Promicroceras Ammonite Fossils

These fossil ammonites are a Promicroceras sp. found in the Black Ven Marls Member.  These small creatures existed in the Sinemurian age or stage (about 191 million years ago) in the Early Jurassic Period.  This age was named in 1842 by Alcide d'Orbigny and named after the Semur-en-Brionnais, France [source Wikipedia].  Lyme Regis is found on the Charmouth coast of Dorset, England and is home of the famous paleontologist Mary Anning.  Lyme Regis is famous for their fossils particularly ammonites.

These fossils are part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Pleistocene Glyptodon Fossil

Here is the original fossil shell of a Glyptodon sp. It is specimen ROM 5130 from the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto, Canada. It dates to the Pleistocene epoch (about 100,000 years ago) and was found in Argentina. These creatures could get to the size and weight of a small automobile! It is a mammal in the Order of Cingulata and Family of Glyptodontidae. It could be related to modern mammals like the anteater, tree sloth, and armadillo.

Learn more about it at wikipedia.org.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Stereosternum Reptile Fossil

Here is the original fossil skeleton of a Stereosternum sp. It is specimen ROM 29592 at the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto, Canada. It dates to the Early Permian Period (about 280 million years ago) and was found in Brazil. It is in the Order of Mesosauria and Family of Mesosauridae.

Learn more about it at wikipedia.org and www.reptileevolution.com.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Otodus obliquus Shark Tooth Fossil

Pictured is an Otodus obliquus shark tooth fossil found in Khouribga, Morocco. It dates to the Eocene. Learn more on wikipedia.org.

The fossil is on display at the geology department at Indiana University Southeast (IUS) of New Albany, Indiana as of August 2013.

Fossilized Shrimp Fossil

Fossilized shrimp found in the Miesl Formation of Germany. It dates to the Eocene.

The fossil is on display at the geology department at Indiana University Southeast (IUS) of New Albany, Indiana as of August 2013.

New Albany Shale Shark Tooth

Here is a picture of a shark tooth found in the New Albany Shale of southern Indiana, USA. This layer dates to the Late Devonian Period.

The New Albany Shale is desolate of fossils as the sea at that time was thought be a low oxygen environment. When you look at the shale it is mostly black thin layers that peel off. Sometimes it has a rusty colored coating on the layer and it can smell like sulfur. Bands or nodules of pyrite can be found it as well. When fossils are found it is mostly small brachiopods and fossilized wood. It is possible that Cladoselache shark fossils can be found in this layer as well. See this web posting.

So seeing a nicely shaped shark's tooth in the layer is quite a surprise. The fossil is on display at the geology department at Indiana University Southeast (IUS) of New Albany, Indiana as of August 2013. It was listed as being found in 2004 by Jessica Kinder and Dale Lind.

Leptaena Brachiopod with Cornulites Worm Tubes

These images are of a Leptaena waldronensis? brachiopod that has two Cornulites sp. worm tubes attached. It somewhat rare to find the Cornulites worm tubes on fossils found in the Clark County, Indiana Waldron Shale. These fossils date to the Silurian Period (425-420 million years ago).

I encountered this fossil while volunteering at Earth Discovery Day at the Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana, USA. It is a good event to help the general public to learn about fossils and minerals found on our planet. The specimen shown was found by visitor on August 24, 2013.

Earth Discovery Day - August 2013

Today was Earth Discovery Day at the Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana. It is an event that focuses on educational activities for public. I have been volunteering over the last several years and it is a good feeling helping young students learn more about the mineral world around them while teaching about the fossil world of the past. Even though I have been really busy teaching, it is good to help out at an event like this.

The fossil pile was sparse in finds this year but the mineral pile while very dusty was a mountain of exploration for those willing to search for buried mineral treasure. The material is from a fluorite processing mill in southern Illinois that processed minerals from that area. Normally one sees four types of minerals: fluorite, barite, calcite, and sphalerite. The fluorite is usually purple, yellow or clear. Occasionally, green and blue fluorite will be found. A child found a nice fluorite cube corner shown in the first picture above. It has some nice purple phantom cubes that show through when held up to a light source.

Another child found a greenish-blue fluorite fragment while another found several aqua blue fluorite pieces. My challenge to visitors is to find pieces like this and usually about 4-6 specimens are found during my volunteer shift.

I was also told some material from China was processed there as well. So I am not sure what that might look like. A red or crimson colored rock was being found this year that was not seen in past years. It might be something from China. It is thought to be some type of reddish fluorite.

Fossils found were a number of brachiopods, corals, and snails from the Devonian fossil pile. The Silurian pile was being a bit more stingy. It did yield some nice brachiopods, a trilobite fragment, and a cephalopod fossil. Silurian Period Waldron Shale fossils are as shown: probably the tail (pygidium) of an Arctinurus sp. trilobite (I think it is upside down), next a fragment of a shell of a Dawsonoceras cephalopod, third is the index fossil of the Waldron Shale Eucalyptocrinus crassus crinoid calyx cup, and last an uncompressed Leptaena sp. brachiopod that has Cornulites sp. worm tubes on it.

Mesosaurus brasiliensis Aquatic Reptile Fossil

The aquatic reptile fossil pictured is a Mesosaurus brasiliensis  found in the Irati Formation of Brazil. It dates back 280 million years ago (Lower Permian Period). The museum display lists this fossil as one that shows the transition of reptiles to a freshwater environment. It also shows that the continents Africa and South America were connected since this creature's fossils are only found in those two places.

The reptile was thought to its narrow teeth rowed mouth was used to catch fish and other small aquatic creatures. It swam though the water using is long tail and paddle shaped limbs.

The fossil was loaned by Robert H. Osher family to the museum for exhibit.

Fossil on display at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science as of August 2013.

Iansan beurleni Ray or Guitarfish-like Fossil

The sea ray or guitarfish-like fossil pictured is an Iansan beurleni found in the Santana Formation of Brazil. It dates back 100 million years ago (Lower Cretaceous Period). This fossil might also be known by the name Rhinobatos beurleni (1968) as seen on the Henskens Fossils web site. Refer to 1996 paper on subject The new genus Iansan (Chondrichthyes, Rhinobatoidea) from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil and its phylogenetic relationships by Paulo M. Brito and Bernard Seret.

The fossil is part of the Cincinnati Museum Center collection (accession number VP7189). It was gift to the museum from Charles Fleischmann.

Fossil on display at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science as of August 2013.

Toxochelys latiremis Sea Turtle Fossil

The sea turtle fossil pictured is a Toxochelys latiremis found in the Pierre Shale Formation of Kansas, USA.  This area was part of the Western Interior Seaway that divided what is today North America into two land masses. It dates back 75 million years ago (Upper Cretaceous Period).

The fossil is part of the Cincinnati Museum Center collection (accession number VP6947). It was gift to the museum from Jerome "Pete" Bussen.

Fossil on display at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science as of August 2013.

Nematonotus longispinus Fish Fossil

This fossil fish is called Nematonotus longispinus. It was found in the Hjoula limestones of Lebanon. The fossil dates to the Upper Cretaceous Period (Cenomanian Stage). Learn more about Lebanese fish fossils at collectingfossils.org.

The museum specimen's accession number is CMC VP9876.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Brachiospongia tuberculata Fossil

This fossil is much sought after because it is quite rare to find. It is a sponge fossil called Brachiospongia tuberculata.  The fossil dates to the Ordovician Period. The genus was originally described by Marsh in 1867 in the American Journal of Science and Arts. A different species was described by Henry Nettelroth(1835-1887) in his 1889 Fossils of the Silurian and Devonian Rocks.

On display at Cincinnati Museum Center as of August 2013. It is labeled a type specimen and apparently found in July 1879.

Learn more at UGA Stratigraphy Lab web site.

Isotelus maximus Trilobite Fossil

These trilobite fossils are called Isotelus maximus.  The fossil dates to the late Ordovician Period. It is Ohio's state fossil. It was found in the Cincinnatian Series of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The genus Isotelus was named by Dekay in 1824.

On display at Cincinnati Museum Center as of August 2013. The enrolled specimen (below) is labeled with accession number IP70253.

Below is a drawing of what the bottom of this creature looked like by Dr. Elvira Wood in 1920.

Source:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41695/41695-h/41695-h.htm

Ctenothrissa signifer Fish Fossil

This fossil fish is called Ctenothrissa signifer. It was found in the Hjoula limestones of Lebanon. The fossil dates to the Upper Cretaceous Period (Cenomanian Stage). This fish is of the order Ctenothrissiformes in the family Ctenothrissidae. Learn more about Lebanese fish fossils at collectingfossils.org.

The museum specimen's accession number is CMC VP9875.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Promopalaeaster speciosus Starfish Fossil

This starfish fossil was found in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. It is called Promopalaeaster speciosus. The layer is found in is the Fairmount Member, Fairview Formation. The fossil dates to the Late Ordovician Period.

On display at Cincinnati Museum Center as of August 2013. Specimen is assigned accession number IP24727.

Archaeopteryx lithographica Fossil Cast

Archaeopteryx lithographica Fossil Cast found in the Sölnhofen Formation of Bavaria, Germany. This plate shows both the creature's skeleton and impressions of its feathers. It dates to the Upper Jurassic Period (Tithonian stage). This fossil is quite stunning.

It appears to be a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and birds.

The museum specimen's accession number is CMC VP9879?.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada. The cast appears to be the "Berlin specimen" from Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Ceraurus milleranus Trilobite

This trilobite fossil was found in Pendleton County, Kentucky, USA. It is called Ceraurus milleranus. The layer is found in is the Fairview Formation. The fossil dates to the Late Ordovician Period.

On display at Cincinnati Museum Center as of August 2013. Specimen is assigned accession number IP50726.

The drawing is of a Ceraurus pleurexanthemus trilobite done by Dr. Elvira Wood in 1920.

Source: 

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41695/41695-h/41695-h.htm

Aipichthys velifer Fish Fossil

This fossil fish is called Aipichthys velifer. It was found in the Hjoula limestones of Lebanon. The fossil dates to the Upper Cretaceous Period (Cenomanian Stage). This fish is of the order Beryciformes in the family Dinopterigidae. Learn more about Lebanese fish fossils at collectingfossils.org.

The museum specimen's accession number is CMC VP9873.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Dercetis Fish Fossil

This fossil fish is called Dercetis sp. It was found in the Hjoula limestones of Lebanon. It dates to the Upper Cretaceous Period (Cenomanian Stage).

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Nigersaurus taqueti Skull Fossil Cast

Here is the cast of a dinosaur skull fossil called Nigersaurus tauqueti. It is a cast of specimen MNN GAD512 at the Musée National du Niger, Niamey, Niger, Africa. This cast is from the holotype specimen found in "niveau des innocents" of the Gadoufaoua region of Republique du Niger. The species is named for French paleontologist Phillippe Taquet who explored the area from 1965-1972.

The head of this dinosaur with its neat rows of teeth reminds me of a wire crimping pliers tool.

Learn more about this type of dinosaur in this research article at PLOS One called Structural Extremes in a Cretaceous Dinosaur.

Dinosaur was named in the journal SCIENCE published 12 November 1999 in article entitled: Cretaceous Sauropods from the Sahara and the Uneven Rate of Skeletal Evolution Among Dinosaurs.

This cast was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Apatosaurus Skull/Vertebrae Fossils

Pictured is the fossilized skull and the first four cervical or neck vertebrae of an Apatosaurus sp. dinosaur. It was found by the staff and students of Marietta College at a site in Morrison Formation of Emery County, Utah, USA. The fossil dates to the Upper Jurassic Period (about 150 million years ago).

The fossil was collected as part of joint research program with the Cincinnati Museum Center (accession number VP7180).

The picture only shows the first four vertebrae of the more than dozen recovered at the site. This dinosaur was once known as the Brontosaurus.

Fossil on display at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science as of August 2013.

Learn more about this dinosaur at wikipedia.org.

Compsognathus longipes Fossil Cast

This image is of a cast of a Compsognathus longipes fossil. It appears to be a copy made of fossil belonging to Joseph Oberndorfer of Germany. He acquired it in 1859 and it might be from the Painten Formation of Kapfelberg. This fossil dates to the Jurassic Period (about 150 million years ago).

This cast was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponser Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

See wikipedia.org web page about this fossil.

Anomalocaris canadensis Cambrian Fossil

This image is of an Anomalocaris canadensis fossil found in the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada. It is one of the larger fossil creatures found there. This fossil dates to the Cambrian Period of the Paleozoic Era (about 530 million years ago). Since only pieces of it were found it was mistaken for a worm or jellyfish like creature at first. Learn more at its wikipedia.org web page.

It was probably found by Charles D. Walcott (or someone in his group) who later was in charge of the Smithsonian in the United States. This fossil layer is quite famous. The Smithsonian later sent out specimens to natural history museums across the United States in the 1940s. More than likely this is one of that was sent to the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It can be found in the invertebrate fossil display past the Ice Age exhibit in the museum as of August 2013.

Here is an illustration that was on display with these fossils of an artist interpretation of what these creature might have looked like.

Marrella Arthropod Fossil

This image is of two Marrella sp. fossils found in the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada. It is one of the common soft body fossil creatures found there. These fossils date to the Cambrian Period of the Paleozoic Era (about 530 million years ago).

Discovered by Charles D. Walcott who later was in charge of the Smithsonian in the United States. This fossil layer is quite famous. The Smithsonian later sent out specimens to natural history museums across the United States in the 1940s. More than likely this is one of that was sent to the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It can be found in the invertebrate fossil display past the Ice Age exhibit in the museum as of August 2013.

Here is an illustration that was on display with these fossils of an artist interpretation of what these creature might have looked like.

Learn more at Wikipedia.org.