I have found many of these in Dennard, Arkansas. My question is this- The trace fossils are on the bottom side of a flaky shale that is very smooth on top. Can there be animal fossils located in these flay shale layers?
Yes. Soft-bodied marine animals formed the star-shaped burrows in a muddy substrate that later filled with sand. Over the last 300 million years or so, the mud and sand has become the shale and sandstone in which we find asterosoma trace fossils preserved today.
Hi! Interesting site. I have found some of these and only today have I been able to find your site that explains what they are. I have a really nice size one. I have found about 3 so far and then another weird rock that I haven’t been able to identify. I love weird rock and have always been fascinated by stuff like that. Is there an e-mail that I can send you the pictures of what I have found? Thank you.
My Aunt Bonnie Paul has a huge collection of these fossils at her home on Gaither Mountain just outside of Harrison, AR. Says its the only place on the mountain where they are found.
Office of the State Geologist Blog 
I have found many of these in Dennard, Arkansas. My question is this- The trace fossils are on the bottom side of a flaky shale that is very smooth on top. Can there be animal fossils located in these flay shale layers?
Yes. Soft-bodied marine animals formed the star-shaped burrows in a muddy substrate that later filled with sand. Over the last 300 million years or so, the mud and sand has become the shale and sandstone in which we find asterosoma trace fossils preserved today.
Now I will never get out of the rock pile! Thank you so very much.
I have one similar to these but I don’t know how to put the photo on here.
Hi! Interesting site. I have found some of these and only today have I been able to find your site that explains what they are. I have a really nice size one. I have found about 3 so far and then another weird rock that I haven’t been able to identify. I love weird rock and have always been fascinated by stuff like that. Is there an e-mail that I can send you the pictures of what I have found? Thank you.
My Aunt Bonnie Paul has a huge collection of these fossils at her home on Gaither Mountain just outside of Harrison, AR. Says its the only place on the mountain where they are found.
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