More Emerald Isle Fossils

This posting shows seven fossils found beach combing in the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.  Thanks to Vincent Coleman for sending images of fossils he has been finding there.  The lead off image is straight shelled cephalopod fossils showing the growth chambers. I really like the green-olive color lichens contrasting the rock color.

The next three pictures are of coral fossils.  More than likely some sort of horn corals.   I have been told these fossils are from the Mississippian period (Carboniferous).

The following image is of the most interesting fossil.  Is it some sort of early vertebrate creature like a Phlegethontia or Lysorophian? It could also be the cross section of a horn coral or just pseudo fossil shape.
 

Next picture might be part of an eroded crinoid calyx.

Last image is a fossil that was covered by the Atlantic Ocean when taken.  It is spiraled form of maybe a cephalopod or gastropod.

Dinosaur Wars On-Line Video

Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) show American Experience has made the Dinosaur Wars show available for on-line viewing. It is the story of two paleontologists Edward Cope and O.C. Marsh, competition to uncover dinosaur fossils in the late 1800s. A sad story about what happen when collecting fossils gets out of hand.

Thanks to the Alfred P. Sloane Foundation and Liberty Mutual for making this show possible.

Carboniferous Crinoid Calyx

The bottom of this crinoid calyx displays an attractive five plate flower pattern.  This unidentified calyx is from the Upper Mississippian Period.  The fossil was found in Indian Springs Shale Member of the Big Clifty Formation of Crawford County, Indiana. Three specimens are shown in this posting and each fossil is about 1 cm in diameter. UPDATE (2020): These calyx cups might be Phanocrinus or Bicidiocrinus.

Thanks to Kenny for letting me image his fossils for this post.

On a small side note, this is my 900th post.  I will now slow down my publishing rate which has been for a while 7 posts a week.  My plan is now just publish on Sundays and Mondays which should get the blog to 1000 posts in 2011.  If a special occasion or fossil needs to be posted, I will publish outside of this schedule.  If I have any daily readers, thank you for your dedication to this fossil blog.

Looking for a daily read, check out the posts on the ever active Fossil Forum and good geology news and nifty info read the GeoBulletin.