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Showing results for tags 'carboniferous'.
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Hello dear members, In this post I want to show you my Mazon Creek Fauna collection. I have only 6 specimens, that I’ve acquired over a long period of time in shows and online. Mazon Creek is definetely my favourite fossil assemblage and I dream, one day, to be able to collect fossils there myself! My specimens are not museum-quality, I’m aware of that, but still can help to give an idea of what a 309 million-year-old soft-bodied biota looked like! Let’s start with the most abundant species of the Essex assemblage: the jellyfish “Essexella asherae”. Known from thousands of concretions, in mine the preservation is fairly good: you can distinguish the bell and the membranous skirt that encloses the tentacles, except their end. Moving on to arthropods, another abundant species is the cycloid “Cyclus americanus”. It is carachterized by a round body, long straight antennae and, at the posterior, two short processes. In my specimen, one antenna and one process can be easily-distinguished. In the echinodermata phylum, there’s only one species described so far: the holoturian (or sea cucumber) “Achistrum sp.”. It has a cylindrical, sack-like body: during preservation it dries, leaving dessication cracks that are replaced whit calcite and are very evident in my specimen. Also clear is the mouth, bearing 15 calcareous plate. The acorn worms (class Enteropneutsa) are hemicordate organisms and their closest relative are echinoderms. These animals have a body that is made up of three main parts: an acorn-shaped proboscis, a short fleshy collar that lies behind it, and a long, worm-like trunk. Mazon Creek’s species “Mazoglossus ramsdelli” is extemely similar to extant species. Finally, I posses two species of bristle worms (Class Polychaeta). The first one is “Astreptoscolex anasillosus”: I’m not 100% sure that the ID is correct, so if you have any suggestion, they are welcome! Anyway, it is a stout worm with the body tapering towards the tail. An eversible proboscis is usually preserved and I think that my specimen features it. The other worm is “Esconites zelus”: it has a long, narrow outline with prominent bristles on its segments. The head has projecting antennae and the jaw apparatus shows wing-like mandibles. In my specimes they are partially preserved, even though not visible in the picture. All right, this is my collection! I know it nothing special, but I hope that it can be appreciated by both Mazon Creek collectors and people who like soft-bodied fossils!
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- mazon creek
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IMG_0211.HEIC IMG_0212.HEIC Positive and negative imprint of a fossil found in the shale at Cory's Lane. Vaguely appears to be a pinecone but not sure. What does everyone thinks?
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The strange creatures that lived in Ireland millions of years ago, RTE Radio, Wednesday, 13 Nov 2019 https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/1113/1090543-the-strange-creatures-that-lived-in-ireland-millions-of-years-ago/ 385-million-year-old footprints in Co Kerry represent turning point in evolution, Michael Dorgan, Irish Central, June 7, 2019 https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/valentia-island-tetrapod-footprints Yours, Paul H.
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- ireland
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I was able to stop at the beach on Corys Lane in Portsmouth Rhode Island for about an hour yesterday. The tide was too high to reach the area I prefer, but there was enough beach to expose a bit of gravel and beach-tumbled shale I could dig in. It was far from ideal and I didn't have much success but it was enjoyable nonetheless. My wife and I were staying only a half hour away but tide and time weren't on our side. Weather made for an interesting day or two as well, contributing to the spectacle along the coast on the way up to the site. In the past I've found some rather nice ferns at this pleasant site, after locating the productive layers of hard, dark gray shale. Those layers weren't available to me yesterday, though I did make an attempt to uncover a new one in the limited space I had. I settled for some soft shale with a few very poorly preserved ferns, and a chunk of shale that may or may not be showing distorted Cordaites stems or leaves. While I tend to burrow underground or smash things with a hammer in search of my fossil finds, my wife tends to sit, and wander and scan the surface intently wherever we may be. She is usually the more successful member of our duo. She came across this find on a short hike along the narrow beach. It looks like distorted Lepidodendron bark to me, but I'm not certain. I would be glad to hear your opinions. My back is aching, my hip is stuck and I'm still removing graphite from my fingernails, but I'm grateful for the short time we spent together, yesterday, at the edge of the sea.
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Hey everybody, here are some photos of large Diplichnites trails I found in Nova Scotia. These would have been made my a giant millipede like creature known as Arthropluera. The Nova Scotia Museum has been notified of this discovery, as with all the other fossils found at this site (see my previous post of the tetrapod tracks) as the collection of fossils is illegal in the province. These are absolutely outstanding to view in person and to actually walk next to the tracks on the surface they were once imprinted on is outstanding. Expect to see more from this site in upcoming posts, and I hope you find these fossils as fascinating as I do! ps. There are approximately 27 trails on this surface (many are quite faded by the tidal action) - FossilsNS
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- arthropluera
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Hello everyone, I have been spending a lot of time searching for Carboniferous fossils near my cottage in Nova Scotia. Here are a few photos from my summer "expeditions" in which I found many ichnofossils. However, this post will just be focusing on the tetrapod trackways . I would like to state that the collection of fossils in Nova Scotia is illegal, and all the fossils I found were brought to the attention of the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. Hope you enjoy and stay tuned for more! Note: All of these footprints have been preliminary identified as Limnopus, but I would still like to hear your opinions.
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- carboniferous
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I found this in South Yorkshire, UK today in the coal measures (upper Carboniferous). I suspect it may be an arachnid though I am not sure. Please can anyone confirm if it is or isn’t an arachnid? Plant fossils are abundant at the site where this was found. Thanks, Daniel
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I went today for a new carboniferous hunt,a lot of water but no rain,very nice day! A carboniferous heart?
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- plants
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Hi all. I was wondering if I could get some sort of specific ID on a possible insect wing that I found in the roof shales of a thin coal that is dated to the Late Pennsylvanian or Kasimovian. Fossil plants and some vertebrate material can be found in the same shale. Stratigraphic information: From a roof shale of a thin coal roughly 30 feet below the Brush Creek Limestone of the Glenshaw Formation in the Conemaugh Group. Discovered in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh.
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On my way out of town after a family gathering at Starved Rock State Park (it was packed like crazy with people, but I was still able to get a quiet hike in early Sunday morning with my mom. The food at the Lodge is not bad at all, also!) I made time to stop by one of my favorite sites, a roadcut near Oglesby, IL. This steep, talus-covered slope is known to produce generous quantities of brachiopods, as well as rarer shark teeth, cephalopods, echinoderms, trilobites and coral, among other things, primarily from the Pennsylvanian La Salle Limestone Member of the Bond Formation. With the wet weather this year plants had grown wildly over the slope, but there was still plenty of rock to explore. I got out of my car, jumped over the little brook running through the ditch, and made my way up the slope. As erosion slowly eats away at the bluff, fresh boulders fall away and expose new things. A large section had fallen last year, and at the top of the slope I saw another section perilously close to breaking away, so I steered well clear of it. Caution is definitely required at this site, especially because of the risk of rock fall near the overhang, but also the danger of slipping on loose rock and falling- a good sense of balance is very helpful! Working my way carefully along the cut I began to find some interesting things. First up was this hash plate- it doesn't look like much here covered in mud, but in the middle are some Archaeocidaris sea urchin spines, and it also features a number of crushed brachiopods, including some with spines, as well as crinoid stem pieces and other bits. I have started cleaning it up, so I will need to take a picture of it after I'm done.
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So we have yet another unidentified mazon creek fossil. I see two possible specimens here but I’m not convinced either are proper fossils or even what they could be. The larger one looks like wood to me, and the smaller one looks darker and oddly shaped. I first thought maybe a flat worn?
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Hey guys! I’ve got some items here from Mazon Creek, IL, and I need a little help IDing them. The first one looks like a jellyfish to me, but I’m no expert. The second two... honestly I don’t even know if they’re fossils at all. The last one makes me think it might be because the center of the inside is dark and glossy and looks a little like a crunches up jelly, but I really can’t say. Any thoughts?
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- carboniferous
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This tiny guy just popped in the freezer today. I apologize if the pictures aren’t the best – the nodule is barely a centimeter at its widest point, so my phone is having a tough time focusing. If they’re not good enough let me know and I’ll try again. Anyways, I have no idea what this is! Maybe some kind of bark?
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Hi all, This specimen was found in a black shale layer that lays directly and uncomfortably upon the Duquesne Limestone, which is Late Pennsylvanian age. It was found in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. Both the shale and limestone are filled with vertebrate fossils, especially the scales, teeth and spines of paleoniscoid fish. As far as I know there is no species list from the shale but Elonichthys has been reported. I know skull roofs can be very diagnostic so any rough estimates of genus would be very helpful! I apologize for the picture quality, my phone is a brick.
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These are a few pieces from the British coal measures of Derbyshire UK , in all the coal measure spoils and opencasts i have looked for fossils in i have not found many examples of Pecopteris and this is a first for me from this spoil site, the detail on it is poor as the nodule was open and in a wet area. Asterophyllites Cheers John
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Hi everyone, I haven't been able to post much lately as I've been ill for a few months so haven't been getting out hunting as much as I'd like but I've had some good luck when I have been able to get out so wanted to share some finds! All are from the Carboniferous of the Midland Valley of Scotland from several formations, I haven't gotten round to photographing everything yet so I'll post some more stuff over the next few days. First some finds from the Lower Carboniferous/Mississippian marine Blackhall Limestone. Undescribed jellyfish, Fife Coast, 3cm across. Apparently a paper describing these is about to be published very soon. I'm told this ones a male, the bumps in the center being the male reproductive organs. This is by far the more common form, there is a second spotty form known from this formation which I found a specimen of a few weeks back and will post shortly.
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Fish-remains from the Carboniferous of the Piesberg quarry, Germany
paleoflor posted a topic in Fossil ID
L.S., Since animal fossils are definitely not my strongsuit, I would like to call upon the incredible collective knowledge here at TFF and ask your help with the identification of the fish remains shown below. This specimen comes from the Westphalian D (Pennsylvanian, Carboniferous) of the Piesberg quarry near Wallenhorst, Germany. The shape of the scales reminds me of images of rhizodont (?) fish scales, but this could very well be a superficial resemblance only... Penny for your thoughts? Kind regards, Tim -
These came from the same spot in a old British coal measures spoil heap that i have been visiting , each time i go i dig lots of holes looking for sweet spots but often with little success.This time i was rewarded with these 2 finds. Flora .....Calamostachys sp. spore cone This bit of fauna is about 18mm long x 2mm wide possible Palaeocaris ? Crustacea . Cheers John
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I had purchased some petrified wood that was cut into book ends. The blade marks were quite rough. After some effort on my flat lap, to my amazement this half had an image of a man and a dog. I named it Elvis and the Hound Dog. The other half was all black. The piece originated from Sweet Home, OR. I think it is quite the find. I was wondering if others have found pictures in their fossils/rocks. I know picture stone is known for patterns, but images are on another level.
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I found this last year in some river stone. There was a rock split in half and this popped out. It's a stick but not sure as to time frame or what type of tree. Thank you.
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I found this 2 years ago and couldn't believe detail on it. This is my best stigmaria root find to date. The root is 10 inches long and 5 inches wide.
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I found this in a coal mining tip in South Yorkshire (UK). It is upper Carboniferous aged. Can anyone identify it please? The only possibility I can think of is millipede. It measures around 1 inch. Thanks, Daniel
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Join in the search for fossils on Northumberland beach A guided tour of one of the best places in Northumberland to find fossils has been organised. By Ian Smith, Northumberland Gazette, August 30, 2019 https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/join-in-the-search-for-fossils-on-northumberland-beach-492958 Northumbrian Earth https://www.northumbrianearth.co.uk https://www.northumbrianearth.co.uk/images/Resources/Northumbrian_Earth_Events_Schedule_2019.pdf https://www.northumbrianearth.co.uk/images/Resources/AONB_Visitor_Guide_Copy_2019.pdf Yours, Paul H.
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2 Carboniferous Fossils (Maybe) strange objects - need help :)
corporateidentity posted a topic in Fossil ID
Hello, I have two strange objects that my wife and I found in Pittsburgh in Carboniferous territory. The triangular shape one is a little larger that a quarter while the spherical rock is about the size of a baseball. I haven't seen anything like these two rocks in any of my fossil trips, so any help would be terrific. Thanks everyone! -
I found this the other day. At first look it just looked like a normal rock. Then I found another one same detail, size, and all. Then this one was preserved with silica to make it even weirder. Any ideas as to what this is. It came from a rich Carboniferous period. The weird part is the 2 pieces didn't seem like they belonged with rest of shale fossils.
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