Hill 400 Line Alligator Fossil?

[Dominick Gheesling]

So, we headed up the Hill 400 line today and I noticed a really interesting formation on the left side of the tunnel on the ledge everyone uses to pull. It was perfectly flat, from the perspective of looking down at the ledge. It was circular in shape, maybe 8-10" in diameter. It was creamy white and it had what looked very much like the markings on an alligator's belly skin.

Just wondering if it might have been an alligator fossil and if anyone else has seen this formation.

Dominick

[CHartmann]

Are you talking about this? It's an echinoderm fossil. Like a sand dollar.

[CHartmann]

More info on it: https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2013/02/2...llssanddollar/

[Diverlee]

I?ll have to look for it next time. Don?t think I?ve noticed it before.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PsychDiver]

Very cool, thanks. I've always wondered what that was. My best guess was turtle. Glad to know, and it makes sense -- I've seen lots of tiny sand dollars in there.

[rddvet]

Very cool, thanks. I've always wondered what that was. My best guess was turtle. Glad to know, and it makes sense -- I've seen lots of tiny sand dollars in there.

They're all over the place and I also assumed they were the bottom shell from a turtle. But then i wondered why there were so many bottom shells but not top.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kelly Jessop]

Ginnie unfortunately has a history of fossils disappearing/damaged when the location is announced publically.

[Dominick Gheesling]

Are you talking about this? It's an echinoderm fossil. Like a sand dollar.

Thanks! Yes I do believe this is the type of fossil I saw.

[Rich]

Wow, didn’t realize it was okay to pull and glide in the Hill 400 tunnel now...

Safe diving,

Rich

[Dominick Gheesling]

Wow, didn’t realize it was okay to pull and glide in the Hill 400 tunnel now...

Safe diving,

Rich

To be clear, I was not pulling and gliding. It is obvious from the smoothly polished, white edges of the shelf that it must be common practice.