Phacops Trilobite with Tentaculites

This plate was recently sand abrasive cleaned.  It revealed the cephalon of a Phacops rana (Green, 1832) trilobite with a Tentaculites (Schlotheim, 1820) in front of it.  The Tentaculites (Schlotheim, 1820) was in between a broken segment of Phacops (Emmrich, 1839) thorax.  Further exploration of the plate reveal pieces of unidentified bryozoan and Protoleptostrophia (Caster, 1939) brachiopod.

Matrix is Silver Creek Member of North Vernon Shale Limestone of Clark County, Indiana.  Fossils are from the Middle Devonian Period (Eifelian) dating approximately 397 to 391 million years ago.

Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of the plate before I cleaned it.  Curses!

Visit Falls of the Ohio State Park

Happy Independence Day, USA!

As one can see from the picture the ancient Devonian Period sea beds are now becoming exposed in this summer season at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. Granted most of the visitors appear to be fishing from them but it is a great time to visit the park. If fossils or fishing are not your game, a large selection of day lily varieties are now blooming. It seems like 50+ types are flowering and the great part is they are mostly labeled with names.

The flowers were planted by the Louisville Daylily Society many years ago. Today Terry Martin maintains them and he has quite a collection to tend to. Learn more at the Falls of the Ohio State Park Facebook page.

Enrolled Phacops rana

First two images of an enrolled Phacops rana (Green, 1832) trilobite fossil found in the Silver Creek Member of the North Vernon Limestone of Clark County, Indiana.  This fossil has been sandblasted though concrete like residue still remains in between thorax segments.  Creature existed in the Middle Devonian Period.  Nice size for this trilobite at about 3 cm wide.

Still not been able to determine if pygidium or cephalon exists on this fossil due to hardness of matrix.  Tried using the engraver some to expose more of fossil but conservative use due to fragile nature of fossil.

Fossil in plate before sand blasting.