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Yesterday my daughter invited some friends from school for her birthday party, she was allowed to chose where we would go with her froends, and it turned out to be the "dinosaur museum" in Brussels. Here are a few pictures of our visit: Say hello to Iguanodon bernisartensis, one of the 32 complete skeletons found in a mine near the french border. Those 32 specimens form one of the major dinosaur finds in europe. Note that the positions of the specimens are incorrect, they used the skeleton of a kangaroo and an emu as inspiration. This one is in a more natural position: a few more pictures of our visit: Some Belgian Mosasaurs: And of course the compulsary souvenier shop

Yet another fieldtrip to the late Devonian (Belgium) Last Saturday I organized with my pall Anthonie, a field trip for our Paleontology club. The location was the quarry in Lompret, here they exploit the hard limestone from the ancient Devonian reef ( Frasnian deposits ) On the top and sides of this reef we find softer deposits from the lagoons around it. The trip to the quarry rainy, as usual from the past few weeks, but et the location the clouds were clearing up. We waited for the whole group at the meeting point, and once complete we headed into the quarry. Here we made our first stop, explaining the geology and paleontology of this area and repeating the security measures. After this the group split in 2, the hardcore collectors went down in the hope to find an elusive trilobite an I took the rest of the group to the top where most fossils were commonly found. Once I found a decent spot I made a small review of the fossils that could be found and the people started looking around. Quickly the first corals and crinoid stems were found and sometimes a brachiopod or a gastropod. After helping anyone finding their way in the quarry I started to look for some nice specimens myself, and secretly hoping to find some cephalopods. The whole morning was quite uneventful, only later I finally found a couple of decent goniatites, and a small round intriguing fossil. One of the members also found a very nice orthoceras in the morning. At 12h we gathered for lunch and a quick review of the discoveries. Then we were surprised by heavy rainfall, it only last for 10 minutes, but more were clearly to come. In the following hour, we had several downpours an several participants started to give up and head back home. I stayed with a dozen participants and after a while we finally had dry weather again. Now we were looking for a layer that I discovered last year with small cephalopods. With a friend we managed to clear 1 m² of that layer, and it turned out great , together we found around 26 goniatites and a bunch of orthoceras and bactrites. Not all were well preserved, but some of them were really good specimens. Finally at 17h we called it a day ,and with the last participants we visited a local tavern for a drink and supper. Double goniatite As for the little round fossil, after some prepping, it turned out to be a crinoid calyx Cheers, Kevin

Last week i was one day in Hoevenen (Antwerpen) and found many shark teeth. But i dont know anything about shark teeth, so please help me to determine them ... In a few days i will post my complete tour from the one week in Cadzand. Here is my complete haul: I think its a very good haul (You have consider that one of these teeth was my first shark teeth i ever found )

Last week I got a written permission from a quarry nearby that allowed me to visit the location, and I was allowed to bring a few extra people. So I a friend and his wife where going to join me on the field trip, they are particularly interested in trilobites and this might be one of the best spots in Belgium to find some, although complete specimens are still hard to find. The rendez vous point was the parking of the quarry, so I left early in the morning in not so great weather conditions: gray clouds, rain and lots of wind. I got to the place at 9 AM and waited a while for my 2 friends. Once everybody was ready we made the descent to the fossiliferous layers with of course some stops on the way down to make a few pictures. The rain and wind of the past week had an impact on the cliffs in the quarry, and at a few locations some rocks had fallen on the roads that led down in the pit. This is where I made my first finds, and this already made my day. In the middle of the road between some small rocks that fell of a higher part I picked up a complete but slightly damaged trilobite (Phillipsia ornata belgica) This was already one of the best finds I ever did at this location, but it only got better, A few feet next to the trilobite I found a primitive shark tooth! And we still had to get to the fossiliferous part of the quarry. Once at the spot that we were going to prospect we dropped our bags and started to search the slope and wall for corrals, brachiopods and trilobite parts. The rain cleaned up most of the slope, so the corals and brachiopods made easy pickings . the trilobite pygidiums where scarce, but we each still found a few of them. This is where we spent the rest of the day, until the slope became too muddy. We also tried to free a few rocks from the wall in the hope to get some extra stuff and this delivered mainly a few extra pygidiums. Here in the slope I found my 2nd more or less complete trilobite, but sadly half of the scale was lost in the mud. Still leaving the imprint in the matrix. The heavy wind did offer some funny notes during the day were we had to run after bags or boxes that where taken away by the wind. This trip proved to be one of the best I ever made at this location, hopefully I can make a few extra visits here in 2016. more pictures of the discoveries will follow ... Kevin

It has been a while that I made a decent field trip. Past Sunday I left with 2 friends to a quarry in the Ardennes from Belgium. Last year we made a few visits to that place with great success and a fair number of late Devonian cephalopods were found. So hoping to add a few goniatites to our collections we left early in the morning. The weather conditions for the trip were terrible: it was raining and the wind was blowing very hard. Before we got to the quarry the rain stopped, but there was still a lot of wind. The rain had turned most of the flat parts of the quarry into a muddy swamp. But the heavy wind blew the last dark clouds away and we started our prospection in the slag heaps on top of the quarry. The first corals where collected, mostly hexagoniaria and a worn goniatite . I made my find of the day in the first 30 minutes in the quarry: In one of those slag heaps I found a large boulder with a large orthocone on it. The specimen was deformed during fossilization, but after clearing the specimen out it proved to be a complete orthoceras of 25cm in length. This was a monster compared to the most specimens I found there before. The next stop was a level lower in the ancient part of the quarry, here they were dumping the rocks that where not suited for production, but luckily for us, lots of fossils could be found in them. This was the most productive part of the day. Although they were hard to find, each of us found at least a couple of decent goniatites. The rest of the day we spent in the back of the quarry where lots of corals can be found and sometimes a nicely preserved goniatite. Multiple mineral veins are also present with large barite and calcite crystals. Sadly with the expansion of the quarry the part with the corals was cleared with bulldozers and fossil finds where rare at that location. Still I managed to find an exquisite goniatite specimen, a little damaged, but with very clear suture markings. My two friends searched through the mineral veins and found multiple good quality barite and calcite crystals. Meanwhile I prospected other parts and collected a little bag full of small corals and crinoid stems. (Back to the car with heavy Calcite and Barite cristals...) Usually we end our day at a local tavern for a drink, but this time I was too tired and I still had an hour drive to home. I’m already looking forward to my next field trip on 21/02 Then we will be prospecting early carboniferous deposits. Kevin

New fieldtrip to the late and mid Devonian in the Ardennes from Belgium. This weekend I went with my friend Anthonie to a last minute field trip. The weather forecast were promising for that Sunday: gray but dry and decent temperatures so this was a possibility to make a last fieldtrip for this year. So Sunday morning I woke up early to leave for the fieldtrip… of course when I looked outside it was pouring. Still, hoping it could only get better I took the highway to Brussels, picked up my friend and we went to the direction of Marche en Famene for our first stop. It took us a one and a half hour drive in the rain to get there. Luckily the sky got a little less gray and the rain ended. We got to our first stop, a large construction site for a new industrial site. I went there before with my daughter with great success and I wanted to inspect the spot more closely. The huge construction pits exposed late Devonian schists (Frasnian), those deposits are well known to amateur collectors and can deliver a large quantity of spiriferid brachiopods, sometimes of very large dimensions. We spent almost 2 hours on the site, the bulldozers had done a great job clearing everything and we just had to pick up the brachiopods laying around everywhere. It was easy to fill up our bags and we only prospected a small part of the site. Apart from the huge amount of Spirifers, from which a few of them where around 3” we also found solitary corals, and a pair of gastropods. (probably Euomphalus sp.) We then took a quick lunch and headed to a new location a few miles further to a Quarry with mid. Devonian deposits (Givetian) This was the first time we prospected this site, so it took us a while before we could find a few decent fossils. The first ones we found were multiple large colonial corals and stromatolites, giving us a clue about this ancient reef and lagoon system. Most of those where too large to carry around, so we took a few pictures and we continued the prospection. In most parts of the quarry we found other large corals, but when we got to a scree we found multiple small solitary and colonial corals. We inspected this more closely an discovered lots of nice small fossils including a variety of very beautifully preserved brachiopods. After further prospection we went back to the car, making sure to pass by the first spot with the large corals. Where we each took a large specimen back to the car. We had still a little time on our hands and went to a 3rd location, an old quarry. When we got to this spot we were surprised to see that they started to fill up the location with debris. On the positive side the debris where mostly schists from a construction site. And again delivered a few nice spiriferid brachiopods, although very few in numbers. I think another group of collectors must have been screening those debris before us, a large amount of footprints where all around the place. We went to the back of the quarry to take a few extra pictures before heading back home. here I heard small pebbles falling from the cliff at the end of the quarry. We then saw quite a spectacular sight: a fox went down the cliff at an incredible speed, I thought he was stuck and would fell off, but halfway the cliff he went into a hole in the wall. Probably his den. We went closer to get a better sight but we made a new but gruesome discovery. A large dog lay dead at the bottom of the quarry. he probably fell of the cliff and it was not far of the den, so maybe this happened due to the dog chasing the fox. We took a picture of the collar, It had a cellphone number on it. We later contacted the owner to let him know what had happened to his dog. He was sad to hear the news, the dog was missing for two weeks after a hunting party, so this only confirmed our suspicions with the fox. After this incident we got back to the car and headed back home ( again raining during the whole trip) Although the day ended on a sad tone for the dog we did get a lot of great looking fossils. Il post updates of the finds after their first cleanup. Enjoy the pictures: Kevin 1st location: Late Devonian schists Looks like Santa came early this year: 2nd location: Mid Devonian reef deposits: 3rd location: note the piles of schists dumped in the quarry: Thanks to PaleoTony for the pictures.

Fieldtrip in the Belgian Devonian deposits Part 2 Saturday 07/11/2015,I had a new fieldtrip to the quarry that I visited last time. This time, we had a whole group of 25 people from the “BVP” (Belgian group of Paleontology) to guide around the quarry. But we also went to take some specific field notes, a friend of us is studying the stratigraphy of a new part of the quarry. He had marked the specific new layers with paint. The deposits are late Devonian (Frasnian) limestone and schists containing fossils from the ancient reefs nearby. So the most common fossils where corals, crinoid stems, bryozoan, gasteropods and brachiopods. But since the deposits are a little away from the reefs sometimes fossils of swimming predators can be found in the form of shells from Goniatites, Orthocereas or Bactrites. My goal for today was hopefully to find a nice looking cephalopod, I found a few last time so maybe I could find better specimens today. I got there early, so waiting for the group I prospected the debris next to the quarry, This proved to be an excellent start, I found 2 large goniatites and a part of an orthoceras. Although the specimens where very badly preserved and incomplete this was looking very promising. A friend of mine arrived there shortly after. I showed him the fossils and we went back to those piles hoping for more. The next fossils that where found where multiple corals “Hexagonaria” a few crinoid particles and brachiopods. Before we got ready to go down in the quarry to wait for the group , we each found an impressive fossil. I got a complete orthocone from an Orthoceras, I had found fragments of Orthoceras before, mostly not more than a few chambers, but I had never seen one like this. My friend got a complete and good preserved 3.5” goniatite with showed nicely the septa’s of the shell. This was an incredible way to start the trip. my orthocone: Kevin's goniatite: After this we went down to the meeting point where we waited for the group. This was in a trackway for the bulldozers next to a barite vein and before the deposits we were going to prospect. It was at this location that I was sitting next to my bag when I saw the group enter the quarry. At that moment my friend was already trying to dislodge some Barite crystals with a crow bar… I heard him scream, something had gone wrong… He had lost grip of his crowbar resulting in his finger smashed. I went down the track to see what was wrong and while watching my steps I saw some suture lines peering through the mud. I picked it up and realized I found perfectly preserved Goniatite. I then got to my friend with this awkward moment when I had to ask if he was all right while showing him the terrible fossil I just picked up. Only adding to his agony. (sorry Kev. ) the awesome Goniatite: After a litle cleanup at home: After this incident we met with the group and Anthonie the one who organized the field trip. Seeing a few familiar faces and a few new enthusiastic kids new to fossil hunting. Anthonie explained the stratigraphy and age of the deposits. We then passed around some of the fossils we picked up to show everyone what to look for. I then took time to take some of the starting collectors to spots that where easy to prospect and shared info about the specimens they found. I distributed the fossils I found at those spots among the Kids until we gathered for lunch. One of the members found an incredible fossil between the corals and crinoid parts. A perfectly preserved Crinoid calyx with his arms folded into itself. Apparently this kind of position is due to asphyxiation of the animal. But other spectacular specimens where found: During lunch another participant showed us a 2nd crinoid calyx, but this time with his arms unfolded. After lunch I went to another part of the quarry with Kevin and Anthonie that we hadn’t prospected before, this was the old part that they are starting to fill with debris from the new pit. Fossils where much rarer in this part but I managed to pull out 2 extra goniatites out the debris. Anthonie made another impressive find by cracking open a small nodule.: this rock revealed the head of a phacopid trilobite. He contacted an expert this weekend about this and apparently this is the first specimen found in this quarry. Yay, I found another Goniatite: After that the day got to an end, we went back to the group and started to gather all the participants, to head back to the cars and discuss al the great discoveries made that day. Everybody was pleased with their finds and a few of us went for a drink and dinner at a local tavern where we spent the rest of the evening. I hope you all enjoyed reading this report. Kevin Houben ( thanks to Anthonie for the pictures)

Fieldtrip in the Belgian Devonian deposits Sunday 26/07: The objective of this day was to return with some friends to the quarry we visited last month. we found there previously some interesting spots that contained, apart from the traditional corals and brachiopods, some Cephalopod fossils. I left home at 8.30AM with my pall Joris who isn’t really interested in fossils, but he is a photographer and wanted to make some photo album of a fossil field trip. We left in the direction of Couvin where another friend awaited us with his son for their first fossil hunt ever, from there we left to the designated quarry. At the quarry we had a meetup with a few other friends , three of them geologist, and one of them was a frequent visitor of this quarry. With a few of his instructions about the stratigraphy of the deposits we started our search for fossils. The first ones to pop out where of course the corals, followed with crinoid stems and brachiopods. Some of the specific layers did indeed reveal multiple cephalopods, mostly fragments, but a few nice complete Goniatites where found. We also collected a lot of limestone nodules that could contain cephalopods. (I am currently trying the freeze-thaw method on couple of nodules) I managed to find an exceptional block containing an association of multiple Goniatites with an Orthoceras. And a very nice single Goniatite specimen (Manticoceras sp.) from around 6 cm in diameter. My friend’s son got tired and they both went home, but he was really happy with all the fossils he found on his first field trip. After Lunch we had to left the quarry and make way for a group that went clay pigeon shooting at this location. We then drove to a nearby road cut construction site for some more fossil prospection. The upper part delivered the usual Coral fauna. In the lower part of the construction site we found large solitary corals and a few trilobite parts. I found a decent cephalon of phacopid trilobite and a large pice of crinoid stems. Anthonie found a rather unusual fossil that none of us could determine, he posted the specimen at the forum for determination: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/57990-id-requested-on-devonian-problematica/ After this we went to a rather isolated outcrop near a railroad track. At this location the outcrop was overgrown for a part, but the sediments where stuffed with crinoids. And an occasional Goniatite was found. It was then already 5PM and I got really tired, this resulted in a distracted move where I whacked my thumb with my hammer. At this part I Decided that it was best to call it a day. I left whit Joris back home, after a long but productive day. The others stayed a while longer and ended with a visit to a local tavern for dinner and a drink. Thanks to “Paleo Tony” (Anthonie) for the pictures: Up to the next location... Someone is looking back at us... the part that I missed The best specimens I found that day:

Hi all, As a new member, I would like to share with you all a few pictures I took from an Eifelian limestone I found last sunday near the Couvin area In Belgium. This area is well-know for the abundance of Devonian coral reefs, and it has been studied for many decades. Although I'm quite familiar with the fossils from this area, I found this odd looking specimen in situ. And I have no clue what it could be. Could somebody help me with the Identification? So, long story short: Location: Couvin (Belgium) Age: Devonian Stage: Eifelian Lithology: Limestone Facies: Marine coral reef ID: ? I hope some of you might help me with the Identification of this organism (Coral? Graptolith?, Algae? Bryozoan?) Greetings From Belgium Tony

Hi everyone! A few weeks ago, I went hunting in the frasnian of Frasnes (Couvin, Belgium). Among crinoïds, brachiopodes and others, I found this beautiful thing. I have no idea of what is it... maybe a cephalopode rostrum but not sure at all. Thanks to GrandBlanc, I have wonderful pictures to show you! Please help me identify it

Amazing fossil discovery shows how insects got their wings Tim Barribeau, io9 News, August 2, 2012 http://io9.com/59310...got-their-wings Humble bug plugs gap in fossil record, PhysOrg, August 1, 2012, http://phys.org/news/2012-08-humble-bug-gap-fossil.html Palaeontology: An insect to fill the gap, Nature.com ‎August 1, 2012‎ http://www.nature.co...ll/488034a.html The paper is; Garrouste, R. G. Clément, P. Nel, M. S. Engel, P. Grandcolas, C. D’Haese, L. Lagebro, J. Denayer, P. Gueriau, P. Lafaite, S. Olive, C. Prestianni, and A. Nel, 2012, A complete insect from the Late Devonian period. Nature. vol. 488, no. 7409, pp. 82-85. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal Yours, Paul H.

Photos from the shop. 2.4" in length