Acanthodes bronni Spiny Fish Fossil

This image is of an Acanthodes bronni (Agassiz, 1833) spiny fish fossil. The animal existed in the Permian Period. Fossil was discovered in Niederkirchen, Germany. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Richthofenia permiana Brachiopod Fossil

 

This image is of a Richthofenia permiana brachiopod fossil. The animal existed in the Permian Period. Fossil was discovered in Texas, USA. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

This fossil is very strange, just looking at it I would identify it as a horn coral but it is a brachiopod. The label in the museum listed it as "tütenförmiger Armfüßer" which translates to bag-shaped brachiopod.  Learn more about this fossil at the blog  Equatorial Minnesota and its relation to Benjamin Franklin Shumard (1820-1869) at medical doctor from Louisville who switched to paleontology. This fossil might be under the genus Prorichthofenia now.

https://equatorialminnesota.blogspot.com/2018/03/prorichthofenia-brachiopod-horn-corals.html

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.

Helicoprion Teeth Fossil

 

The image of teeth arranged in a spiral of lower jaw was on display at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City in July 2018. This animal is called Helicoprion. The name means "spiral jaw". It was found at Waterloo Phosphate Mine near Montpelier, Idaho,USA. The fossil dates to the early Permian Period (280 million years ago). Specimen number is AMNH 8250.

Lycaenops ornatus Skeleton Fossil

The image of this mammal-like fossil was on display at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City in July 2018. This animal is called Lycaenops ornatus. The name means "wolf shape". It was found by Robert Bloom (1866-1951) in 1928 at Biesjespoort Station, South Africa. The fossil dates to the Permian Period (255 million years ago). Specimen number is AMNH 2240.

Diadectes phaseolinus Reptiliomorpha Fossil

This reptiliomorpha fossil was on display at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City in July 2018. The fossil was named Diadectes phaseolinus (Cope, 1880). According to GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility), the accepted name for this fossil is Diadectes sideropelicus (Cope, 1878). The name means "crosswise biter". It was found in 1906 at Godlin Creek, Archer County Texas USA and dates to the early Permian Period (280 million years ago). Accession number is AMNH 4684. 

E.C. Case mentions this specimen in his 1910 Article XVII New or Little Known Reptiles and Amphibians from the Permian (?) of Texas pp. 163-181 in Bulletin American Museum of Natural History Vol. XXVIII.

Learn more about the museum at https://www.amnh.org/

Natural History Tiles at Roosevelt Station

While visiting Chicago, Illinois, USA, I traveled from Midway Airport to the Roosevelt station via the Orange "L" line. The "L" stands for elevated as in the tracks are high above the street. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The address of the station is 1167 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605.

The Roosevelt Station is the closest to the Museum Campus where the Field Museum of Natural History can be found. Because of its locality, tile artwork in one of the passenger walk ways are decorated in a natural history theme.

The first image depicts a trilobite, if I had to guess it is a Silurian Period Calymene. Chicago is built on a 420 million year old Silurian Period seabed so this would be a good choice to show. The border tile in yelllow, black and gray show animals as well. The one on the left appears to show a Permian Period tetrapod Discosauriscus. While the one on the right shows a crinoid calyx with part of its stem.

On the opposite wall is tile shows what I think to be is a brachiopod.

The next image shows a Permian Period Dimetrodon (the fossil of one can be seen at the Field Museum of Natural History in the Evolving Planet exhibit). The smaller tiles from left to right show a straight conical shelled cephalopod, a Silurian Period sea scorpion Eurypterid, and maybe a crinoid column section.

At one end of the walkway is an image representing a human in a form similar to Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man artwork from 1490. The smaller tiles represent on the left a snail (reminds be of a Turritella or Loxoplocus fossil) and the right a standing bird (reminds me of a Dodo). The human figure seems to represent current time of where our natural world is at.

At the opposite end of the walkway, the tile shows the Big Bang or the beginning of our known natural world.

Deltablastus permicus Blastoid Fossil

This fossil appears to be a Deltablastus permicus blastoid found in the Sonnebait Formation(?) of Timor. The fossil dates to the Permian Period. It was part of the James Conkin collection.

Thamnoptychia Branching Coral Fossil - The Fossil Fireplace

I originally was just going to highlight the branching coral fossil in the center of the picture but 3 other fossils are cemented in close proximity to it. The enrolled trilobite in the bottom left corner of the picture appears to be an Ordovician Period Flexicalymene sp. They tend to be found closer Cincinnati, Ohio USA.

The main coral appears to be a Thamnoptychia sp. It was probably found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of Clark County, Indiana, USA. The fossil in the top right corner is base of a floating crinoid. It was known as an Ancryocrinus sp. and were found in the Beechwood Limestone. These animals existed in the Middle Devonian Period.

The bottom of center picture has a blastoid fossil. It appears to be a Deltablastus sp. blastoid. They date to the Permian Period and are usually found in the Timor of southeast Asia.

These fossils are part of a very unique fireplace exist in a house in the city of Louisville Kentucky, USA. It was created by local geology professor from various fossil finds throughout his lifetime. I took a number of pictures of it and will blog about them in the near future.

Orthacanthus Fish Spine Fossil

This fish fossil is an Orthacanthus sp. It was collected Texas, USA. This fossil is a pectoral girdle "straight spine". Fossil dates to about 280 million years ago (Early Permian Period).

The fossil on display (2018) at American Museum of Natural History, New York City, USA.

Diplocaulus magnicornis Nectridean Fossil

Diplocaulus magnicornis nectridean head fossil found in 1895 at Baylor County, Texas USA. This aquatic creature lived in the early Permian Period (275 million years ago).

Fossil on display at American Museum of Natural History in New York City, USA.

Glossopteris Fossil Leaves

Image is of Glossopteris browniana fossil leaves. Plant existed in the Permian Period. They were found in Silewada India. Displayed at Natural History Museum London England as of August 2016. Specimen number V64045.

Helicoprion Shark in Cell Phone Game

My previous post showed an Edestus shark in the Jurassic World cell phone game. I encountered another fossil shark in the game called a Helicoprion. This shark-like creature was one odd fish in that its fossil consists of a spiral of teeth. It was eventually determined the spiral was located in the lower jaw. As the fish grew the smaller teeth were pushed into the center of the lower jaw. Read more at the Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicoprion

Image of Helicoprion bessonovi from J. Walther old book in public domain - source Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicoprion#/media/File:Helicoprion_Bessonovi2.jpg 

The real shark existed from the Permian to Triassic (290-250 million years ago).

Otoceras Fossil

This picture is of an Otoceras sp. ammonite fossil at the Museo di Paleontologia at Sapienza University of Rome Italy. Creatures like this existed at the time of the Permian Period.

Image taken in June 2014.

An Iridescent Looking Limnoscelis

I have mentioned this animal before in a previous posting and about the computer game it is featured in. It is now at its maximum level and appears quite iridescent. It is from the mobile phone game Jurassic World.

This Permian Period reptile like amphibian is a Limnoscelis. It is thought to be a carnivore and grew to a length of about 1.5 meters.

The game is available for free for the Android phone in the Play Store.

Sources:

http://www.ludia.com/en/games/jurassic-worldtm-the-game

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

Permian Period Limnoscelis

Here are some pictures of a reptile like amphibian that lived during the Permian Period. It is from the mobile phone game Jurassic World.

The creature is a Limnoscelis. It is thought to be a carnivore and grew to a length of about 1.5 meters.

The game is available for free for the Android phone in the Play Store.

Sources:

http://www.ludia.com/en/games/jurassic-worldtm-the-game

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

Acanthocladia Bryozoan Fossil

Here is a picture of a Acanthocladia anceps bryozoan fossil at the Museo di Paleontologia at Sapienza University of Rome Italy. Creatures like this existed at the time of the upper Permian Period.

Image taken in June 2014.

Deltablastus Blastoid Fossils

These fossils appear to be Deltablastus permicus blastoids found in the Sonnebait Formation of Timor. They date to the Permian Period.

Thanks to Herb for letting me take pictures of them.

Stereosternum Reptile Fossil

Here is the original fossil skeleton of a Stereosternum sp. It is specimen ROM 29592 at the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto, Canada. It dates to the Early Permian Period (about 280 million years ago) and was found in Brazil. It is in the Order of Mesosauria and Family of Mesosauridae.

Learn more about it at wikipedia.org and www.reptileevolution.com.

This fossil was part of the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibit at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was photographed in August 2013. The dinosaur exhibit was created by the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto Canada.

The exhibit was supported by Associate Exhibit Sponsor Frisch's restaurant and Promotional Partners Cincinnati Reds baseball, newspaper The Enquirer and TV channel Local 12 WKRO Cincinnati.

Mesosaurus brasiliensis Aquatic Reptile Fossil

The aquatic reptile fossil pictured is a Mesosaurus brasiliensis  found in the Irati Formation of Brazil. It dates back 280 million years ago (Lower Permian Period). The museum display lists this fossil as one that shows the transition of reptiles to a freshwater environment. It also shows that the continents Africa and South America were connected since this creature's fossils are only found in those two places.

The reptile was thought to its narrow teeth rowed mouth was used to catch fish and other small aquatic creatures. It swam though the water using is long tail and paddle shaped limbs.

The fossil was loaned by Robert H. Osher family to the museum for exhibit.

Fossil on display at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science as of August 2013.