Last week, one of our board members found this strange looking object on a Bald Head beach. He brought it to us hoping we could help him identify it - and of course our conservation team delivered! After some research + help from friends David Hall, one of our Conservation Biologists, figured out that its a Steinkern, in excellent condition considering its about 58 million years old!! A Steinkern is a fossil consisting of a stony mass that entered a hollow natural object (such as a bivalve shell) in the form of mud or sediment, was consolidated, and remained as a cast after dissolution of the mold This particular specimen is a Steinkern from Cucullaea gigantea which is an extinct bivalve from the Paleocene, ranging from 58.7 - 55.8 million years ago! A very cool find + we thank Dr. Farabow for bringing it to us! Remember, if you find anything on BHI and need help identifying it, bring it over to the Barrier Island Study Center, we are open 9am - 5pm year round.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 16:41:13 +0000
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