UPDATE: I originally posted this as a clam but Howard set me straight pointing out this is probably a brachiopod. After more research this appears to be an
Athyris spiriferoides (Eaton). I used this picture to help with this identification:
http://www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=fossil_gallery§ionnav=detail&submission_id=1260&taxon_id=&state_id=&period_id=13&assemblage_id=&last_section=search This website shows a list of the species found in the limestone layers of my area:
http://www.indiana.edu/~libgeol/reprints/campbell.html
Here is an unidentified brachiopod I found recently. On this particular trip, I found maybe six clam fossils at this Clark County, Indiana location. I could identify the others except this one which I originally thought was a clam. This profile is one I am pretty sure I have not seen before. It is Devonian Period and appears to be from the Beechwood Limestone. It might be a
Grammysia gibbosa (aka
Grammysoidea secunda). Finding pictures of some of these species is not easy!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF87BElMz_cKG5wRPdpEjYjYNKgrOK-awpDrBKq1GFNiPX10FG7-FSL6ptyvEGvudsSg9u4ZqYf0yOUc5sv3QsOi62eDqz0OD_c0pYr4dc5yR3UXtZQeRuml30ewr_T44FVsSg297bDDwl/s400/devonian-clam-with-scale.jpg)
Here is our caravan leaving the fossil collecting location. The clouds are really out!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33P_54cF33cwTjQ0J5vdLXYfMdcTglIkx9PoepQKZmLH2WXPJwNrF_yxT_BEpoi7I1u0iy8RJpien6ACoTMe9sGUJfgdtNHGUmqUbkfT6W5JAiLc7DXSFqjeyNQuPZyGkkh61Wo9uUlrh/s400/exiting-quarry.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPeRqD61GeSJB9EyOVAeq19S09SbH3JmCQ96PD1REIJMipcd9pmG1l4bWLmtPEIHsKf0SlmaZNmpoKzkIdG5NRHbJi2pdJJPkGyZUMFkPI9TKYXIlUbPqTFBPwlVtlUfV3P0XeFNjGayi/s400/devonian-clam-tip-view.jpg)
The arrows point out an interesting feature on this fossil shell. Look at the ridge lines that protrude away from it. I am not sure if these were there and fossilized or material just eroded away to form these patterns.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJneppPMMyB-bkiewfZWfQFn1HMigLDxX1QIZ2mBGA-rny1WFPlCmd2tCEeBtZtqF72RWtUWN-JQ5lWV4fRjOiKGqKBRkv3k7_oSnpF3l3zPq-eIZr1JUr9DLT2z2TdumOQUkEcAG9uvD/s400/devonian-clam-side-view.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_1GkgRpQufeBEyXlEwBha-vb5VciDhVGrQFuGNDBIRascIzXzaKOLttjwmFOwfpV569eFgIUN5EkErd7i0UJSZ8eMxNKpdh8cjjLn4AVtnjRmQTL_rNo4duUWVDRn6NXrAKF8XvT2OCx/s400/devonian-clam-back.jpg)