Sunday, April 26, 2020

Holochroal Eye of Trilobite Fossil


The image above is of a holochroal eye of an Asaphus expansis trilobite fossil. It was found at Gillberga Quarry on the Baltic Sea island of Öland, Sweden on May 5, 1986. The fossil dates to the Lower Ordovician Period. I believe it was found at the Volkov Stage (Gillberga Limestone or old name Hjorthamn Limestone).




The original fossil was found by Dr. James Conkin and later prepped and photographed by Kenny Popp.

Learn more about this locality:
http://sarv.gi.ee/igcp503/IGCP503/page/Oeland.pdf

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Favosites niagarensis Coral Fossil


My cousin Kenny sent me some images of something he had been working on recently. He extracted a silica coral fossil from a boulder using muratic acid. What emerged was a Favosites niagarensis coral with other corals or stromatoporoids. The fossil was found the Silurian Period Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County Kentucky USA.


Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Asaphus expansis Trilobite Fossil


These pictures are of pieces of the Asaphus expansis trilobite fossil. They were found in Gillberga Quarry (Hjorthamn Limestone?) on the Baltic Sea island of Öland, Sweden. Dr. James Conkin (1924-2017) collected them there in May 1986. The fossils date the Ordovician Period (Volkov Stage?).  My cousin Kenny prepped and photographed them.






Saturday, April 18, 2020

Cone-In-Cone Structures






The cone-in-cone structures form in sedimentary environment.The specimen pictured appears to be from the Coral Ridge Member of the New Providence formation of Bullitt County, Kentucky USA. It formed in the Early Mississippian Period (Osagean). Known as "beef rock" in the British Isles since it looks like a slab of roast beef.

Specimen from the estate of Dr. James Conkin (1924-2017). No label provided so identification is an educated guess. Dr. Conkin first described this structure in 1957 at the Coral Ridge site. He described it as "This double cone-in-cone occurs as two layers of inverted cone-like "golf tees" surrounding an essentially undisturbed solid central mass of impure siderite (FeCO3). These double cone-in-cones occur as elongated lenses embedded in the olive-gray, shale in the upper part of the Coral Ridge Member, approximately 20 feet of the lower New Providence Formation." This layer is associated with "marcasitized megafossil fauna (with goniatite cephalopods, blastoids, "pleurotomarid type" Bembexia ellanae snails, clams, trilobite Philibole conkini ... and the worm burrow Scalarituba missouriensis".






Sunday, April 12, 2020

Pleurodictyum maximum Coral Fossil



Fossil appears to be a Pleurodictyum maximum coral. It is credited to Gerard Troost in the 1840 5th Annual Report on the Geology of Tennessee (pp.45-75). He named it Calamopora maxima and that specimen has been lost. This fossil was found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of Clark County, Indiana USA. The fossil dates to the Devonian Period.


Saturday, April 11, 2020

Arachnophyllum striatum Coral Fossil



Images of what appears to be an Arachnophyllum striatum coral fossil. It was found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky USA. The fossil dates to the Middle Silurian Period. Thanks to Kenny for help with identification on this fossil.





Monday, April 6, 2020

Carolinapecten eboreus Scallop Fossil



This image is of a Carolinapecten eboreus scallop fossil. The fossil was found in Horry County South Carolina USA. It dates to the Pleistocene Epoch. It is possible the fossil was found in the Waccamaw Formation. The specimen was on display at The Charleston Museum on August 2017. It is one of the United States oldest museums being founded in 1773.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Santee Limestone



These images are of the Santee Limestone composed of numerous marine fossils from 45 million years ago. The limestone was found in Dorchester County South Carolina USA. It dates to the Eocene Epoch, Paleogene Period. The specimen was on display at The Charleston Museum on August 2017. The museum is considered America's First Museum being founded in 1773.



Friday, April 3, 2020

Cypricardinia arata Pelecypod Fossil



This image is of several very nice Cypricardinia arata clam fossils. They were found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana USA. The fossils date to the Silurian Period (Wenlock Epoch, Sheinwoodian to Homerian Stage).

Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Actinocrinites Crinoid Calyx Fossil



Over 10 years ago, a crinoid plate was found at Fort Payne Formation of Lake Cumberland Kentucky, USA. It is an interesting find in that the broken apart crinoid calyx can be seen on both sides of the plate. Also the plates have such a distinct and pronounced pattern. After showing this to my cousin Kenny, he determined the crinoid remains appear to be an unknown species of the genus Actinocrinites. The plate is about 17 cm long and 13 cm wide at maximum lengths. The individual plates are about 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter.





Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Mene rhombeus Fish Fossil


Mene rhombeus "moonfish" fossil displayed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, USA. This fish could be related to modern jack and pompano fishes (carangids). It was found in Monte Bolca, Italy. The fossil dates to the Late Eocene Epoch (40 million years ago) of the Paleogene Period. Image taken July 2018.