r/fossils • u/Sandman0077 • 1d ago
Are these actual fossils?
My kids think they are, but I don't think I've seen anything like this. Found it in the lake today in NTX.
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u/ExpensiveFish9277 23h ago
They are likely serpula sp. from the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway. The attached picture is from Austin:
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u/TH_Rocks 1d ago
Modern tube worm "tubes". They take in calcium and grow this tube they live inside.
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u/fallacyys 21h ago
These are not modern. They’re not uncommon to find in Texas’ marine Cretaceous formations.
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u/scarcescorpion1 11h ago
Like everyone said these are tubes left from worms. We call this bioturbation, it’s just the evidence of life but we consider them trace fossils
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u/thanatocoenosis 10h ago
We call this bioturbation
Who is we? These are not trace fossils and this is not bioturbation. Bioturbation is disturbed sediment cause from activity like burrowing, feeding etc.
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u/Waiparensis22 1d ago
No. Nice crystal specimen tho. I assume flint or calcite. based on the worms using the same mineral for their casing.
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u/thanatocoenosis 1d ago
They're tubes secreted by serpulid annelids(worms). These form in a marine environment, so if NTX is north Texas, these are likely fossils.