Northern Sharks Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 The recent warm weather around here was too much of an invitation to me, so last weekend, I had to make a short trip to the collecting grounds. The quarry I was at most last year has changed their policy, so collecting is now very limited. They won't be blasting there until early May anyway, so I decided to check another pit about 5 minutes away. I'd never had much luck there in the past as their blasts go almost immediatly to the crusher, but I had to look anyway. This quarry is all Verulam Formation and it started out looking like I'd just end up with a lot of brachs. The first non-brach I came accross was the largest Prasopora grandis bryozoan I'd seen yet. After more walking and more brachs, I came to a spot littered with these small brachs. Great practice pieces for when I get a blaster, and some have Flexicalymene cephalons & pygidiums mixed in. As I was gathering those, I noticed a larger piece with several ball-shaped bryozoans. I picked that piece up and then noticed the 4 Cyptogoleus chapmani edrioasteroids on the plate as well (weathered, but my first of that species). I figured that would be the highlight of my day, but not 5 minutes and 20 feet later, my gem, a Ceraurus trilobite that I'm really hoping preps up nicely. The only find of any signifigance after that was a nice Lambeophyllum profundum horn coral as I was leaving. Corals are not common at the site, and this one has a neat little curl at the tip. Enough blabber, here are some pics. Any brach ID's are appreciated 1) Brachiopod 2) Another brach (Rafinesquina?) 3) Prasopora grandis 4) Dozens of small brachs with Flexicalymene cephalon 5) Cryptogoleus/bryozoan plate 6) Close-up of Cryptogoleus 7) Ceraurus- is it globulatus, globulobatus or something else? I've seen both used, while sites like zipcodezoo and the Paleobiology database don't recognize either 8) Lambeophyllum profundum 9) A mystery. Is this a brach or part of a trilobite? I found a similar one last year. There's a small flare at both sides, but no ridges as typical on the other brachs I've seen 10) Another view of the mystery piece There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa dino Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 That not bad for the first trip out of the year Nice finds So your weather there is good We had more snow here last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Nice stuff! IDK, but that last one looks like a brach, but if so, it is one that I'm not familiar with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Just like that? You go out on a nice day and find all that cool stuff? That's terrific NS! "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...
txemiku Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Nice finds for the first trip of the year!! The ceraurus seems to be great and it probably gas the spines in the pigidium. With respect the last piece it is interesting, in some way it remembers me the cephalon of illaenus but it is difficult to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Auspex: That (and more similar pieces) is the result of about 4 hrs at the quarry Grampa: There was still some snow & ice at the quarry, but the days have all been above freezing with some getting into double digits. The worst part is the wind There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Cool stuff. That trilobite should prep out very well. If you believe everything you read, perhaps it's time for you to stop reading... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I like them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefootgirl Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hey cool finds! Your braver than me going out in the cold like that. In formal logic, a contradiction is the signal of defeat: but in the evolution of real knowledge, it marks the first step in progress toward victory. Alfred North Whithead 'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bmorefossil Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 ah well im glad to see you back in action. nice finds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Murphy Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Northern Sharks: The mystery fossil in photos 9 and 10 is the cephalon of an illaenid trilobite, specifically Thaleops, found in the Middle and Late Ordovician of the United States. The cephala and pygidia are frequently found in the Pooleville member of the Bromide Formation (Blackriveran), Middle Ordovician of the Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma. Do an internet search for Thaleops to view more complete specimens. Attached is a photograph of a specimen from the Pooleville member. Regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinus Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 The recent warm weather around here was too much of an invitation to me, so last weekend, I had to make a short trip to the collecting grounds. The quarry I was at most last year has changed their policy, so collecting is now very limited. They won't be blasting there until early May anyway, so I decided to check another pit about 5 minutes away. I'd never had much luck there in the past as their blasts go almost immediatly to the crusher, but I had to look anyway. This quarry is all Verulam Formation and it started out looking like I'd just end up with a lot of brachs. The first non-brach I came accross was the largest Prasopora grandis bryozoan I'd seen yet. After more walking and more brachs, I came to a spot littered with these small brachs. Great practice pieces for when I get a blaster, and some have Flexicalymene cephalons & pygidiums mixed in. As I was gathering those, I noticed a larger piece with several ball-shaped bryozoans. I picked that piece up and then noticed the 4 Cyptogoleus chapmani edrioasteroids on the plate as well (weathered, but my first of that species). I figured that would be the highlight of my day, but not 5 minutes and 20 feet later, my gem, a Ceraurus trilobite that I'm really hoping preps up nicely. The only find of any signifigance after that was a nice Lambeophyllum profundum horn coral as I was leaving. Corals are not common at the site, and this one has a neat little curl at the tip. Enough blabber, here are some pics. Any brach ID's are appreciated1) Brachiopod 2) Another brach (Rafinesquina?) 3) Prasopora grandis 4) Dozens of small brachs with Flexicalymene cephalon 5) Cryptogoleus/bryozoan plate 6) Close-up of Cryptogoleus 7) Ceraurus- is it globulatus, globulobatus or something else? I've seen both used, while sites like zipcodezoo and the Paleobiology database don't recognize either 8) Lambeophyllum profundum 9) A mystery. Is this a brach or part of a trilobite? I found a similar one last year. There's a small flare at both sides, but no ridges as typical on the other brachs I've seen 10) Another view of the mystery piece 1. Brachiopod - Resserella whittakeri 2. correct 3. bryozoan - correct 4. brachiopods - Zygospira recurvirostris 5. Edrios - Isorophusella incondita. 6. same as 5 7. Ceraurus - ID will be easier once it is cleaned. 8. your guess is as good as mine 9/10. trilobites parts Looks like you had a good day. I will be up once the weather gets a bit better and I have more free time. crinus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone digger Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 great finds NS, that trilobite looks like it will be awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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