Red Ammonoid Fossil

I returned to St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church located at East Eighth and Spring Streets, New Albany Indiana, USA. The fossil appears in the floor of the church alter area has strips of Red Verona or Rosso Verona marble in it. This rock dates to the Upper Jurassic Period of the Rosso Ammonitico Formation, Oxfordian Stage, Verona Province, Venetia Region of Italy.

 

In a previous post, I listed that the building was dedicated on December 12, 1858 primarily serving the German-speaking immigrants of the area. In the 1920s, renovations brought Carrara Italian marble to the alters, communion rail, sanctuary floor, baptismal font and wainscoting.  

 Sadly, my visit there was for the funeral of my Aunt Ruth Popp (1934-2026). May she rest in peace. 

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.

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.

 

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. 

Pileopsis tribolatus

 

This image is of Pileopsis tribolatus gastropod fossil. It was found in Italy.

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

Cephalopod Fossil at Basilica di Santa Croce

Here is a picture of a rare straight shelled cephalopod fossil found at Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence, Italy. I see a lot of coiled ammonoids in this material but not so many straight shelled cephalopods.

This building material is a iron enriched (red) limestone also known as Red Verona marble or Rosso Verona marble used in a lot of churches including this one. The material dates to the Upper Jurassic Period of the Rosso Ammonitico Formation, Oxfordian Stage, Verona Province, Venetia Region of Italy. Pictures taken August 2024.

 Look in the reddish square shapes in front of the tomb of Neri Corsini (1614-1678). Here is map.

Diploria flexuosissima

 

These images are of Diploria flexuosissima (d'Achiardi, 1868) scleractinian coral fossil. They were found in Montecchio Maggiore, Veneto, Italy and dates to the Paleogene Period.

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

Septatraea geometrica Coral Fossil

 

This image is of Septatraea geometrica coral fossil. It was found in Italy and dates to the Miocene Epoch.

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

 

Homotherium crenatidens Tiger Fossil

 

This image is of the cranium and mandible of a Homotherium crenatidens saber-tooth tiger fossil. The animal existed in the Pleistocene Epoch. Fossil was discovered in 1870 near Sammerzzano, Upper Valdarno, Italy.


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

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homotherium

Return To the Fossils of the Vatican

Last month, I returned to  St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City near Rome, Italy. On September 3, 2019 I posted a blog entry about finding ammonite fossils in some of the floor slabs on a visit there. This building material is a iron enriched (red) limestone also known as Red Verona marble or Rosso Verona marble used in a lot of churches including this one. I now know to look for fossils when I see the reddish-pink stone in floors. The material dates to the Upper Jurassic Period of the Rosso Ammonitico Formation, Oxfordian Stage, Verona Province, Venetia Region of Italy.

 

On this visit, I investigated some of the slabs in more obscure locations like the corners along walls and found some very nicely preserved ammonoid fossils. It appears the stone mason might have intentional put some of these slabs with fossils there and they have held up well since people are not walking on that surface.

Fluorescent Opal Belemnite Fossil

This opal fossil is UV fluorescent. The original aragonite internal shell dissolved and was replaced by opal in this belemnite fossil. It existed in the Cretaceous Period. Fossil was probably found in Coober Pedy, Australia. Specimen was on display at the la Specola Museo Di Zoologia Ceropastica e Mineralogia (Florence, Italy) (August 2024).

 

Echinolampas hoffmani Enchinoderm Fossils

This image is of an Echinolampas hoffmani (Desor, 1847) enchinoderm fossils. The creatures existed in the Pliocene Epoch of the Neogene Period. Fossila were discovered in Parlascio, Toscana, Italy.

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