Protomegastrophia profunda Brachiopod

Protomegastrophia profunda brachiopod fossil of the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana.  This Silurian brachiopod genus Protomegastrophia was named by Caster in 1939.  This same person named the Devonian Megastrophia that can be seen HERE.  The Smithsonian web site list the genus under another name of Brachyprion.

The Protomegastrophia profunda was originally named by the paleontologist James Hall as the Leptaena profunda (Hall, 1852).  You can see a plate in Nettelroth's Kentucky Fossil Shells book (1889) Plate XVII, figures 20-21 listed as Strophodonta profunda (Hall, 1867): CLICK HERE

This is the 18th brachiopod I have identified of the Waldron Shale, see the list HERE.

Here are some of the species on display at the Muséum National D'Historie Naturelle Jardin Des Plantes Paléontologie et Anatomie Comparée in Paris, France.

Orthorhynchula linneyi Brachiopod

The Orthorhynchula linneyi brachiopod found in the Lexington Limestone of Boyle County, Kentucky. Creature existed in the Ordovician (505-438 million years ago).

Polaricyclus conkini Ammonoid

This fossil is a real treat.  It is a Polaricyclus conkini and found in the type locality of Coral Ridge, Jefferson County, Kentucky. The species is named for Dr. James E. Conkin, professor emeritus at the University of Louisville. Fossil was named by David Work (Maine State Museum) and Charles Mason (Morehead State University) in their 2004 paper Mississippian (Late Osagean) Ammonoids from the New Providence Shale Member of the Borden Formation, North-Central Kentucky in the Journal of Paleontology.  See paper: CLICK HERE.

Dr. Conkin discovered the Coral Ridge Member in the 1950s during thesis work at the University of Kansas. It is neat to see a fossil found in the Louisville area and named for a local geology professor.

This pyrite fossil was found in the Coral Ridge Member of the New Providence Shale.  Thanks to Alan for letting me purchase it.

Images take using microscope at 23x and 8 mm field of view.