Modiolopsis concentrica Pelecypod Fossil with Cornulites

Above is a picture of a Modiolopsis concentrica (Hall & Whitfield, 1875) pelecypod fossil. Also the fossil has worm tubes called Cornulites (Schlotheim, 1820). These animals existed in the Ordovician Period. It was found in the Clays Ferry Formation of Robertson County, Kentucky USA. Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Achatella carleyi Trilobite Fossil With Ceratopsis chambersi Ostracod

Above is a picture of an Achatella carleyi (Meek,1872) trilobite fossil. Also an ostracod is at the top of the image that appears to be a Ceratopsis chambersi (Miller, 1874).  These animals existed in the Ordovician Period. It was found in the Clays Ferry Formation of Robertson County, Kentucky USA. Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Acidaspis Trilobite Fossil Fragments

 

Trilobite fossils found near Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky USA dates to the Ordovician Period. Images were taken under microscope and field of view is 1.5 cm. They appear to be fragments of an Acidaspis (Murchison, 1839) trilobite.

Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Scaphopod, Ostracod and Gastropod Fossils

Above is a picture of  Dentalium scaphopod, ostracod and gastropod fossils. These animals existed in the Mississippian Period. They were found in the Blue River Group of the St. Louis layer of Harrison County, Indiana USA. Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Ordovician Cephalopod Fossil

Above is a picture of an unidentified cephalopod fossil. This animal existed in the Ordovician Period. It was found in the Clays Ferry Formation of Robertson County, Kentucky USA. Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Flexicalymene granulosa Trilobite Fossil

Above is a picture of a  Flexicalymene granulosa (Foerste,1909) trilobite fossil. This animal existed in the Ordovician Period. It was found in the Clays Ferry Formation of Robertson County, Kentucky USA. Thanks to Kenny for the image.

Pleuroceras costatum

This image is of a Pleuroceras costatum (Hyatt non Reinecke, 1867) ammonite fossil. The animal existed in the Jurassic Period. Fossil was discovered in Franken, Germany. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Eleganticeras elegantulum

This image is of an Eleganticeras elegantulum (Young & Bird, 1828) ammonite fossil. The animal existed in the Jurassic Period. Fossil was discovered in Ahrensburg, Germany. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Harpoceras subplanatum

This image is of a Harpoceras subplanatum (Oppel, 1856) ammonite fossil. The animal existed in the Jurassic Period. Fossil was discovered in La Verpillière, France. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Psiloceras planorbis

This image is of a Psiloceras planorbis (Sowerby, 1824) ammonite fossil. The animal existed in the Jurassic Period. Fossil was discovered in southern England. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Hildoceras bifrons

This image is of a Hildoceras bifrons (Bruguière, 1789) ammonite fossil. The animal existed in the Jurassic Period. Fossil was discovered in England. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Ophioderma egertoni

This image is of Ophioderma egertoni (Broderip, 1840) starfish fossil. Its new name is Palaeocoma milleri (Phillips, 1829). This animal existed in the Cretaceous Period. Fossil were found at Mary Anning's fossil hunting grounds: Lyme Regis, England.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2019.

Hemiaster heberti Echinoid Fossils

This image is of Hemiaster heberti echinoid fossils. These animals existed in the Cretaceous Period. Fossils were found in Thebaid, Egypt.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2019.

Crioceras

Here is a picture of a cephalopod Crioceras (d'Orbigny, 1842) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Cretaceous Period. It was found at Thebaid, Egypt.

The Florentine Diamond Replica

 

Early this month The New York Times published an article "The Florentine Diamond Resurfaces After 100 Years in Hiding" by Robin Pogrebin. While I write about fossils on this blog, in recent years I go to museums and study the fossils on display. Last year while in Vienna, Austria I visited Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. This world class museum is just too big to see in just one visit so I concentrated mostly on the fossils. When you enter the museum and go to the right it leads you to multiple of rooms of minerals on display. Before you get to the meteorite room there are display cases showing gems and precious items fabricated with minerals.

 

One display that caught me attention was that of "Der Florentiner", a replica of a 137 caret yellow diamond. The diamond has a long history which can be read about on Wikipedia. It was thought lost at fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. As revealed earlier this month, the diamond has been in a bank vault in Canada most of the time since.

 

What an amazing story! 

Dolatocrinus Crinod Column Section Fossil

 

This image shows a number of crinoid stem column sections identified as Dolatocrinus (Lyon, 1857)  from the Beechwood Limestone. The fossil dates to the Devonian Period. They were found in Clark County, Indiana USA by Barbara Conkin (1928-2019) who was a local professor of geology. 

Productella spinulicosta Brachiopod Fossil

This plate contains a number of spiny brachiopods that appear to be Productella spinulicosta (Hall, 1867) in the Jeffersonville Limestone. The fossil dates to the Devonian Period. It was found at Coopers Lane Quarry Clark County, Indiana USA by Barbara Conkin (1928-2019) who was a local professor of geology.

 

Amplexus Pyrite Horn Coral

This fossil is a pyritized horn coral. The identification appears to be Amplexus fragilis (White & St. John) of the Coral Ridge fauna, New Providence Shale of Jefferson County, Kentucky. Time period for this specimen is Middle Mississippian (Osagean). It was found by a local geology professor Barbara Conkin years ago.

Nummulites granulosa Foraminifera Fossil

 

Here is a picture of a foraminifera Nummulites granulosa fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Paleogene Period. It was found at Roncà, Veneto Italy.

Strombus fortisi Gastropod Fossil

Here is a picture of a gastropod Strombus fortisi (Brongniart, 1823) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Paleogene Period. It was found at Roncà, Veneto Italy.

Gissocrinus goniodactylus Crinoid Fossil

This image is of a Gissocrinus goniodactylus (Phillips, 1839) crinoid fossil. It was found in the area of Dudley, Scotland. The fossil dates to the Silurian Period.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Spatiopora Bryozoan Fossil

This image is of a Spatiopora (Ulrich, 1882) bryozoan fossil. It was found in the area of Cincinnati Ohio USA. The fossil dates to the Ordovician Period.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Orthoceratidae Cephalopod Fossil

This image is of an Orthoceratidae cephalopod fossil. It was found in the area of Cincinnati Ohio USA. The fossil dates to the Ordovician Period.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Rafinesquina ponderosa Brachiopod Fossil

This image is of a Rafinesquina ponderosa (Hayes and Ulrich, 1903) brachiopod fossil. It was found in the area of Cincinnati Ohio USA. The fossil dates to the Ordovician Period.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

 

Grewingkia canadensis Horn Coral Fossils

 

This image is of a Grewingkia canadensis (Billings, 1862) horn coral fossil with some borings. It was found in the area of Cincinnati Ohio USA. The fossil dates to the Ordovician Period.

 

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024. The image below is of another horn coral fossil which might have a piece of a Cryptolithus cephalon trilobite.

 

Cyathophyllum heliantoides Coral Fossil

This image is of a Cyathophyllum heliantoides (Goldfuss, 1826) coral fossil. It was found in Eifel, Germany. The horn coral lived in the Devonian Period.

 
Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Spirifer laevicosta Brachiopod Fossil

 

This image is of a Spirifer laevicosta brachiopod fossil. It was found in Eifel, Germany. The brachiopod lived in the Devonian Period.

 
Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

 

Lucina proavia Pelecypod Fossil

 

This image is of a Lucina proavia  (Goldfuss, 1841) pelecypod fossil. It was found in Eifel, Germany. The bivalve existed in the Devonian Period.

 
Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Columnariq sulcata Coral Fossil

 

This image is of a Columnariq sulcata  plant fossil. It was found in Eifel, Germany. The coral existed in the Devonian Period.

 
Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Cycadopteris brauniana Plant Fossil

 

This image is of a Cycadopteris brauniana plant fossil. It was found in Verona, Italy. 

 
Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

 

Pterophyllum rectum Plant Fossil

 

This image is of a Pterophyllum rectum (Stur, 1885) plant fossil. It was found in Lunz, Austria. The fossil dates to the Late Triassic Period.

 
Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.

Carabocrinus vancortleandti Crinoid Fossil

Here is a picture of a crinoid calyx identified as Carabocrinus vancortleandti (Billings, 1859) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Ordovician Period. It might have been found in Canada.

The species was named by young lawyer from Ottawa, Canada named Elkanah Billings. He would later be Canada's first official paleontologist. In his 1859 publication, On the Crinoideae of the Lower Silurian Rocks of Canada, Billings wrote, "The species is dedicated to Dr. E. Vancortlandt, of the city of Ottawa, whose zeal in the advancement of science has been productive of many beneficial results," The Ottawa Citizen newspaper wrote in a 2020 article about the Victorian era curio collector Dr. Edward Van Cortlandt who collected holotype fossil of this species.

Persististrombus latus Gastropod Fossil

Here is a picture of a gastropod Strombus bubonius (Lamarck, 1822) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Vallebiaia, Toscany, Italy.

Another name it is referred to is Persististrombus latus (Gmelin, 1791).

Mya truncata Pelecypod Fossil

Here is a picture of a pelecypod Mya truncata (Linnaeus, 1758) fossil housed in a display case at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Monte Mario, Lazio, Italy.

Panopea norvegica Fossil

Here is a picture of a pelecypod Panopea norvegica (A.T. von Middendorff, 1849) fossil housed in a display case at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Monte Mario, Lazio, Italy.

Strombus bubonius Fossil

Here is a picture of a gastropod Strombus bubonius (Lamarck, 1822) fossil at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Vallebiaia, Toscany, Italy.

Another name it is referred to is Persististrombus latus (Gmelin, 1791).

Pecten jacobaeus Fossil

Here is a picture of a pelecypod Pecten jacobaeus (Linnaeus, 1758) fossil housed in a display case at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024.  The creature lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. It was found at Monte Mario, Lazio, Italy.

Otozamites trevisani Plant Fossil

This image is of an Otozamites trevisani plant fossil. The plant may have existed in the Pliocene Epoch. Fossil was found in Roverè di Velo, Verona Italy.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024. 

Acer integrilobum Plant Fossil

This image is of an Acer integrilobum maple tree leaf fossil. The plant existed in the Pliocene Epoch. Fossil was found in the upper Valdarno of Tuscany in Italy.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024. 

Glyptostrobus europaeus Plant Fossil

This image is of a Glyptostrobus europaeus cypress plant fossil. The plant existed in the Pliocene Epoch. Fossil was found in the upper Valdarno of Tuscany in Italy.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024. 

Cyperus Plant Fossil

This image is of a Cyperus sp. plant fossil. The plant existed in the Miocene Epoch. Fossil was discovered in the village of Prata of the Grosseto province in Italy.

Picture taken at Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia Florence Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze) in August 2024. 

Cyathoseris Coral Fossil

Cyathoseris (Milne, Edwards & Haime, 1849) is a coral fossil. It existed during the Eocene Epoch (about 56-34 million years ago ). This fossil was found inWachberg Austria. Fossil was on display at Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) (August 2024).

Turrisasps elektor Fossil

Here are pictures of a primitive fish fossil called Turrisasps elektor (Daeschler, Furmes & Mullison, 2003). Note fingernails in picture on size of these fossils. It existed in the  Upper Devonian Period and was found in the Catskill Formation Duncannon Member of Red Hill Pennsylvania USA.

Thanks to Kenny for the images.