2020 23:00:49 GMT -5
When I first started getting interested in hounding and tumbling...and rocks in general, I never in a million years would've guessed I would be so fascinated with poop! LOL I really do find coprolite very engaging and I'm truly fascinated with what it discloses about dinosaurs. When I'm telling my sister in law about coprolite she looks at me like I've lost my mind and she keeps saying "but it's poo." My father-in-law has a necklace made from coprolite...I keep forgetting to ask him to show it to me. He tells people to rub it for good luck...then tells them to smell their fingers...and finally tells them what it is! LOL He really gets a kick out of it. He was about rolling on the floor just telling me about that. |
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 2, 2020 22:16:06 GMT -5
I got some pics of my father-in-law's necklace today. It's a bit different than a lot of the other coprolite I've seen...   |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 2, 2020 23:02:27 GMT -5
Very nice. I don't see many patterns like the one at 11 o'clock on the right photo, but I have seen some before. I think I have some that have fortification growth patterns that are similar but I like yours better. Glad you posted them.
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 2, 2020 23:37:41 GMT -5
I'm not sure I should post this or not, but I'll roll the dice...
My mother-in-law says the dinosaur this came from obviously had hemorrhoids... LOL
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Post by fernwood on Nov 3, 2020 5:05:25 GMT -5
That is a beautiful piece of Shi#.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 3, 2020 13:11:46 GMT -5
TURD TUESDAY  |
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Post by stephan on Nov 3, 2020 14:01:05 GMT -5
When I'm telling my sister in law about coprolite she looks at me like I've lost my mind and she keeps saying "but it's poo." My father-in-law has a necklace made from coprolite...I keep forgetting to ask him to show it to me. He tells people to rub it for good luck...then tells them to smell their fingers...and finally tells them what it is! LOL He really gets a kick out of it. He was about rolling on the floor just telling me about that. If you believe the woo-woo crystal sellers online, coprolite isn't for good luck. It's way better than that. They claim it improves your memory. Puts a whole new light on the term, "S#!t for brains." |
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Post by stephan on Nov 3, 2020 14:20:54 GMT -5
I got some pics of my father-in-law's necklace today. It's a bit different than a lot of the other coprolite I've seen... Hold on a sec... does that have pyrite at about 2:00 o'clock in the right picture? Cool piece. |
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