Prasopora Bryozoan Fossil with Calcite Crystals

This specimen is a mix between a fossil and mineral (calcite crystals). It appears to be Prasopora bryozoan fossil. The fossil dates to the Ordovician Period. It was found in Ripley County, Indiana, USA.

Thanks to Kenny for image.

Saivodus ctenacanthus Shark Tooth Fossil

This appears to be a Saivodus ctenacanthus shark tooth (cladodont) fossil. It was found in Crawford County, Indiana USA. Fossil dates to the Mississippian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for image.

Unidentified Coral Fossil from Harrison County Indiana USA

A reader of this blog, Christina sent me a image of fossil she found in Harrison County, Indiana, USA. I think it is a Syringopora sp. coral fossil. All the fossils I have seen from Harrison County date to the Mississippian Period.

It is quite a nice find, especially if more fossil detail can be seen once the matrix has been removed.

UPDATE: Mike Huggins in the comments section left a link to a similar fossil he found.  It is a "Upper Mississippian Syringopora in limestone of the (Meramecian/Visean) Hillsdale Limestone of southern West Virginia" https://www.flickr.com/photos/79475348@N03/14012502204/in/album-72157644301124792/

Experiments in Fossil Cleaning with Power Washer

Earlier in the year, I was cleaning with a power washer and thought, "what if I tried this on some of soil stained fossils?". Well, I picked out a few pieces: crinoid plates that had been underwater at Lake Cumberland for a long time and coral and brachiopod fossils from Devonian Period limestones around Louisville.

This first fossil picture shows one of the largest horn corals to ever exist called Siphonophrentis elongata (Rafenesque & Clifford, 1820). It is found in the Jeffersonville Limestone usually in pieces in the soil. The fossil shown is stained a reddish-brown. The other two plates are broken up crinoid stem plates with one showing pieces of a calyx. They were found at Lake Cumberland, Kentucky. They appear to have layers of lake mud on them that is fused to the silica fossils. I like these fossils in that they have bluish look to them.

The next two show after cleaning. The crinoid stem piece did the best. I am not sure there was much change on the crinoid plates.

This next picture is of a coral fossil and brachiopod plate. The second image shows the cleaned fossils. The coral cleaned quite nicely.

Unknown Fish Fossil

A while back I was visiting my cousin Kenny and he had this fossil under the microscope. The field of view might be 4mm. It has a blue glossy sheen to it. It appears to be a fragment of a fish fossil. The fossil was found in Indian Springs Formation(?) in Crawford County, Indiana, USA. Date on this piece is Mississippian Period.

Stensioella heintzi Fish Cast Fossil

This fish fossil cast is a Stensioella heintzi (named for Erik Stensiö). It was collected Hunsrück, Budenbach, Germany. This fish fossil has only been found in Germany so far. Fossil dates to about 395 million years ago (Early Devonian Period).

The fossil on display (2018) at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.

Rhabdoderma elegans Fish Fossil

This fish fossil is a Rhabdoderma elegans ("striated skin"). It was collected Linton, Ohio, USA. This fish was a common freshwater fish in its day. Fossil dates to about 325 million years ago (Middle Carboniferous Period).

The fossil on display (2018) at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.

Orthacanthus Fish Spine Fossil

This fish fossil is an Orthacanthus sp. It was collected Texas, USA. This fossil is a pectoral girdle "straight spine". Fossil dates to about 280 million years ago (Early Permian Period).

The fossil on display (2018) at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.

Diplurus newarki Coelacanth Fossil

This fish fossil is a Diplurus newarki. It was collected by G.L. Jepsen in 1946 at Firestone Library excavation in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. This fish lived in fresh water lakes of what would be eastern North America today. It is related larger coelacanths (e.g. Axelrodichthys) found in Cretaceous Period. Fossil dates about 210 million years ago (Late Triassic Period).

The fossil on display (2018) at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.

Model of what fish might of looked like. Created by Louis Ferraglio (in 1953?).

Gemuendina stuertzi Fish Skeleton Fossil (cast)

This cast of a fish fossil is a Gemuendina stuertzi. It was found in Hunsrück, Budenbach, Germany. Fossil dates about 395 million years ago (Early Devonian Period).

The fossil on display (2018) at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.

Model of what fish might of looked like. Created by Louis Ferraglio (in 1953?).

Asterosteus stenocephalus Fish Head Shield Fossil (cast)

This Middle Devonian Period fossil cast is of an Asterosteus stenocephalus fish. The fossil was found in Delaware, Ohio, USA. Its name means "star bone".

As of 2018, this head shield cast was on display at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.