Shuko Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 My first pictures taken with my new microscope! These are magnified many times; I don't know exactly how much, unfortunately. But most of the fossils in these pictures are no more than a couple millimeters in length. These microfossils (except the one at the end) came from JKFoam, who has labeled them as being Eocene, from Cook Mountain Formation, Claiborne Group. There are a variety of inverts in here, most of which I have yet to identify. If you guys can help me, feel free, although I don't have the proper materials to organize them yet, so it's really only for fun now. Enjoy! This one looks kind of like an ammonoid to me, but I've never seen any so small! This is a dentalium of some kind. It's actually about 8mm long, so you're only seeing the small end here. A clam shell of some kind... Turbinolia. I thought this could be Loxonema, but it's not supposed to be present in the Eocene, so I dunno... Turritella Looks like either Cyclonema or Loxonema, but again, the age problem... Could be a Clathrodrillia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuko Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 More... Polinices? Unsure of this one. (This crinoid stem came from my backyard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 What a cool world that might have been hidden. Your microscope is really showing detail. Glad you got a good one. I have always been tempted to get one.... Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Great fossils, I must really try this Micro fossil thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Excelent pics looks like you made a great buy, now i must save up for me one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkfoam Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Shuko, Congratulations, great photos. OK, Dentalium = Dentalium (Antalis) minutistriatum Your ammonoid is an Annelida (worm) Rotularia leptostoma Turbinolia = Turbinolia pharetra Loxonema = Conomitra texana Cyclonema = Buccitriton texanum Polinicies= Polinicies aratus Clathodrilla = Latirus moorei Clam = Caryocorbula deusseni The unknown = Snail= Retusa galba Hope this helps. Again your pictures are fantastic. JKFoam The Eocene is my favorite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Nice! I want one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Have you tried making images using both the overhead and the under-stage light? The purpose would be to eliminate the shadow. If the understage light is too bright, you could experiment with layers, one at a time, of typing paper until you achieve the correct balance of light. Your images have the inevitable yellowish cast from tungsten light. You could experiment with a halogen desk lamp to augment the built-in lights. A simple 40W or 60W CFL "daylight" bulb would help with the color, and it produces little heat. Show us some more . . . it's great fun to see these rarely-seen fossils! -------Harry Pristis http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuko Posted February 29, 2008 Author Share Posted February 29, 2008 Have you tried making images using both the overhead and the under-stage light? The purpose would be to eliminate the shadow. If the understage light is too bright, you could experiment with layers, one at a time, of typing paper until you achieve the correct balance of light.Your images have the inevitable yellowish cast from tungsten light. You could experiment with a halogen desk lamp to augment the built-in lights. A simple 40W or 60W CFL "daylight" bulb would help with the color, and it produces little heat. Show us some more . . . it's great fun to see these rarely-seen fossils! -------Harry Pristis Unfortunately, the scope doesn't allow for the use of both lights simultaneously. Anyway, I'll have to get a secondary light to augment it. Thanks for the suggestion. Here's a view of the cross section of my crinoid stem. It was murder holding it still long enough in the tweezers to get a decent shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Shuko Great pictures for the first time - I just purchased a stereo microscope from the Microscope Depot (www.microscope-depot.com) on line. It was the student model D. It magnifies 10X and 30X; and with a different set of eyepieces, it will go to 20X & 60X. I got it for ID purposes and close prep work. I am going to try it out this weekend. Concerning pictures, I asked the sales person (several times) what would be the best way to take pictures thru the microscope and she said that if I really got into the photography that a eyepiece mounted digital camera would be best since they come with their own software which allows for immediate download to your computer without having to take the picture. Unfortunately they are a bit pricy so I will deal with putting my digital camera to the eyepiece for now and see what happens. Those fossil are similar to the ones I recently collected on the Brazos river at the Stone City Bluff at Whiskey Bridge near Bryan, TX. There is a reference that you can purchase from the Houston Gem and Mineral Society on the fauna at this site. It is a 10 year study by Joe and Barbara Emerson and is excellent. I recently got it and it will answer almost all of your questions as to identification. Again - good job and have some fun. . . btw - I rationalized purchase of the microscope as a present for my new grandson (2.5 months old) I figure that I will just "hold" it for him for a few years and then we can explore the biology of the back yard - bugs, leaves, etc!!! I don't know if this story will "fly" with my wife - but it's my story and I'm sticking to it!@! Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Here's an image of some of my vertebrate micro-fossils which was made using a "computer microscope" purchased on eBay. These devices run about $65 - $75 each, but there can be a hefty shipping cost. (This one came directly from Hong Kong.) I made about 2 dozen images, and this was about as good as I could do. The depth of field is very shallow. It has 1.3 megapixel capacity and built-in LED lighting. This device was a gift for a grand-daughter, but I got to try it out. I think I'll hold out for an eyepiece camera for my dissecting scope. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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