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Showing results for tags 'rayonnoceras'.
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3 ft Arkansas Mississippian Era Nautilus Excavation
NWARockhound posted a topic in Fossil Hunting Trips
I recently took a trip to a section of the Fayetteville Shale (Mississippian Era) which I've had good luck with before. I could not anticipate what I would actually find this time, though! I've previously found orthocone nautilus fossils 3-8inches in size, but this one was just unbelievable. I believe it is a Rayonnoceras solidiforme. I am absolutely ecstatic about my 3 footer, to say the least!! I have never found another fossil even remotely in the same ballpark as this one. This is most of the fossil. There is still at least one more part of the tip in the shale, but it took me about three hours to dig this up, and my hammer swinging arm needed a break! I was getting a bit loose and inaccurate in my swings, and didn't want to break or damage the tip. I will be back in about a week with a sledge and chisel to get the rest. I've never regretted buying the 16oz pointed tip Estwing more than I did yesterday, lol! Not quite the best tool for splitting hard shale, but I made it work. The tip of this chunk closest to my hammer was just barely visible poking out of the shale. I wish I took a picture before I started digging, but I honestly didn't even think this was a fossil until I got it out. Anything in the shale that isn't an obvious concretion is worth checking out though, and it sure paid off! I then saw this piece underneath, and it was quite clear what I had found. The very visible siphuncle + curve to the stone told me all I needed to know. I then assumed I'd find another piece or two of this giant, but I was to be very, very pleasantly surprised! After removing the second piece, it was clear there was still more waiting for me. This piece alone is larger than any other nautilus I've found in the Fayetteville Shale. This fossil is currently over 3ft long, and I am looking forward to getting what's left of it. The shale kept getting harder and harder as I excavated further down, and the remaining part(s) are currently under a bit more than a foot of shale, so I'm not even remotely worried anyone else is going to dig it out. This was the last piece I excavated from the shale.- 17 replies
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- arkansas
- fayetteville shale
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