Monday, June 15, 2020

Almost Intact Bumastus niagarensis Trilobite Fossil


When I was active hunting the Waldron Shale for its treasured fossils, one I hoped to find was an intact Bumastus niagarensis (Whitfield, 1879) trilobite. This image is of a mostly intact trilobite (60-70%) and the pygidium on another one. As far as I know, no fully intact Bumastus trilobites have been found in the Waldron Shale of Indiana. Looking at this one, it was probably intact at the quarry and was damaged when dug up or moved so it gives me hope in the future a full one will be found.


It dates to the Silurian Period (Wenlock Epoch, Sheinwoodian to Homerian Stages). My cousin Kenny found it in Clark County, Indiana, USA. Very nice find, so close to being a complete specimen.


Species was originally named by  R. P. (Robert Parr) Whitfield (1828-1910) as Illaenus niagarensis in the Annual Report of Geological Survey of Wisconsin for 1879, 1880 page 68.