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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.

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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.

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Here is partially silicified Alveolites coral with very distinctive compressed fish-scale like corallite tops. This piece is about 65 mm across.

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Here is a nice massive Thamnopora coral 17 cm across.

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Along with the Alveolites were two types of stromatoporoid sponges. The first is an approximately 15 cm across Amphipora sp. with mound like mamelons.

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The second stromatoporoid has nice laminations with some vertical pillars. View is about 4 cm across.

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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.

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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.

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Species 2 is a cup that is 17 mm across by 18 mm high.

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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.

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I planning on going back to the site to look for more goodies. 

 

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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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Wow fantastic finds :wub:

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. 

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Excellent finds. :)

Love the corals and stromatoporoids, but the echinoderms are really special. 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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What a fossil bonanza you had there in Phoenix. I also love the echinoderms. 
 

thanks for sharing 

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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!...

 

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Thanks for the report.  You made some good finds. Those blastiods look very nice.

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I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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A lot of unique finds! I can’t pick just one favorite... Love them all! :wub: 

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)

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That definitely seems to be a special site.  I'm envious especially of the blastoid! :wub: :default_faint: :wub:

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

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It's cool to see Alveolites from a location other than Hungry Hollow - thanks for sharing!  Your echinoderms, in particular, are outstanding!!! :wub:

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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. 

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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.

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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 McPhee

If I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPhee

Check out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/

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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.

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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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  • 1 month later...

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.

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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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That is an exceptional specimen for Arizona.  :wub: :wub: :wub:

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

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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

 

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