Anthonomus Snout Nosed Beetle Fossil

The image shows an Anthonomus defossus (Scudder, 1876) snout nosed beetle insect fossil found in the Florissant Formation of Teller County, Colorado, USA. It dates to the Chadronian Stage (37.2 - 33.9 million years ago) of the Eocene Epoch of the Paleogene Period. Thanks to Doug for the image. Field of view (FOV) is 2 mm.

Lacewing Insect Fossil

The image shows a lacewing insect fossil found in the Florissant Formation of Teller County, Colorado, USA. It dates to the Eocene Epoch of the Paleogene Period. Thanks to Doug for the image. Field of view (FOV) is 6 mm. 

 

Merry Christmas everybody!

Trading Places in a Devonian Sea

 

My cousin Kenny sent me some pictures of some fossils he screened from micro material I brought back from Alpena Michigan USA. What I found interesting was two specimens show the interactions between bryozoan and coral fossils. One specimen shows a coral growing on a bryozoan and another shows the reverse. First picture shows an Aulopora (Goldfuss, 1829) coral growing on what appears to be a Fistulipora (McCoy, 1849) bryozoan. The next image shows an Aulocystis ramosa with a matting Fistulipora bryozoan growing on top of it.

The next image shows the same type of coral fossil with a matting bryozoan. Field of view (FOV) in these images is about 12-15 mm.

It was found in the Potter Farm Formation and dates to Middle Devonian Period (Erian Age). Thanks to Kenny for image and screen material to find fossil.

Strophondonta crassa Brachiopod Fossil

Screening through a lot of micro material brought back from Alpena Michigan USA. This brachiopod fossil appears to be a Strophondonta crassa (Imbrie, 1959). It was found in the Potter Farm Formation and dates to Middle Devonian Period (Erian Age). The length is about 13 mm. The fossil shows signs of having a worm tube or snail attached to it. Also maybe an Aulopora coral in the bottom left part of the shell.

Thanks to Kenny for image and screen material to find fossil.

Marrella splendens Arthropod Image

 

This image created by Doctor Elvira Wood and published in 1920 in The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of Trilobites by Percy E. Raymond. It is of a Marrella splendens (Walcott, 1912) arthropod. Charles Doolittle Walcott collected it from the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada in 1909. He described it as a "lace crab". It turns out it is not a trilobite or a crab. The creature lived in the Cambrian Period.

This image is not correct as you will see if go to the Wikipedia entry below to see more modern interpretations of what this animal looked like. Dr. Raymond was directing Dr. Wood how to illustrate this fossil. He writes on page 116, "The accompanying restoration of the ventral surface of Marrella is a tentative one, based on Doctor Walcott's description and figures. ... The restoration is therefore subject to revision as the species becomes better known."

Learn more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrella

Hexagonaria Coral with Hederella Bryozoan Fossils

These pictures are of a Hexagonaria anna (Whitfield, 1973) coral fossil. It was found in the Bell Shale of the Traverse Group of Alpena, Michigan, USA. The coral lived in the Devonian Period. On the bottom of the coral is a small colony (3 cm long) of Hederella (Hall, 1883) bryozoans.

Michigan Black Atrypa Brachiopod

These pictures are of an Atrypa sp. (Hall, 1862) brachiopod fossil. It was found in the Genshaw Formation at Carmeuse Quarry of Rogers City, Michigan, USA. The brachiopod lived in the Devonian Period (Givetian age). The black color is thought to be caused by hydrocarbons.

 

Louisville Soccer and Living Fossils

 

On Saturday, November 20, 2021 Louisville Kentucky USA hosted the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) championship game which turned out into a competitive match between Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit. The Washington Spirit team ending up winning 2-1 and the above picture shows their award ceremony. 

10,360 showed up for the game and as a result I went to the game several hours early and stayed about 90 minutes after it ended because of traffic. In this extra time, I explored around the stadium and found that the trees planted around the perimeter were Ginkgo biloba (Linnaeus, 1771). According to Wikipedia, while the species was named by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, Chinese herbalists named it in literature as early as 1329. The fossil record shows leaves from the Permian Period (about 290 million years ago). I have posted about this fossil before back in 2010 (LINK).

Most of the leaves seen on Saturday were yellow from the autumn temperatures though a few still showed some green. The plant has a distinctive fan like shape.

I am curious as to why this tree was chosen for the landscaping the complex. As it turns out, I help the landscape architect from time to time with IT issues. Next time, I encounter him I plan to ask about this. If you get a chance, I encourage you to attend a Racing Louisville or Louisville City soccer game at Lynn Family stadium and check these trees out for yourself and the beautiful venue.

Caryocrinites ornatus Cystoid Fossils

 

My September 2021 trip to Alpena, Michigan USA included a visit to local paleontologist Paleo Joe (aka  Joseph Kchodl). 

This picture is of one of his cystoid fossils from Middleport, New York USA. This fossil is known as Caryocrinites ornatus (Say, 1825). It was found in the Rochester Shale and existed in the Silurian Period.

Another beautiful specimen fossil of this species can be found at this web site http://www.primitiveworlds.com/cystoids-3.html

The next picture shows the same cystoids buy you can see their almost full length stems down to the holdfast. Also a Striispirifer niagarensis (Conrad, 1843) brachiopod fossil on that matrix as well.

Icthyocrinus laevis Crinoid Calyx Fossil

 

My September 2021 trip to Alpena, Michigan USA included a visit to local paleontologist Paleo Joe (aka  Joseph Kchodl). 

This picture is of one of his crinoid calyx fossils from Middleport, New York USA. This fossil is known as Icthyocrinus laevis (Conrad, 1842). It was found in the Rochester Shale and existed in the Silurian Period.

Another beautiful specimen fossil of this species can be found at this web site http://www.primitiveworlds.com/crinoids-14.html

Hexagonaria Coral Fossil

These pictures of a Hexagonaria anna (Whitfield, 1973) coral fossil. It was found in the Bell Shale of the Traverse Group of Alpena, Michigan, USA. The coral lived in the Devonian Period.

 

Heliophyllum? Coral Fossil from Michigan

These pictures of what looks like a Heliophyllum sp. (Hall, 1846) coral fossil plus there are some bryozoan colonies. It was found in the Bell Shale of the Traverse Group of Rogers City, Michigan, USA. The coral lived in the Devonian Period.

 

Atrypa Brachiopod Fossil from Michigan

These pictures are of an Atrypa sp. (Hall, 1862) brachiopod fossil. It was found in the Genshaw Formation at Carmeuse Quarry of Rogers City, Michigan, USA. The brachiopod lived in the Devonian Period (Givetian age). In September 2011, Dave wrote about another brachiopod from this area which is called "Blue Beds". The fossil has a blackish-brown color. Dave speculated that it might caused by hydrocarbons (bitumen, tar, or oil). See his post at Views of the Mahantango blog here.

 

Hexagonaria anna Coral Fossil

These pictures of a Hexagonaria anna (Whitfield, 1973) coral fossil. It was found in the Bell Shale of the Traverse Group of Alpena, Michigan, USA. The coral lived in the Devonian Period.

On the bottom of the fossil are a number Aulopora coral fossils that grew on the Hexagonaria. Also there are a number of bryozoan colonies. Plus there is a Aulopora coral fossil found on the top of the coral.

Native American Bird Stone From Hexagonaria Fossil

In September 2021 I visited the Besser Museum at Alpena, Michigan, USA. They had a large exhibit on Native American artifacts found in Michigan. One that caught me attention was labeled "petoskey stone pop-eye", see picture above. It is a native American bird stone made shaped from a Hexagonaria coral fossil. They also have on display a copper bird stone identified as the only one known. The museum has an impressive collection of copper artifacts created by native American peoples of Michigan.

The Besser Museum for Northwest Michigan was named for Jesse Besser (1882-1970) who perfected and produced machines that create these famous concrete blocks. Out in the yard is a huge boulder sized Hexagonaria (Gürich, 1896) coral fossil (from Devonian Period). They also have areas where you can search for and keep fossils from material dumped there from local quarry.

 

Bryozoan Holdfast Fossil

In September 2021, I was collecting in Alpena Michigan USA. While there I found something that was not immediately apparent what it was. After consulting with Paleo Joe he told me it was a fan bryozoan holdfast fossil. It was found in the Potters Farm Formation of the Traverse Group. The fossil dates to the middle Devonian Period (Givetian Stage). Only found this one and was a little thrown off as I don't remember ever encountering a holdfast that looked like this.

Atrypa Brachiopod Fossil with Crystallized Lophophore

Check out this picture of an Atrypa (Hall, 1862) brachiopod fossil (note the two elliptical shapes which are feeding tubes or lophophore that have crystallized). The fossil was found in the Genshaw Formation at Alpena, Michigan USA. The creature lived Middle Devonian Period (Erian Stage).

 

Anthonomus defossus? Snout Beetle Fossil

These images show snout beetle or weevil insect fossils of the Order Coleoptera, Family Curculionidae found in the Florissant Formation of Teller County, Colorado, USA. I wonder if this insect was in the Anthonomini weevil tribe in the subfamily Curculioninae and maybe genus Anthonomus (Gemar, 1817) or species Anthonomus defossus (Scudder, 1876).  It dates to the Chadronian Stage (37.2 - 33.9 million years ago) Eocene Epoch of the Paleogene Period. Thanks to Doug for the image. Fossils were uncovered in September 2021. Field of view is 2 mm.

Dicranurus hamatus Trilobite Fossil

On a recent trip to Alpena, Michigan USA with several amateur paleontologists from Louisville and one from Chicago, we visited a local paleontologist Paleo Joe (aka  Joseph Kchodl). This picture is of one of his trilobite fossils from Oklahoma. This fossil is known as Dicranurus hamatus (Conrad, 1841). It was found in the Haragan Formation and existed in the Devonian Period.

 Learn more about Oklahoma trilobites in the Geological Survey Bulletin 123 Trilobites of the Haragan, Bois D'Arc and Frisco Formations (Early Devonian) Arbuckle Mountains Region, Oklahoma by K. S. W. Campbell (1977). Paper can be found at this LINK.

Proaster Brittle Star Fossil

 

My September 2021 trip to Alpena, Michigan USA included a visit to local paleontologist Paleo Joe (aka  Joseph Kchodl). 

This picture is of one of his brittle star fossils from Middleport, New York USA. This fossil is known as Protaster sp. (Forbes, 1849). It was found in the Rochester Shale and existed in the Silurian Period.

Genus was named by Edward Forbes (1815-1854) in Figures and descriptions illustrative of British Organic Remains. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom (1849).

Chilotrypa ostiolata Bryozoan Fossil

 

My September 2021 trip to Alpena, Michigan USA with several amateur paleontologists from Louisville and Chicago, we visited a local paleontologist Paleo Joe (aka  Joseph Kchodl). 

This picture is of one of his bryozoan fossils from Middleport, New York USA. This fossil is known as Chilotrypa ostiolata (Hall, 1852). It was found in the Rochester Shale and existed in the Silurian Period.

Aulopora conferta Coral Fossil

 

This fossil is really nice with Aulopora conferta? (Winchell) coral growing on what might be Hexagonaria.(Gürich, 1896). It was found in the Bell Shale of the Traverse Group at Carmeuse Quarry, Rogers City, Michigan, USA. The fossil dates to the middle Devonian Period (Givetian Stage).