Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Platystrophia ponderosa

Platystrophia ponderosa brachiopod found in the McMillan Formation of Spencer County, Kentucky.  Animals existed in the Ordovician Period.



Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Whitfieldella Brachiopod with Texture

 
This brachiopod is a fresh extraction from the Waldron Shale after over 400,000,000 years of entombment.  An intriguing fossil because it has part of its shell still left but it such a thin layer that one can see the inside texture.  The fossil measures at 2.5 cm length, 2.2 cm width, 1.5 cm height and 10.7 g weight.

Creature existed in the Middle Silurian Period and was found in Clark County, Indiana.  It appears to be of the genus Whitfieldella.







Monday, November 1, 2010

Waldron Shale Dawsonoceras


One of my favorite cephalopods to find but an experience only encountered about once a year.  This fossil is mostly a mold but some the sinusoidal lines are still visible in the first picture.  Fossil is about 3 cm long and 1.2 cm wide.  It was odd that right before I found this fossil my thoughts were on why no cephalopods have been encountered in the shale with mostly brachiopod and crinoid fossils.

Dawsonoceras cephalopod found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana.  Creature existed in the Middle Silurian Period.