Missourian Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 What do the strata at your collecting sites, or in the vicinity, look like? What type of fossils do you find in them? What other interesting geologic features are present? I will post some images as soon as I can get to them.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 I'll start with a quick and dirty, courtesy of Google Street View.... A formerly excellent site featuring Pennsylvanian fossils is at I-435/Holliday Drive in Kansas City, Kansas. Currently, it is a bit picked-over and overgrown: From the bottom, moving up.... Chanute Shale Formation - I don't recall finding fossils here. We were distracted by the fabulous layers above. In other places gastropods and trace fossils can be found. Iola Formation: Paola Limestone - Fossils are locked into the dense rock, though it does provide a platform for the overlying Muncie Creek. Muncie Creek Shale - Fossils found in phosphatic nodules include fish teeth and bones, coprolites with scales and bones, ammonoids, crustaceans, and conularids. Larger, ironstone-looking concretions have yielded ammonoids and trilobite pieces. Raytown Limestone - Phylloid algae and brachiopods are typical. Shark teeth can be found on the top. Liberty Memorial Shale Formation - Formerly Known as Lane Shale. This one was the headliner. Whole crinoid crowns can still be found here in the lower part if you're willing to dig through the weeds and overburden. Mollusks are also present. Wyandotte Formation: Frisbie Limestone and Quindaro Shale - Not easily differentiated from the overlying Argentine. Argentine Limestone - Large productid brachiopods are the norm. Shark teeth can be found in the lower beds. On top, out of sight, more layers can be found.... Lane Formation: Island Creek Shale - I found a few rather poor brachiopods and bryozoans in the sandy shale. Farley Limestone - I didn't see any fossils of note. All layers are in the Kansas City Group, Missourian Series. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 This is both interesting and valuable; I encourage others to follow your lead! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Pennington Formation near Sparta Upper Mississippian; Chester series. Mostly hash plates with dis-articulated marine fossils on thin siltstone beds, the most exciting thing being trilo pygidiums of Kaskia chesterense(?). Also a dolomite(?) layer with many productid brachs and some bryos, plus Ive found two tiny cladodont type teeth in it as well. Not as much of the second material falls as the first. Archimedes are common at this site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 This is both interesting and valuable; I encourage others to follow your lead! There are many who wouldnt like to give away their favorite spots though Im sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 There are many who wouldnt like to give away their favorite spots though Im sure. No one will be thought badly of for not revealing their hard-earned secret spots! One of the many benefits of these posts is that they serve as examples, to the less experienced, of what to look for and how to do it. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 On 11/16/2011 at 10:01 AM, JimB88 said: There are many who wouldnt like to give away their favorite spots though Im sure. Yeah, I thought that too. I then went back and edited my post to include "in the vicinity" so we could at least see the formations, if not the goodie sites themselves. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 On 11/16/2011 at 9:57 AM, JimB88 said: Pennington Formation near Sparta Upper Mississippian; Chester series. Thanks much! If I was driving through and saw such a cut, I would have to stop.... The Chester strata are interesting to me, as they appear to be transitioning from the typical Mississippian thick carbonates into the alternating marine/non-marine beds of the Pennsylvanian. Unfortunately, near where I live in Missouri, the Chesterian is absent. The youngest Mississippian we have handy are the massive limestones of the Osagean. The rest was lost to the pre-Pennsylvanian unconformity. Oh, and the Archimedes with the lace still attached is very nice. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 One of the sites I frequent is in the Maquoketa Formation of Southeast Minnesota which is Ordovician in age(to be more specific Richmondian). Due to new regulations in the mid 90's we've been stuck collecting mostly road-cuts, but this is one of the few quarries we can still get into with permission(Hooray for nice owners!). This quarry exposes three formations, but with no rock sitting in the quarry we focus on the Maquoketa on top. Anyway... some of the fossils that can be found in the Maquoketa formation include brachiopods, pelecypods, nautiloids, trilobites, crinoids, graptolites, conulariids, sponges and solitary corals. Annotated photo of the quarry Picture of the top where we collect And some links to some of the fossils I've found there: http://www.thefossil...exicalymene-sp/ http://www.thefossil...nus-angustatus/ http://www.thefossil...75-ischcadites/ And a shameless link to my website page that describes the formation in more detail. Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 On 11/16/2011 at 3:13 PM, Caleb said: One of the sites I frequent is in the Maquoketa Formation of Southeast Minnesota which is Ordovician in age.... Very nice, and beautiful fossils. Being used to the Pennsylvanian, I would be intimidated by that cliff face (though my hiking, spelunking, and stratigraphic sides find it fascinating). I'm jealous of the Ordovician in other parts of the country. Here in Missouri, as far as I can tell, it is mostly massive carbonates 'marinated' in dolomite. I've found a few coral and gastropods here and there, but nothing special. It's nice to hear of examples of goodies being found in unexpected places. Who knows? Maybe the Missouri Ordovician has some good stuff after all. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I'll start with a quick and dirty, courtesy of Google Street View.... A formerly excellent site featuring Pennsylvanian fossils is at I-435/Holliday Drive in Kansas City, Kansas. Currently, it is a bit picked-over and overgrown: From the bottom, moving up.... Chanute Shale Formation - I don't recall finding fossils here. We were distracted by the fabulous layers above. In other places gastropods and trace fossils can be found. Iola Formation: Paola Limestone - Fossils are locked into the dense rock, though it does provide a platform for the overlying Muncie Creek. Muncie Creek Shale - Fossils found in phosphatic nodules include fish teeth and bones, coprolites with scales and bones, ammonoids, crustaceans, and conularids. Larger, ironstone-looking concretions have yielded ammonoids and trilobite pieces. Raytown Limestone - Phylloid algae and brachiopods are typical. Shark teeth can be found on the top. Liberty Memorial Shale Formation - Formerly Known as Lane Shale. This one was the headliner. Whole crinoid crowns can still be found here in the lower part if you're willing to dig through the weeds and overburden. Mollusks are also present. Wyandotte Formation: Frisbie Limestone and Quindaro Shale - Not easily differentiated from the overlying Argentine. Argentine Limestone - Large productid brachiopods are the norm. Shark teeth can be found in the lower beds. On top, out of sight, more layers can be found.... Lane Formation: Island Creek Shale - I found a few rather poor brachiopods and bryozoans in the sandy shale. Farley Limestone - I didn't see any fossils of note. All layers are in the Kansas City Group, Missourian Series. That's an amazing amount of formations on one hill.. Unusual to see them so thin like that and most layers producing fossils.. One stop hunting.. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 this is a terrific thread with some high quality replies already w lots of info - great posts Caleb, Missourian, Jim - there should be a spot for your states where you could repost those, maybe in locations, where they'd always be available, nice job! A stock breakdown of my local strata, I'll add some pictures to supplement the line drawings... "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks all. Keep 'em coming.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 On 11/16/2011 at 6:59 PM, Roz said: That's an amazing amount of formations on one hill.. Unusual to see them so thin like that and most layers producing fossils.. One stop hunting.. Pennsylvanian stratigraphy is the best. So many different rock types and fossils can be present in such relatively thin sections. The style of stratigraphic nomenclature is handy as well. Midcontinent Pennsylvanian formations are based on cyclothems. The limestone formations usually consist of a transgressive limestone and a regressive limestone with a 'core shale' member (often black & platy) in the middle. Shale formations are typically 'outside shales' (delta-front and/or non-marine deposits). The beds are rarely thicker than 30 feet or so. Sometimes, the formations are a little more complex when an odd limestone or shale are thrown in, but they tend to have distinctive lithology and fauna. This all makes for stratigraphy that is relatively easy to track over distances. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 On 11/16/2011 at 7:50 PM, xonenine said: .... there should be a spot for your states where you could repost those, maybe in locations, where they'd always be available, .... Perhaps, at least, this thread can be 'stickied'. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 ... there should be a spot for your states where you could repost those, maybe in locations, where they'd always be available Perhaps, at least, this thread can be 'stickied'. Post, in the appropriate state forum, a link to your post here "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 I drew up a section for my 'Backyard Trip' thread: http://www.thefossil...-backyard-trip/ These strata are close to my house. Units not exactly to scale. Total section ~35-40 feet. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 It's nice to hear of examples of goodies being found in unexpected places. Who knows? Maybe the Missouri Ordovician has some good stuff after all. You live on the wrong side of the state. We have some excellent Ordovician material, along with Chesterian-Mississippian. chocked plum full of fossils. We don't have any Pennsylvanian, Permian, Triassic, or Jurassic, a little Cretaceous, and some Paleocene does make an appearance, including Missouri's only Dinosaurs. I have found Missippian age shark's teeth, and Cretaceous age shark's teeth this year, along with a ostified shark vertabrae from the Owl Creek (Cretaceous). Been a good year. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Heres my "go-to" site in Cumberland County, Tennessee Its the Bangor Limestone (Upper Mississippian - Chester again) Many fossils to be found here. Including the four B's of the Mississippian: brachiopods, blastoids, bryozoans and bradyodonts. One can also find crinoids, trilo pygidiums, echinoids, gastropods (some are tiny), fish scales(?), cartilage(?), some fucoid/brown algae, spines (fish and echinoderm), worm tubes, and ichnos. The biggest disadvantage is the fact that the talus piles have been pushed around so the material is mixed up; meaning if you hunt for a specific layer they can be found thru out the pit. Also the fossils tend to weather as easily as the matrix making loose fossils a rarity. There is an exception to this in a specific layer that weathers into a yellow color - often large and small blastoids (Pentremites tulipformis and P.pyriformes) will weather from it (thats the best way to get em' as they tend to break if a more 'manual' technique is used.) I have found fossils in all layers except the red and green mudstone that occurs there; its barren as far as I can tell. Where as I wont give the location away here (to prevent commercial diggers who troll this site looking for info from finding it) I would be willing to take any Fossil Forum member who wants to collect there (just PM me.) O.K. - Im just trying to get more hunting partners :D (Our hobby is even more fun when shared with others!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 You live on the wrong side of the state. We have some excellent Ordovician material, along with Chesterian-Mississippian. chocked plum full of fossils. We don't have any Pennsylvanian, Permian, Triassic, or Jurassic, a little Cretaceous, and some Paleocene does make an appearance, including Missouri's only Dinosaurs. I have found Missippian age shark's teeth, and Cretaceous age shark's teeth this year, along with a ostified shark vertabrae from the Owl Creek (Cretaceous). Been a good year. Brent Ashcraft You ever find any of those small eyeless trilobites they find up in the north eastern corner of the state? They look neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 One of the sites I frequent is in the Maquoketa Formation of Southeast Minnesota which is Ordovician in age(to be more specific Richmondian). Due to new regulations in the mid 90's we've been stuck collecting mostly road-cuts, but this is one of the few quarries we can still get into with permission(Hooray for nice owners!). This quarry exposes three formations, but with no rock sitting in the quarry we focus on the Maquoketa on top. Anyway... some of the fossils that can be found in the Maquoketa formation include brachiopods, pelecypods, nautiloids, trilobites, crinoids, graptolites, conulariids, sponges and solitary corals. Annotated photo of the quarry Picture of the top where we collect And some links to some of the fossils I've found there: http://www.thefossil...exicalymene-sp/ http://www.thefossil...nus-angustatus/ http://www.thefossil...75-ischcadites/ And a shameless link to my website page that describes the formation in more detail. Thats a neat looking quarry! How can you tell where each member begins and ends though, they look the same to me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 You ever find any of those small eyeless trilobites they find up in the north eastern corner of the state? They look neat. No, I have never found a complete trilobite. I believe that some of the eyeless variety have been found around here. I am in the southeast corner, long way from the northeast corner. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thats a neat looking quarry! How can you tell where each member begins and ends though, they look the same to me? The boundaries show up quite a bit better in person than in the photo, but the best way to tell is experience. The bottom of the quarry is in the Stewartville member of the Galena formation and is composed of thick massive layers and slightly dolomatized with an orange hue. The layers in the Dubuque formation above it are about 10inches thick and a grey color. The Maquoketa is more of a mudstone with a variable thickness and intermittent layers of shale. The high wall is probably about 60ft, I guess I should have put something in there for scale... Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Today, I hiked into some local creeks to check out the lower part of our neighborhood stratigraphic column. Here is my result: As noted on the chart, I found a few fossils of mild interest. I will soon add some photos to my 'Backyard Trip' thread. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Great thread... Heres a couple of my area's I collect... Upper Carboniferous Duckmantian in age opencast coalmine...You find siderite nodular plants and creatures here... Lyme Regis Dorset... Lower Jurassic alternatining limestone and shales...You can find ammonites, marine reptile remains, fish, bivalves, crustaceans etc here... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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