Sunday, January 24, 2010

Cyrtolites ornatus Monoplacophoran Fossil

UPDATE (01/27/2010): After cleaning this fossil off some more I changed its identification to Cyrtolites ornatus (Conrad, 1838) after the undulation (definition: having a wavy or curving form) were revealed by sand blasting.  If I can get more of the matrix off, this will be a very nice looking fossil.  The keel shape going down the center has a very nice form.  Thanks to Kenny for alerting me to what this fossil really was.

UPDATE(09/18/2021): After doing some research on another fossil I realized I had this fossil genus spelled wrong. Name has been corrected. Add name of person who named species and classified as a monoplacophoran.




ORIGINAL POST:
Here are some Bellerophon fossils I found in the Kope Formation in Carroll County, Kentucky.  Until now, I have not found growth line patterns found on the shell.  Usually, I just find a smooth shell pattern with the ridge line running the length of the shell.  A Cyclonema fossil is attached to the Bellerophon.

It is a neat find and I hope to clean with air abrasion sometime to reveal the growth lines.







This Bellerophon mold is typical of the ones I find at Ordovician Period road cuts around the Louisville area. It has a nice whirl at one end of the fossil.