This brachiopod fossil is a nice find in that is over 5 cm in width. It appears to be intact though needs to be cleaned with sand abrasive cleaning. Usually only the top half is found of this genus, Megastrophia. These types of brachiopods might be one of the largest found in the Devonian layers around southern Indiana.
Fossil was found in the Silver Creek Member of the North Vernon Limestone of Clark County, Indiana, USA. This layer dates to the Devonian Period (Eifelian).
Hopefully, a posting of it cleaned up can be presented...
Whoa, cool! Is the second pic of the underside? Remember that Megastrophia has a very convex pedicle valve and very concave brachial valve. If yours has one valve that is convex and the other flat to slightly convex, then you have a different creature.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a promising fossil. I was hoping it was a Megastrophia but I am not sure they are found in the Silver Creek. With your comments about the valve shapes, maybe this one is a Protoleptostrophia perplana? That species is known to be found in the Silver Creek LS.
ReplyDeleteI will try to make it a priority to clean it up to show move details.
Thanks for the feedback!