Cheirurus niagarensis Trilobite Fragment

Previously images of an unprepped Cheirurus niagarensis trilobite pygidium was shown (see this post).  Recently, the fossil was cleaned using a sand abrasion technique.  These pictures show the results. First image fossil is photographed wet to enhance contrast. Fossil was found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana, USA. It is dated to the Silurian Period.

The second shows a before and after cleaning images of the fossil. When cleaning I wear a respirator to keep silicate dust from getting to my lungs. Just looking at these images brings the memory of a smell of the rubber face piece. It is interesting how smells can get associated with tasks one does during the day.

Cleaning fossils takes patience and some strategy on how to approach the fossil to clean it. I was a little too ambitious on the top of this fossil thus wearing off the top thorax sections with the sand stream. Still it is nice to see more shape and detail of this fossil fragment. The Waldron Shale is easier to clean since it is soft and you can see immediate progress at removing it. During my cleaning session, I went through 3 canisters of sand while working on maybe 10 fossils before stopping. Thanks to Kenny for letting me use his cleaning equipment and help with removing matrix with an air scribe.

Dicroidium Plant Fossil from South Africa

This images shows a Dicroidium sp. fork leaved seed fern plant fossil from Molteno Formation. It dates to the Late Triassic Period. The fossil was found at Bird's River, Sterkstroom District in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Its accession number is PB1120.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were 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.

Sphenobaiera Plant Fossil from South Africa

This images shows a Sphenobaiera sp. Ginkgophyta plant fossil from Molteno Formation. It dates to the Late Triassic Period. The fossil was found at Bird's River, Sterkstroom District in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Its accession number is PB1121.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were 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.

Ephemeropsis trisetalis Chinese Insect Fossil

This insect larva fossil is called Ephemeropsis trisetalis. It dates to the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous Periods and was found in the Yixian Formation. The fossil was found in Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were 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.

Hibolites hastatus Cephalopod Fossil

This cross-section of a cephalopod fossil is called Hibolites hastatus. It dates to the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic Period). The fossil was found in Petersbuch near Eichstatt of Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were 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.

Scaphonyx sanjuanensis Rhynchosaur Skull Fossil

Scaphonyx sanjuanensis rhynchosaur skull fossil loaned from the Museum of Comparative Zoology, President and Fellows of Harvard College. Accession number is MCZ VPRA-4572. Fossil is described as the remains of a herbivorous beak like pseudo-archosaur reptile. It dates to the Upper Triassic Period and was found in Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina.

Learn more 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. They were 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.

Exaeretodon frenguelli Skull Fossil

Exaeretodon frenguelli skull fossil loaned from the Museum of Comparative Zoology, President and Fellows of Harvard College. Accession number is MCZ VPRA-4483. Fossil is described as a cynodont ("dog-tooth") synapsid skull. Synapsids were "mammal-like reptiles". It dates to the Upper Triassic Period and was found in Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina.

Learn more 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. They were 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.

Prestosuchus Cast Skeleton

Prestosuchus cast skeleton shown in this image is a rauisuchian archosaur that is related to crocodiles. It existed in the Late Triassic in the area now known as Brazil, South America. The creature was named by Friedrick von Huene(1875-1969) in 1938. He named it in honor of Brazilian paleontologist Vicentino Prestes de Almeida (1900-1954).

Learn more at wikipedia.org.

This cast skeleton was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were 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.

Eoraptor, Pisanosaurus, and Herrerasaurus Dinosaur Cast Skeletons

This first dinosaur skeleton cast is of an Eoraptor lunensis. It was found in Ischigualasto National Park, Argentina, South America. Its name means "dawn plunderer from the Valley of the Moon". The dinosaur dates back about 230 million years ago (Late Triassic). This creature was one of the earliest known dinosaurs. The cast has accession number PVSJ512.

The image above shows another early dinosaur called Herrerasaurus. It existed in the Ladinian age (Late Triassic). The name name means "Herrera's lizard". It was named for the Victorino Herrera who found the fossil outcrops in 1959 (source). The type species was originally described in 1963 by Osvaldo Reig. See wikipedia.org for more information.

The last image shows a Pisanosaurus from the Late Triassic. It is a bird like dinosaur first described by Rodolfo Casamiquela in 1967. See wikipedia.org for more information.

These cast skeletons were part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were 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.

Cast of Allosaurus fragilis Claw

Image of a resin cast of an Allosaurus fragilis claw. This dinosaur existed about 155-145 million years ago (late Jurassic Period - Kimmeridgian to early Tithonian).

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

Polished Coral from Dominica

Unidentified coral that has been sectioned and polished found in Dominica by a geology class in 2005.

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

Cheirurus niagarensis Trilobite pygidium

This is the first time I have found this part of the trilobite Cheirurus niagarensis (Hall).  It is the tail or pygidium section of the trilobite. It will be interesting to see how much of it is intact after it has been cleaned with sand abrasion. Fossil was found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana, USA. It is dated to the Silurian Period.

Here is an illustration from the 1881 Indiana Department of Geology and Natural History Eleventh Annual Report by John Collett State Geologist Plate 34 Figure 16 Ceraurus (Chierurus) niagarensis trilobite pygidium.

Next picture is from a paper on Silurian trilobites.

Image from Figure 3 and 5 - photo by George Nelson

New and Old Silurian Trilobites from Southeastern Wisconsin, with

Notes on the Genera of the Illaenidae

by Percy E. Raymond

Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College

Volume LX No. 1 - January 1916

Last picture is of fossil found that has ruler with it for scale.

Fungi That Looks Like a Horn Coral

These fungi are growing on a doormat outside the house. After some research they appear to be Cyathus striatus? fungi (aka fluted bird's nest). Relative small growing maybe 1 cm in size. They have a funnel shape though some sites describe as cup shaped. Inside the cub are some gray spores that resemble eggs thus the bird's nest reference. So not quite a fossil but they remind me of small horn coral fossils once they fully open up.

Thanks to this web site for helping me find a visual identification. Learn more at Rogers Mushrooms web site or wikipedia.org or mushroomexpert.com.

Asteroceras obtusum Ammonite Fossil

This fossil ammonite is an Asteroceras obtusum.  These small creatures existed in the Lias of the Jurassic Period. It was found on the Charmouth coast of Dorset, England and is near the home of the famous paleontologist Mary Anning.  The area is known for their fossils particularly ammonites. Is museum accession number is IP70250.

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.