Unknown Pennsylvanian fossil

Upper Pennsylvanian
Road Cut - Cowley County, Kansas

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What I know about it is that it comes from a road cut in
Cowley County, KS, SE of the small town of Vinton, an
U. Pennsylvanian site with well-preserved Pulchratia and
very large Derbyia, but few other fossils. The image
indicates size, etc. The fossil is 3-dimensional and
tube-like, with a chitinous appearance.

The "U"-shaped area at the left end of the fossil was
apparently enclosed and club-like originally; it was
broken off in cross-section when I found it. The surface
shows very faint lines, perhaps growth lines. The fossil
is apparently phosphatic, as it does not react (though
the surrounding matrix does) with weak acetic acid.

Any clues, I'd be grateful!
Wendell Ricketts

Viewer comments

I've looked through some of the available material I have
available and it appears that your mystery fossil is probably
an annelid worm tube. I've seen and have found some similar
things in the black shale beds here and have seen some in
nearshore rocks as well. I am unable to put a generic name
on it. Some of those things are very long ranging and very
homeomorphic so only a real authority on these fossils
would have a chance to make a generic or specific identification.
Roger Pabian

UPDATE (March 2012)
Interesting discussion on another fossil discussion forum LINK

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