Friday, April 16, 2010

Louisville Kentucky Silurian Fossils

This first two fossil images are of the Cystiphyllum horn coral and it is a textbook specimen. I mean that literally because this one matches up well with the images on pages 96-97 Plate 6 figures 23-25 of the Cystiphyllum granilineatum. The book is Erwin Stumm's Silurian and Devonian Corals of the Falls of the Ohio from 1964. To help re-enforce the horn coral was found with a chain coral shown later in the post dating it the Silurian Period and the Louisville Limestone of Louisville Kentucky. It is nice to see the holdfasts that grew on one side of the horn to help anchor it a seafloor base.


Next two pictures are of the Silurian Periods famous index fossil... HALYSITES!  Also so known as  the chain coral with its distinctive pattern.


This last fossil is somewhat of a mystery to me.  It appears to be brachiopod imprint but I am not sure about those divot marks (maybe 7 or so) that look like spines.  Spines that size usually show up on snails so maybe they are some sort of boring marks?  This fossil was found with the others but it could be from the Devonian Period Jeffersonville Limestone.

4 comments:

Suzanne w. Voll said...

Help! Live in mercer county, ky. Since the last flooding rain this past April, everywhere I am finding these huge and I mean huge turtle fossils and probably some concretions. Places with cracked topsoi and no grass, brush away the dust you have a turtle. Head all bones, teeth, etc.. My building in town has their image,, other places in the county have them. But, I live on lake herrington and I can sit in my dock, walk down my hill and see these huge massive turtles. I have hundreds of teeth big to small. A collection of heads same. They are as clear as day, but no one has noticed and they think I have lost it. Help me. This is for real. I need someone respected in the field to see what is here. I have always been a rock hound, so, I know a little. If you are even curious, please, email and I will send all the pictures, specimens, etc. Needed to convince you.. Suzanne voll apsheat_cool@bellsouth.net help me show the world or at least explain how there could be so many of the same fossils in dirt, grass, limestone lake imbankment, etc. I will admit I am crazy, but, I do not think so.

Michael Popp said...

You can see an example of a turtle fossil here: http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2013/08/toxochelys-latiremis-sea-turtle-fossil.html

I am not aware of any turtle fossils being found in Kentucky though.

suzanne said...

AFTER COLLECTING, RESEARCHING, ETC., ALL SUMMER I {amateurly} think i have some serious ichthyosaur fossils. some matrix, some true fossils. the more it rains, the more i find. big eyes, pointy nose, some lizard like, some fish like. i have found some awesome things this summer!

suzanne said...

ichthyosaurs!!!