The brachiopod pictured appears to be an Anthracospirifer leidyi? found in the Bangor Limestone of Colbert County, Alabama. This animal lived in the Mississippian (Carboniferous) Period about 325 million years ago. This brachiopod reminds me of the larger Syringothyrus texta found in the Borden Group of Indiana. See my earlier post about: http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2011/01/syringothyrus-texta-brachiopod.html
These fossils are from larrysfossils on eBay and this fellow has some nice fossils on sale. He usually has a good selection of crinoid calyx found in the Bangor as well brachiopods, bryozoan, blastoids, and other fossils.
Check the fossil selection out at http://www.ebay.com/sch/larrysfossils/m.html?item=220880785514&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649&_trksid=p4340.l2562
I cleaned the brachiopods with an engraver and stainless steel brush. The engraver was on too high a setting and/or too aggressive with device as a result brachiopod broke. I glued it back together and once it sets up I will clean the glue off.
3 comments:
Hi Mike - I'm thinking that this is definely an Anthracospirifer sp. , but mostly likely "Anthracospirifer increbescens which is one of two Anthracospirifer sp. found in the Upper Mississippian Bangor FM.
Regards - Jack K.
Jack,
Thanks for the feedback. I put a question mark after the species name because I was not quite sure of the name. Do you have a source for the Anthracospirifer increbescens? I found some images in the Index Fossils of North America Shimer & Shrock (1944)Plate 124 figures 6-9 of Spirifer increbescens. The umbo seems wider and less pointed than the fossils I pictured.
Of course, the Spirifer leidyi can be seen in Plate XXXIX figures 1a and 1b in Weller's The Mississippian Fauna of Kentucky: http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/KPS/poky/images/pokych05pl039.jpg. This species does not match up to the pictures either as it not quite as thin and narrow.
I am hoping to visit Indiana University in Bloomington and see J.A. Waters 1978 thesis with info on the northern Alabama Mississippian fauna.
Cheers! - Mike
RE: http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/KPS/poky/pages/pokych05.htm
Mike - check out Plate XLIV for Upper Chester fossils - indicates a related "increbescens" for Middle Chester. Although the " Paleo Database" for the Bangor FM indicates both "increbescens" and "leidyi", Anthracospirifer increbescens has more listing. If you find out more, please let me know. Regards - Jack
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