Myophorella hudlestoni Pelecypod Fossil

This image shows a Myophorella hudlestoni (Lycett) pelecypod fossil. It was found in the Jurassic Period Corallian Beds Berkshire Oolite series found near Osmington Dorset England. Image taken August 2016. The fossil was on display at the British Natural History Museum.

Lichas anglica Trilobite Fossil

This trilobite fossil is a Lichas anglica. The fossil was found in Dudley England. This animal inhabited the oceans of the Silurian Period.

It was displayed at Muséum National D'Historie Naturelle Jardin Des Plantes Paléontologie et Anatomie Comparée as of August 2016.

Flexicalymene senaria Trilobite fossil

This trilobite fossil is a Flexicalymene senaria Conrad. The fossil was found in Indiana USA. This creature existed in the oceans of the Ordovician Period.

It was displayed at Muséum National D'Historie Naturelle Jardin Des Plantes Paléontologie et Anatomie Comparée as of August 2016.

Image below was taken August 2009 on a visit to the same museum.

Gampsonyx fimbriatus Shrimp Fossil

This shrimp like fossil is a Gampsonyx fimbriatus Jordan. The fossil was found in Germany. This creature roamed the ocean floors in the Permian Period.

It was displayed at Muséum National D'Historie Naturelle Jardin Des Plantes Paléontologie et Anatomie Comparée as of August 2016.

Its Grail Fossil Hunting Season!

Not too long ago I posted an image from the British Natural History Museum of a Bumastus trilobite fossil.

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2016/10/bumastus-trilobite-fossil.html

Finding one of these intact in the Silurian Period Waldron Shale of Indiana I consider to be very rare. So rare in that I call it a Holy Grail fossil for the Waldon as the thorax section tends to erode away quick just leaving a head or tail section. 

Recently, I have hope we might be close to finding this trilobite whole. Here is an image of the pygidium and thorax with the outline of the cephalon section. So close...

Thanks Kenny for showing me this.

Pholidophorus bechei Fish Fossil

This image is of the Pholidophorus bechei fish fossil. It was found in the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis England. The Blue Lias is in the bottom 32 meters of blue-gray limestone. This animal lived during the Lower Jurassic Period.

Henry Thomas de la Beche 1848 image in public domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henry_Thomas_de_la_Beche.jpg

This species was named after Henry De la Beche (1796-1855). He lived in Lyme Regis with his mother as a child and became friends with Mary Anning.

Fossil on display at the Lyme Regis Museum in England as of August 2016.

Learn more at www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk

Lyme Regis Ammonite Fossils

This post features a variety of ammonite fossils in one plate. Ammonites shown are Asteroceras margaritoides, Promicroceras planicosta, and Xipheroceras sp. The plate was found in the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis England. These ammonites lived during the Jurassic Period.

Fossil on display at the Lyme Regis Museum in England as of August 2016.

Learn more at www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk

Inoceramus faberi Bivalve Fossil

This image is of the Inoceramus faberi bivalve fossil. It was found in the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis England. This animal has relatives that lived  during the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods.

Fossil on display at the Lyme Regis Museum in England as of August 2016.

Learn more at www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk

Diademopsis bowerbanki Sea Urchin Fossil

This image is of the Diademopsis bowerbanki sea urchin fossil. It was found in the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis England. The Blue Lias is in the bottom 32 meters of blue-gray limestone. This animal lived during the Lower Jurassic Period.

Fossil on display at the Lyme Regis Museum in England as of August 2016.

Learn more at www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk

Agatized Dinosaur Bone Fossil

Galerie de Minéralogie et de Géologie which is part of the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle of Paris France had these two dinosaur fossils on display. The specimens were found in Utah, USA.

Palaeorhynchus deshayesi Fish Fossil Plate

Images of fossil fish plate outside the entrance to the Galerie de Minéralogie et de Géologie which is part of the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle of Paris France. The fossils are identified as Palaeorhynchus deshayesi. They are also known as Hemirhynchus (type of sailfish).

According to the Association des Géologues du Bassin de Paris Facebook page,  Stanislas-Étienne Meunier (1843-1925) published a discovery of these fossil fish 1872. They were found Puteaux limestone Seine near Paris, France.

Asterosoma Trace Fossils

Today's post is a very interesting set of fossils which I initially did not know what they were. I received an e-mail from the granddaughter of a person who found these specimens in the Estill County, Kentucky  USA.

Luckily, Dave at Views of the Mahantango blog was able to identify them as Asterosoma sp., a worm/shrimp? burrow trace fossil.

They appear to be from the Breathitt Formation of Pennsylvanian Period.

Thanks to Tamara for letting me post these pictures.

Learn more:
Post about them on Fossil Forum: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/28148-star-shaped-trace-fossils/

Info on the Arkansas Geological Survey blog: https://arkansasgeological.wordpress.com/tag/asterosoma/

Geology of Estill County, Kentucky: http://www.uky.edu/KGS/water/library/gwatlas/Estill/Geology.htm

Pterotocrinus acutus Crinoid Fossil

The fossil pictured appears to be a Pterotocrinus acutus (Wetherby, 1879) crinoid calyx. It was found in the Glen Dean Formation of Grayson County, Kentucky, USA. The fossil is almost 3 cm wide and a view from the top shows pinnules. This animal dates to Chesterian, Upper Mississippian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for the image.

See more images of crinoids like this at Don R. Chesnut's web page on fossils of the Sloans Valley Member (Paragon Formation).

http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/KPS/stratigraphicfauna/sloansvalleymacrofauna/pages/sloansvalleyechinodermata.html

Bumastus Trilobite Fossil

This posting shows an almost fully intact Bumastus barriensis (Murchison) prone trilobite. It was found in the Silurian Period Wenlock series of Dudley Worcestershire England. Image taken August 2016.

Finding an intact Bumastus trilobite in the Waldron Shale is what I consider to be a Holy Grail fossil.

This is probably the best I have found so far:
http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2010/06/bumastus-niagarensis-trilobite.html

Sagenocrinites expansus Crinoid Fossil

This image shows an intact Sagenocrinites expansus (Phillips) crinoid calyx fossil. It was found in the Silurian Period Wenlock series of Dudley Worcestershire England. Image taken August 2016. The fossil was on display at the British Natural History Museum.

Lepocrinites quadrifasciatus Crinoid Fossil

This image shows an intact Lepocrinites quadrifasciatus (Pearce) crinoid fossil. It was found in the Silurian Period Wenlock series of Walsall Staffordshire England. Image taken August 2016. The fossil was on display at the British Natural History Museum.

Strophonella euglypha Brachiopod Fossil

This image shows a Strophonella euglypha (Dalman) brachiopod fossil. It was found in the Silurian Period Wenlock series of  Dudley Worcestershire England. Image taken August 2016. The fossil was on display at the British Natural History Museum.

3-D Onychocrinus Crinoid Fossil

Sweet Christmas! (any guesses to what I have been watching?) My cousin found this de-articulated crinoid stem and partial calyx/arms fossil. He spent over 6 hours piecing it back together to form this 3-D display. The fossil pictured appears to be a Onychocrinus sp crinoid fossil. It was found in the Glen Dean Formation of Grayson County, Kentucky, USA. The fossil is almost 5 cm wide and a view from the top shows pinnules. This extinct creature dates to Chesterian, Upper Mississippian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for the images.

Pterotocrinus Crinoid Fossil

The fossil pictured appears to be a Pterotocrinus depressus (Lyon and Casseday, 1860) crinoid calyx. It was found in the Glen Dean Formation of Grayson County, Kentucky, USA. The fossil is about 2 cm wide. This animal dates to Chesterian, Upper Mississippian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for the image.

See more images of crinoids like this at Don R. Chesnut's web page on fossils of the Sloans Valley Member (Paragon Formation).

http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/KPS/stratigraphicfauna/sloansvalleymacrofauna/pages/sloansvalleyechinodermata.html

Zeacrinites Crinoid Calyx

Here is a picture of one sweet find. It appears to be a Zeacrinites wortheni (Hall, 1858) crinoid calyx fossil. It was found in the Glen Dean Formation of Grayson County, Kentucky, USA. The fossil is about 2 cm tall and consists of the calyx cup, arms and even some of the pinnules. The creature dates to Chesterian, Upper Mississippian Period.

Curious about how Zeacrinites Troost, 1858 was named? Check out this post to learn more: http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2016/01/zeacrinites-wortheni-crinoid-calyx.html

Thanks to Kenny for the image.

See early finds here:

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2016/01/zeacrinites-wortheni-crinoid-calyx.html

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2015/08/zeacrinites-wortheni-crinoid-calyx_8.html

 http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2015/08/zeacrinites-wortheni-crinoid-calyx.html 

Trimerus Trilobite from England

One my favorite places in the British Natural History Museum is the small wall display of Fossils from Britain. It is located in between their world class collection of marine reptiles and one of the gift shops. It has a sampling of a lot of Paleozoic invertebrate fossils like what I find in the Louisville area. My interest in Middle Silurian marine fossils was well represented in their Wenlock series which is very similar to the Waldron Shale.

This posting shows a almost fully intact Trimerus delphinocephalus (Green,1832) prone trilobite. It was found in the Silurian Period Wenlock series of Dudley Worcestershire England. Image taken August 2016.

It is similar to what I have found in the Waldron Shale.

http://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2013/05/cleaned-silurian-trimerus-trilobite.html