Sunday, June 30, 2024

Dolatocrinus stellifer Crinoid Fossil


 

This fragment of a crinoid calyx fossil pictured above is known as Dolatocrinus stellifer (Miller & Gurley, 1894). It was found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of the Falls of the Ohio, Clark County, Indiana USA. The fossil dates to the Devonian Period. 

See a fossil of this species in 3-D at the University of Michigan web site: https://umorf.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/wp/specimen-data/?Model_ID=1459

This crinoid fossil was once part of the collection of southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). It appeared that all of Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City after his death but as it turns out there was one cabinet not sold and was past down to his descendants. 

This fossil is now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till September 2024 after that it will be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.


Sunday, June 23, 2024

Breviphrentis nitida Horn Coral Fossil


These horn coral fossils pictured above were known as Breviphrentis nitida (Hall, 1876). They were found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of the Falls of the Ohio, Clark County, Indiana USA. The fossils date to the Devonian Period. Included in this picture is George Greene's original display label which refers to it as Zaphrentis nitida.

This coral fossil was once part of the collection of southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). It appeared that all of Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City after his death but as it turns out there was one cabinet not sold and was past down to his descendants. 

This fossil is now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till at least September 2024 after that it should be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.


 

Friday, June 21, 2024

Favosites emmonsi Coral Fossil

This "honeycomb" coral fossil pictured above is known as Favosites (Emmonsia) emmonsi (Hall, 1876). It was found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of the Falls of the Ohio, Clark County, Indiana USA. The fossil dates to the Devonian Period. Included in this picture is George Greene's original display label.

This coral fossil was once part of the collection of southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). It appeared that all of Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City after his death but as it turns out there was one cabinet not sold and was past down to his descendants. 

This fossil is now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till September 2024 after that it will be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.

Monday, June 17, 2024

Deltodus Shark Tooth Fossil

 

The pictures shown in this post are of a freshly found shark tooth fossil from the Glen Dean Formation of Grayson County, Kentucky, USA. It appears to be a Deltodus and dates to the Mississippian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for the pictures.



 

Sunday, June 16, 2024

Petalodis Shark Tooth Fossil

 

 

The pictures shown in this post are of a freshly found shark tooth fossil from the Glen Dean Formation of Grayson County, Kentucky, USA. It appears to be a Petalodis (Owen, 1840) and dates to the Mississippian Period. This genus was named by the English paleontologist Richard Owen (1804-1892).

Thanks to Kenny for the pictures.



Thursday, June 13, 2024

Turbinopsis shumardi Gastropod Fossil


Here are some pictures of a snail fossil known as Turbinopsis shumardi (de Verneuil). It was found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of Falls of the Ohio, Indiana USA. The fossils date to the Devonian Period. It was once part of the collection of southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). It appeared that all of Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City after his death but as it turns out there was one cabinet that was not sold and was past down to his descendants. 

The fossil species was named after Dr. Benjamin Franklin Shumard (1820-1869) a Louisville educated medical doctor who also collected and studied fossils.

This fossil is now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till September 2024 after that it will be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.


Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Arachnophyllum pentagonum Coral Fossil

 

The colonial rugose coral fossil pictured above is known as Arachnophyllum pentagonum (Goldfuss, 1826). It was found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky USA. The fossils date to the Silurian Period. This coral fossil was once part of the collection of southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). It appeared that all of Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City after his death but as it turns out there was one cabinet not sold and was past down to his descendants. 

This fossil is now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till September 2024 after that it will be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Thecia minor Coral Fossils


Here are some pictures of a coral fossil known as Thecia minor (Rominger). They are found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky USA. The fossils date to the Silurian Period. They were once part of the collection of southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). It appeared that all of Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City after his death but as it turns out there was one cabinet that was not sold and was past down to his descendants. 


These fossils are now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till September 2024 after that it will be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Pleurodictym wardi Fossil Coral

Last year, I wrote about the life of a southern Indiana paleontologist George K. Greene (1835-1917). That research pointed to that Greene's fossil collection was sold to American Museum of Natural History in New York City but as it turns out there was one cabinet that was not sold and was past down to his descendants. 

This picture is of two coral specimens named Pleurodictym wardi (Greene, 1903) also called a "wasp nest coral". It was found in the Beechwood Limestone of Clark County, Indiana, USA and dates to middle Devonian Period. This coral species was named by Greene in his publications as Michelinia wardi. He wrote "name is honor of Prof. Henry A. Ward, the well known collector and Paleontologist of Rochester, New York". The publications named 166 new fossils but as turned out only 15 were valid.

This fossil is now on display at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center till September 2024 after that it will be transferred to the Indiana State Museum. George Greene's great-great-grandson William "Bill" Bishop passed away on November 29, 2023 and his wish that fossils be donated.



Friday, June 7, 2024

Fragment of a Platyceras dumosum


This fossil fragment is of a Platyceras dumosum (Conrad, 1840) spiny snail (gastropod). It was found in Clark County, Indiana USA.  The layer it was found is called the Jeffersonville Limestone which dates to the Middle Devonian Period. My nephews Joseph and Jack found this while we were out collecting.




 

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Culmicrinus elegans Crinoid Fossil

 

This fossil appears to be a Culmicrinus elegans (Wachsmuth & Springer, 1897) crinoid calyx. It was found in the Chester Group of Glen Dean Formation in southern Indiana USA. The fossil dates to the Mississippian Period. The fossil is about 9 cm tall.

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Coiled Crinoid Stem Fossil

 

These pictures are of a coiled crinoid fossil. It was found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County Indiana USA. The fossil dates to the Silurian Period.






Monday, June 3, 2024

Agassizocrinus? Crinoid Fossil

 

In 2012, I posted a crinoid calyx fossil which was identified as a Phanocrinus nitidus. Recently, I revisited this fossil and took some new pictures of what might be an Agassizocrinus. The matrix it is in also contains a very nice Archimedes bryozoan and an unknown brachiopod. The specimen was found in southern Indiana, USA and dates to Mississippian Period. The crinoid is about 3 cm in length.








Saturday, June 1, 2024

Cactocrinus? Crinoid Fossil Stem


It is usually difficult to identify fossil crinoid stem pieces. So this fossil was recently found in the Jeffersonville Limestone Clark County Indiana USA. It dates to the Middle Devonian Period. The stem has some unique features so it seemed like a good candidate for trying to find its name. After some research, this fossil might be a Cactocrinus. A problem emerges in that that genus existed in the Mississippian Period and this fossil was found in much older rock.