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Hello everyone, A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to visit a more distant fossil locality - an opportunity that I took to collect some Paleozoic fossils among the scenic Appalachians of eastern West Virginia. Heading out west, I planned to visit a new exposure of the Needmore Shale that I suspected had the potential to produce some nice trilobite specimens. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the locality rain was coming down in droves, effectively ending any chance of prospecting the locality. Hoping to escape the rain, I made my way farther south toward the well known Lost River road cut in the vicinity of Wardensville, West Virginia. As I had hoped I did manage to escape the rain, and I was left with a few hours to search for some Devonian fossils among the fissile green shale. I had only been to the Lost River locality once before late last year, and I had managed to secure the trilobites which had proven rather elusive in the more fossiliferous rocks of the Mahantango. The rain, which did seem to have swept through the area shortly before I arrived, had turned the fine rock dust that coated the talus piles into slippery mud. Above the treacherous talus piles, a large vertical exposure of the Needmore Shale held trilobites and a variety of other shallow marine fauna that had once inhabited a Devonian reef. Here are the finds from both trips I have taken to the Lost River locality: A few small brachiopods from the locality. Unlike other Paleozoic localities I have had the opportunity to visit, brachiopods do not seem to be extremely common at the road cut. I only came across them occasionally, with most being so small they were hard to identify without the aid of a magnifiying glass. A spiral gastropod preserved in iron oxide that contrasts quite nicely with the dark green matrix. On the most recent trip I found the two above specimens exposed on the surface of the shale. They seem like they could be the central lobe of trilobite pygidiums with the other two sections having weathered away. Any insight into what these might be would be greatly appreciated . Rugose coral The specimen above is intriguing. The roundish shape seems to suggest a fossil, though it could very well have a geological origin. I apologize for the poor photographs of the above specimen, but it was incredibly difficult to get the camera to focus on it properly. When I came across this fossil whilst splitting shale, I was quite confident that I had come across a trilobite due to the black calcitic appearance and the 'ribbing' that seemed to define the fossil. Yet after extracting and cleaning the fossil, it does not resemble a trilobite and is very faint even after the shale dust was removed. Any suggestions as to what it might be would be very welcome . Some assorted Dipleura ribs. Some trilobite ribs, likely either belonging to Dipleura or Eldredgeops rana. Eldredgeops rana pygidium preserved in a light yellow color. Enrolled Eldredgeops rana consisting of the body with a partial cephalon (first two images) and the pygidium on the reverse side (last image). The trilobite is flattened, which may be a result of the tectonic forces acting on the rock during the uplift of the Appalachian mountains. Another Eldredgeops rana specimen with considerable relief from the surrounding matrix. This specimen was found in association with a few others, though if it possessed a cephalon it was lost among the chips of shale. A prone Eldredgeops rana molt found on the first outing to the road cut. Positive and negative of an Eldredgeops rana molt. Thanks for taking a look!

Hi all! Went on an expedition to Wardensville this weekend to try out some new equipment, decided to go to the Lost river quarry and try my hand at shale splitting. The drive was nice and uneventful. but eventually I made it to the spot. The scree was more treacherous than I expected, has to use my new rockhammer as a pick of sorts to help anchor myself. this was my very first time to this locality, doing anything like this for that matter, so I had no idea what I would find if anything. after scrambling up to the rock wall and looking over the texture my eyes were met with the first find of the day, a trilobite partial sticking out of the rock. I was excited and managed to retrieve this one from the matrix. Pouring over the rest of the surrounding area, I was able to find a couple more trilobites, brachiopods, and some coral material. Following some of the advice from this forum I brought tinfoil to wrap each fossil in. There was a nice family that also pulled up to look for fossils and I spent some of the time chatting with them about the formation and the surrounding area. I will be making a separate post with some of the finds that I cannot ID, and maybe asking for some fossil prep advice. any Fossil ID or suggestions are appreciated as always!

Hello Fossil Forum members! I am planning to drive over to Wardensville, WV, to go fossil hunting! I have previously hunted for shark teeth and bones at Calvert Cliffs, but I have always wanted to find a trilobite since I was a kid, and I am wondering if anyone has any advice for finding trilobites in the area. So far I am planning on bringing a hammer, chisel, gloves, newspaper, and plenty of water. I am planning on going to the roadcut location listed on fossil guy.com. I am wondering if anyone has suggestions such as which parts of the cliff to dig, how to recognize a trilobite, or even better, any good spots to find a trilobite! I am not looking to collect many fossils, I am more interested in finding a single trilobite, partial or whole. I am moving more than 10,000 miles away in 2 weeks, will not be able to bring lots of rocks with me in my suitcase. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Regards, James