Thursday, October 16, 2025

Carabocrinus vancortleandti Crinoid Fossil


Here is a picture of a crinoid calyx identified as Carabocrinus vancortleandti (Billings, 1859) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Ordovician Period. It might have been found in Canada.

The species was named by young lawyer from Ottawa, Canada named Elkanah Billings. He would later be Canada's first official paleontologist. In his 1859 publication, On the Crinoideae of the Lower Silurian Rocks of Canada, Billings wrote, "The species is dedicated to Dr. E. Vancortlandt, of the city of Ottawa, whose zeal in the advancement of science has been productive of many beneficial results," The Ottawa Citizen newspaper wrote in a 2020 article about the Victorian era curio collector Dr. Edward Van Cortlandt who collected holotype fossil of this species.

Monday, October 13, 2025

Persististrombus latus Gastropod Fossil



Here is a picture of a gastropod Strombus bubonius (Lamarck, 1822) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Vallebiaia, Toscany, Italy.

Another name it is referred to is Persististrombus latus (Gmelin, 1791).

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Mya truncata Pelecypod Fossil

Here is a picture of a pelecypod Mya truncata (Linnaeus, 1758) fossil housed in a display case at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Monte Mario, Lazio, Italy.