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Now that the holiday festivities have past and we are waiting for the New Years celebrations, I thought I would finish up the year with a few ID requests on some Galena/Ordovician finds from NE Iowa last month. 1. 2 3. 4. 5. 6.

On Sunday, I took my once a year opportunity to get permission to enter a quarry that exposes the Galena, Ordovician rock of NE Iowa. The gentleman that owns the quarry enjoys the beer that I use as bargaining chips and it worked again!! As I approached the quarry, it became apparent that a new area was stripped of topsoil, leaving a flat bed of Stewartville Formation exposed for me to wander across. This formation is famous for the gastropod, Maclurites, which many local fossil hunters cherish such as @Bev, and it didn't disappoint. This was the easiest collecting I had done in awhile, just wandering across the exposed rock picking up it's treasures. Luck was with me last Sunday, in that this ledge was to be blasted the next day and ground into gravel! A few other gastropods were found as well as an occasional cephalopod. But the predominant fossil was that of the Maclurite. Here are just some of the loose ones found. I personally have a attraction to fossils left in matrix.

This tiny gastropod has me stumped. Does anyone recognize it? Thanks for any suggestions!!!! It reminds me a bit of Trochonema, but seems much different from those I have found in the past.

Last weekend was to be spent with a Fossil Forum friend touring the formations in my area. Unfortunately the weather forecast showed that a rainout was likely resulting in a change of plans. Connor decided to head south to Kentucky. Being “stood up”, I decided to venture out on my own, in spite of the gloomy forecast, in hopes of creating jealousy with my finds. But based on his recent post showing his wonderful finds down in Kentucky, he was the one who made me jealous. Grudgingly, I will show my findings anyways! These were found in the Elgin Member of the Maquoketa, which is Ordovician. First up are the brachiopods. Then some inarticulate brachiopods. Awhile ago, someone had posted a brachiopod, I believe Strophomena with bumps all over it. Here is another example. Bivalves, sponges, and crinoids are uncommon in this formation. I am not sure if this is a sponge. Your thoughts are appreciated! I am calling the next group of fossils epibionts, though I do not know if they were growing on living or dead animals. Would love to know what these fried eggs are!! Cephalopods of many types are commonly found. The site I looked at is known for trilobites. In fact the lessee of the site and his grandson, who I had the honor of collecting with that day, found some impressive ones. I was probably too busy cleaning up all the non trilobite fossils that they discard to train my eyes on the trilobites!!! In spite of this, I did manage one whole trilobite that is damaged (missing an eye and more) plus many partials. Pygidiums The next pygidium is TINY!!! Only 1/2 cm in width. Can anyone ID it? A few hypostomes were collected. Cephalons are next. Their IDs remain a mystery to me. The rain did hold off until noon, at which time I headed back to Minnesota to collect, where it was dry. @connorp @isotelus

Early in the summer, an attempt was made to hunt a different Ordovician formation than I normally collect in. It provided me with a learning experience and some new and neat fossils. Having enjoyed my finds so much, a return trip was made 2 weeks ago. Not to the same site but to a more extensive exposure of the Elgin Formation of the Maquoketa close by. The location is in NE Iowa in some beautiful farm country. Even if I found no fossils the view from here made the trip worthwhile. Now for the finds. I am a novice at identifying fossils from this formation and am open to any suggestions or changes to my identifications. Here is a sediment filled cephalopod with Dalmanella on it. Only one was truly part of the find. Which brachiopod belonged to the cephalopod? This one!! Cephalopods of all types and sizes abounded in this formation. This is one cephalopod I would love an ID of. The linear stripes are new to me. Epibionts were common on the brachiopods. Now on to the trilobites. First up is a picture of a u shaped structure just 5 mm long. Is it a hypostome. If so, what trilobite? Many pictures that I hope you enjoyed! Mike

We found what looks like three fossilized fingers, a few miles north of Cedar Rapids, IA. Just wondering if anyone could possibly tell me anything about it...

I found a tiny object locked in matrix yesterday late in the afternoon and threw it in the bucket thinking it was a brachiopod. So when I cleaned it up a little this morning, I was surprised!! My wife fell in love with this trilobite (loves anything petite) and insisted I enter the FOTM competition. I am torn between a very small Isotelus or the more likely Anataphrus vigilans. HELP so I can enter before today's deadline (for her sake!!!).

Earlier today, I posted a collection of fossils from the Decorah Shale from NE Iowa. I do have a few questionable ones that I need opinions of. 1. This seems geological but is very odd. Thoughts of what it is are welcome. 2. Bryozoan encrusted gastropod? 3. Is this bryozoan or sponge? 4. This big "glob" sits atop a slab of matrix. I am perplexed.

This will likely be my last trip to the Decorah Shale this season. I thought I would post some finds that were still in the matrix that they were found in. Many fossils of the Decorah are found separated from the rock they were hidden in. I just like fossils in matrix!!! With that said, the first picture is not in matrix. It shows a cephalopod with a Sowerbella brachiopod within it. Someone (I can't remember who) posted a similar item and I had remarked how many cephalopods have other fossils within the body chambers. Here is an example. I hope that person sees this. Secondly, @DMcLY posted a picture of a Strophomena hash plate this week. I think these pictures show the inside of the concave pedicle valve showing the muscle attachment and the exterior surface of it. It may help you visualize what you found. Now the rest are just for enjoyment:

Couldn't help myself yesterday and returned to an outcrop of the Decorah Shale, Ordovician in NE Iowa. Found many nice specimens. (Adam, I may need to substitute some of my current finds with what is in your package) Here is something that perplexes me. I thought it was a partial trilobite cephalon/ genial spine but after looking at the species mentioned to occur in the formation, I struck out. Sooooo can anyone provide an identification? Thanks!!!!! Mike

Last week was a tough week as I tried to stay home as much as possible. On top of the Corona situation, a snow storm dumped 9 inches of heavy wet snow on us. The rain/ snow line was only 30 miles south of us so after looking out on the white landscape for days, I was ready to see green grass again. A decision was made to trek south for the day and enjoy spring again, but with no human interaction. I had wanted to look at a road cut that was discovered on Google-earth this winter and thought this would be a great opportunity. So I was up and on my way early the next morning, leaving the snow just as the sun began to peak above the horizon. The drive through this country is always beautiful. Gently rolling hills with an agricultural community that still is mostly "family farm". The road cut that was explored is shown next, exposing the Stewartville member of the Galena Formation, Ordovician. Road cuts that expose this layer are always nice to explore in the spring. The face is very crumbly and it is obvious in the next picture where the new exposures are hopefully revealing a fresh crop of fossils. Next are some photos showing the fossils hidden in the cliff face. One must be careful not to overlook the sloughed rock at the base of the exposure. Not always are the fossils easily extracted as is shown here!! That is why a bottle of superglue is ALWAYS in my pocket. Almost as important as my rock pick.

Awhile ago, I posted some unknown recepticulites and didn't receive a definitive identification. Since then I cleaned up a fisherite which had a central protrusion on it. My mind went back to the unknowns and I semi convinced myself that these are "baby" fisherites and that the large "sunflower" head comes with age. The unknowns were about the size of the protrusion on this fisherite. Here are pictures of both. For all you wise paleontologists out there, is my theory plausible??? The babies: The adult:

Was going to dispose of this brachiopod when I noticed what looked like some sort of epibiont on it. Any thoughts and possible ID??? Thanks, Mike

I need help with another specimen that popped out of the Ordovician matrix I was busting up last week. I have NO clue as to what this is, or if it is even a fossil. I have split literally a ton of matrix on this roadcut and have not seen this before: