This is an earthcache. There is not a physical container to find. You must read the page information and answer questions before logging a find.
E-Mail logging requirements:
1. Looking at the ground near the bottom of the hillside, find a Devil's Toenail.
2. Looking at the Toenail you picked up, do you see the nail and the lid?
3. In your observation, are these Devil Toenails a Mold, Cast or True Form; and what is your reasoning?
4. Post a picture of yourself or a personal object at this location with your found log.
A Texigryphaea fossil is a type of fossil from an extinct, free-living oyster that lived during the Cretaceous period, primarily in what is now Texas and the southern Western Interior of North America. These fossils are bivalve mollusks, meaning they have two-hinged shells, with the fossil consisting of the complete preserved shell of the animal (including the soft parts that were once inside).
In Texas, shell banks can be found containing countless oyster fossils. These banks probably formed when storms washed Texogryphaea ashore, depositing the shells either on beaches where they were covered over by sand, or in underwater depressions that were later filled in with sand.
These oysters, also called Devil's Toenails, lived on the sea bed in shallow waters, possibly in large colonies. The complete fossil consists of two articulated valves: a larger gnarly-shaped shell (the toenail) and a smaller, flattened shell, (the lid).
Body fossils preserve the actual structure of an organism, whether this be bones, teeth, leaves, or some other aspect of the organism's actual primary structure. Fossils typically preserve the "hard parts" of an organism, as the soft tissue will decompose too quickly for the mold or mineralization to record it.
There are three different types of fossils that record the body structure: MOLDS, CASTS, AND TRUE FORM FOSSILS.
MOLD
A mold fossil is a fossilized impression or cavity left in the surrounding rock after an organism's remains have decayed. These are formed when an organism is buried and its body dissolved leaving a void that is then filled with sediment or minerals. These show the external shape of the original organism.
CAST
A cast fossil is a replica of an organism formed when a mold is filled with minerals or sediment. These are formed when sediment or minerals seep into an existing mold and harden over time, creating a new shape. These recreate the shape and surface detail of the original organism in a 3D form.
TRUE FORM
True form fossils are the actual remains of an organism, such as bones, teeth, shells, or leaves. These organisms are quickly buried by sediment and its orginial materials are preserved or replaced by minerals over time. These provide the most direct evidence of past life.
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