DPS Ammonite Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 I found one of my most interesting and productive fossil sites ever east of Phoenix near Superior, Arizona in late November. The hill contained outcrops of the Devonian Martin Formation and the Mississippian Escabrosa Formation which is roughly the same age as the Redwall Limestone found further north. My first interesting find was several Pachyphyllum corals with very small corallites. The “craters” within the corallites averages just under 2 mm which suggested that these were the P. nevadense species which is not common in the Payson area further to the north. The coral is about mm across. I found a relatively rare Iowaphyllum nisbeti coral that was found by Gladys Nisbet, a botanist from the Phoenix area. The colonial coral is noted for its large corallites with prominent ridges in between. Coral colony is about 9 cm x 8 cm. Here is partially silicified Alveolites coral with very distinctive compressed fish-scale like corallite tops. This piece is about 65 mm across. Here is a nice massive Thamnopora coral 17 cm across. Along with the Alveolites were two types of stromatoporoid sponges. The first is an approximately 15 cm across Amphipora sp. with mound like mamelons. The second stromatoporoid has nice laminations with some vertical pillars. View is about 4 cm across. The most amazing find was several silicified calyxes of a blastoid and at least three species of crinoids found in the Mississippian Escabrosa Limestone. Interior and exterior molds of crinoids and blastoids are occasionally found further to the north in the Paleozoic rocks. Originals or casts are rare in Arizona especially when they are found in a few square meter area. This is the best spot that I have ever found for blastoids and crinoids. The largest and best blastoid was a 31 mm wide Orophocrinus saltensis that I have entered in the current Fossil of the Month contest. It was near maximum size for the species. I have seen no finer blastoid on the internet from Arizona. Cast your vote for the battle of the blastoids. I found at least three species of silicified crinoids. If you know what they are, please let me know. Species 1 is 11 mm across by 14 mm high. Species 2 is a cup that is 17 mm across by 18 mm high. Species 3 has interesting triangular patterns and is about 2 cm across by about 2 cm high. It is in a large rock that I need to break down so that I can carry it away. I planning on going back to the site to look for more goodies. 21 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson g Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Wow fantastic finds You sure hit the jackpot with finding that site. Between all the nice corals, crinoids, and blastoid, it's hard to choose a favorite find! The first crinoid calyx looks like Uperocrinus (pyriformis) to me. Im not certain though as I have no literature on your area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Excellent finds. Love the corals and stromatoporoids, but the echinoderms are really special. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 What a fossil bonanza you had there in Phoenix. I also love the echinoderms. thanks for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Amateur Paleontologist Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Nice photographic report, I love it! Those blastoid and crinoid fossils are really neat I hope you manage to recover Species 3 safely Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy! Q. Where do dinosaurs study? A. At Khaan Academy!... My ResearchGate profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Awesome finds! Love the crinoids and blastoid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Thanks for the report. You made some good finds. Those blastiods look very nice. I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 A lot of unique finds! I can’t pick just one favorite... Love them all! The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 That definitely seems to be a special site. I'm envious especially of the blastoid! The second crinoid may be an Agassizocrinus or Paragassizocrinus. These crinoids are frequently found as just the fused basals, that formed a solid weighted mass that kept the crinoid on the sea floor without a stem. The third calyx has an ornament that reminds me of Physetocrinus, which is common in the Nunn Member of the Lake Valley Formation in New Mexico. However that sort of ornament was found in other genera as well, one would have to see the plate structure to be sure. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 It's cool to see Alveolites from a location other than Hungry Hollow - thanks for sharing! Your echinoderms, in particular, are outstanding!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjfriend Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 Great finds. Love the fossils that I've found NW of Payson when I got the chance to look. If you're going in mid January and want an extra set if eyes n hands I'd be glad to help Will be visiting family in Phoenix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 What can I say that hasn't already been said? Great finds.. Looks like a good site, for Arizona, from which we don't see a lot of fossils (but seems like it should have more... maybe it does but few are looking for them?) Hope you can get that rock with the crinoid out. Your Alveolites reminds me of the ones I found in the B.C. Rockies last August. I never found any echinoderms there, though, unfortunately. I voted for your blastoid, knowing how unusual/rare it was, but the other guy's won! Oh well, it was a good one too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Great finds congrats- I would go back too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Fantastic finds, just amazing. Were they naturally etched out of the rock and exposed or did you do some cleaning? -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Just fabulous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted December 15, 2019 Author Share Posted December 15, 2019 12 hours ago, Shamalama said: Fantastic finds, just amazing. Were they naturally etched out of the rock and exposed or did you do some cleaning? All were at least 40% naturally exposed. I acid etched all except for the second stromatoporoid and the crinoid that I left behind. 1 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 Here is a very interesting update. I brought back the biggest crinoid head (with penny) after hacking pieces off the rock. After putting it in acid, I found several more crinoids and possibly a blastoid. By Arizona standards, this is a treasure trove. I thought that I would take a picture in case they do not survive the extraction process. To be continued. 2 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 That is an exceptional specimen for Arizona. The calyx on the left might be a Physetocrinus. The genus is the most common camerate in the Nunn member of the Lake Valley formation in New Mexico, which may (or may not) correlate with your exposure. Don 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 50 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said: The calyx on the left might be a Physetocrinus. The genus is the most common camerate in the Nunn member of the Lake Valley formation in New Mexico, which may (or may not) correlate with your exposure. Don Looks like a good correlation: Physetocrinus lobatus McKee, E.D. & Gutschick, R.C. 1969 History of the Redwall Limestone of Northern Arizona. Geological Society of America Memoirs, 114:1-726 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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