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Mystery Fossil From The Devonian


RCFossils

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This fossil was found on a recent collecting trip to a quarry near Iowa City.

It is from the Devonian.

As you can see, it is quite small with relatively large spines.

My best guess is some type of brachiopod.

I am hoping someone on the forum might know what it is.

B951C425-4305-4FF9-BCE4-6FD676573144.jpeg

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Looks more arthropod-ish to me.  :unsure: 

 

@piranha

 

Cropped and contrasted: 

B951C425-4305-4FF9-BCE4-6FD676573144.jpeg.afad5861b7b3131042b5d973b2d23f27.jpeg

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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52 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Looks more arthropod-ish to me. 

 

@piranha

 

Cropped and contrasted: 

B951C425-4305-4FF9-BCE4-6FD676573144.jpeg.afad5861b7b3131042b5d973b2d23f27.jpeg

That was my initial thought.

The spines seem very symmetric.

To my knowledge, there are no spiny trilobites found at the quarry.

There appears to be an axial set of spines running down the middle.

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Are the spines hollow?

Could be a Spinatrypa or Hystricina, maybe. 

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MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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Just came across this - I don't know if they are known from the location, but they are from the Devonian of NY. 

 

 

pephricarishorripilata.JPG

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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The vast majority of Arthropods at this quarry are Eldredgeops.
Greenops and a proetid can also be found.

I have not seen any phyllocarid material or spiny Gastropoda from this site.

Very interesting suggestions.

 

 

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4 hours ago, RCFossils said:

My best guess is some type of brachiopod.

If you are thinking brachiopod... Maybe something from the Order of Productida?

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Productida

 

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Spinatrypa rockfordensis might be a candidate.  Like Spinatrypa spinosa of the Hamilton Group, most photos of them are specimens with all the spines broken off.  If S. rockfordensis has spines anything like intact spines of S. spinosa, it could be a reasonable candidate for your critter.  Careful prep may be necessary to determine the identity. @Ludwigia 's suggestion (Spiniplatyceras) may be a yet stronger possibility based on what I'm seeing in your photo.  (Not that @Fossildude19 's is not, rather just based on shear probability)

 

EDIT: I see @Tidgy's Dad and I are on the same page with the Spinatrypa thought.  Guess I should read replies more carefully before posting... 

 

20160115_223104-1.thumb.jpeg.564484d3c09e2498c8e3082f6956c32f.jpeg

A specimen of Spinatrypa spinosa that I *carefully* extracted from the Shale at Penn Dixie 

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Looks like Spinatrypa may be the best candidate here, although the lack of ornamentation to the "shell" is perplexing to me.  :headscratch:

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    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

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  • Devonian fossil snail, reconstructed Platyceras arkonense
    Devonian fossil snail reconstruction © Emily S. Damstra

Devonian fossil snail, reconstructed
Platyceras arkonense
This fossil gastropod is from the Devonian of Ontario, Canada.

 

I didn't know Platyceras could have spines! Learn something every day! Too bad I forget 2 things every day. But I agree with Peat Burns that Spinatrypa spinosa is a good possibility. I have one specimen and it looked very similar to this prior to exposing it a little more.

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I'm not sure that Spinatrypa or Spiniplatyceras are correct. It def. needs to be exposed more. The spines are too equal length and of common direction and angle for those two brachs. I'd buy Tim's idea of a Phyllocarid but we need to see more. Can you provide other angles of the fossil or angle of lighting to see if more details emerge?

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The more I look at it, the more I'm getting a Spiniplatyceras vibe.  I agree with @Fossildude19 that we would expect a more cancellate surface if it were Spinatrypa

 

I'm seeing widely, somewhat irregularly spaced spines that are not strictly marginal.  I think the things indicated by the arrows are the bases of broken spines.

20191205_085926.thumb.jpg.cecda42d6ceebcdcc7b9cdfe5be34500.jpg

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