Lettered Olive Shells

While in Charleston, South Carolina USA we stayed at Folly Beach (August 2017). During beach time, I tried to find shark teeth, phosphate fossils and shells.  Luckily, I found some the the state's official shell, the Oliva sayana aka lettered olive snail. Dr. Edmund Ravenel (1797-1871) named it this due to the patterns found shells reminded him of hieroglyphic symbols. The dark shell in the image might be a Pliocene fossil.

Close up Isotelus Trilobite Eye

My cousin sent me these images recently after he saw some magnified images of Isotelus trilobite fossil eyes showing the remains of the many lens that made up the eye. We are use to seeing this compound eye more on the Devonian Phacops trilobite fossils found in the area. He took some images under the microscope and you can see some of the lens pattern left on where the eye was.

This fossil dates to the Ordovician Period and was found in Franklin County Kentucky USA.

Thanks to Kenny for the images.

Xenorophid Whale Skull Fossil

This image is of a Xenorophus sp. whale skull fossil on display at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History (August 2017). It dates to the Oligocene Epoch (about 32-30 million years ago) of the Paleogene Period. The fossil was found in Ashley Formation, Charleston County South Carolina USA.

The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is located at the College of Charleston, 202 Calhoun Street, 2nd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.

Learn more at their blog: http://blogs.cofc.edu/macebrownmuseum/