Visit from the Shark Tooth Fairy

A fossil collecting goal for 2011 was to find a Paleozoic shark tooth.  That goal has now been accomplished.  This tooth was found in the Indian Springs formation of Crawford County, Indiana.  It is Mississippian Period in age.  Not sure what shark it belongs too though.  It is exposed on a matrix sheet covered with Fenestella bryozoan.  As shown in the second picture it is about 5 mm in size.

Learn more about shark fossils from this area at the Japanese shark tooth web site J-elasmo: CLICK HERE Update (9/7/2019): looks like their website moved here is a new link http://naka.na.coocan.jp/IndianaCR.htm

Now I just need to find a Troosticrinus (Shumard, 1866) blastoid and my year is complete!

UPDATE: A local shark fossil expert named Mark helped identify this.  He wrote: "Deltodus is a Bradydont type of shark which has a crushing battery of teeth similiar to a sting ray."  Also thanks to Archimedes and JimB88 on the Fossil Forum for identifying this as a Deltodus.  See their postings: CLICK HERE.

Limestone Capital of the World

It is limestone month in Indiana and at the heart of the industry is Bedford, Indiana.  Here are a few pictures from that area taken while traveling to the Bloomington, Indiana mineral/fossil show.

Bloomington Indiana Mineral-Fossil Show

For the 46th year, the Lawrence County Rock Club has sponsored the Gem-Mineral-Fossil Show/Swap in Bloomington, Indiana.  It is being held June 24-26, 2011 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.  I attended for the first time this year and it is quite an event with over 100 dealers.  A number of dealers allowed me to take some pictures of their items for sale.  The first set of fossils were of the famous Crawfordsville, Indiana crinoids.

Learn more at their web site: CLICK HERE.

Some fossils and minerals for sale in one the tents.