Rockwood Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 In the fall of 2011 I got of the train in Harrisburg on my way to Red Hill for my first dig with DVPS and waited for the rental car shuttle. The folks there voiced concern that this snow storm might interfere with the dig. Anyway, I dug this from under a snow covered stump up the highway at Swatara State park the next day. Looking at it recently, I noticed this shape that seemed different than the fenestrate bryozoans that were common in the samples. Any chance this is a starfish ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Can we get a straight down look at it, Dale? Also a pic with the whole rock in the picture, looking down on it, please. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 This was my attempt at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Swatara Asteroidea: Lehman & Pope 1989 Mesopaleaster cf. lanceolatus Promopaleaster bellulus Promopaleaster pricei Schuchertia laxata Urasterella pulchella Swatara Ophiuroidea: Lehman & Pope 1989 Phragmactis sp. Protasterina maximus Taeniaster sp. Schuchert, C. 1915 Revision of Paleozoic Stelleroidea with special reference to North American Asteroidea. Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum, 88:1-312 PDF LINK Lehman, D., Pope, J.K. 1989 Upper Ordovician tempestites from Swatara Gap, Pennsylvania: Depositional processes affecting the sediments and paleoecology of the fossil faunas. Palaios, 4(6):553-564 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrR Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Wow, good eye, great ID. I had problems seeing anything resembling starfish as we know it today, but then, after seeing piranha's learned response, I went to this link: Ordovician Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 I'm not sure I would have caught it this time if I hadn't purchased an ophiuroid from Fezouata since then. It's a unique color/texture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andriy Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Looks like this... texture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 52 minutes ago, Andriy said: Looks like this... texture... No. Contrasted to that texture. See above and left of it in the third photo. The rocks are full of fenestrate bryozoans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 That looks like Mahantango from the State Park Rockwood. Not sure there was any Martinsbug? Ordovician there at the park proper in 2011. Could be wrong of course! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pemphix Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Looks like Starfish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 It looks like most everyone is in the "starfish" camp. And if that is what it is, what a wonderful find. I myself, as uneducated on starfish as I am, still wonder if it is a bryozoan. First of all, you say the slab is full of them. Then @Andriy posts his picture of a bryozoan. I see distinct similarities between his bryozoan and your starfish. Sorry about the poor photos taken of your photos. But I think you can see my concerns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 The key is the two different scales in the pattern seen clearly in your top image. The arches are quite contiguous with the smaller features. The arches being the body cavity and the smaller features more external I believe. A bryozoan would be on one scale or the other. Or in the case of fenestrates would have a different placement of zooids. I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Nice find. Would love to see some sharper images, if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 Just now, westcoast said: Nice find. Would love to see some sharper images, if possible. When sunshine and time permit. I had it on an awkward perch trying to get multiple types of lamps to shine on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 hour ago, minnbuckeye said: I see distinct similarities between his bryozoan and your starfish. Maybe two layers laying close on top of each other. It's really bugging me now, but I have tile to bust and pipes to turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Piranha's references are for the Ordovician I believe. Your rock looks like Mahantango to me. Again; I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Plax said: Piranha's references are for the Ordovician I believe. Your rock looks like Mahantango to me. Again; I could be wrong. It was from under the tree roots behind the jeep if that means anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 You're a real "hound dog" Dale We used to call it "snot cicling" when we went to Swatara in the winter. The name came from runny noses freezing in the air. We even used whisk brooms to remove snow. That's Mahantango in the parking lot I'm almost sure. The Martinsburg was in the gap where the stream went under the highway. It's been off limits for years. Tons of Cryptolithus and flexicalaymene there back in the day and the rare starfish or ophiuroid. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 13, 2020 Author Share Posted January 13, 2020 38 minutes ago, Plax said: You're a real "hound dog" Dale Funny you should put it that way. The first time I was there we got tired of listening to the hounds someone was running and went back to the coal shale piles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 the road that goes up over the mountains to Tower City from Swatara Gap used to have good plant fossils but I imagine those reclaimed spoils are forest now. the plants were made of gold colored mineral (marcasite?) which resulted in the road name Gold Mine Rd. I affectionately call hard core collectors "hound dogs". Though it can have a negative connotation as well. Depends on the hound dog. If you go to a surface collecting site the day before you take a friend you are a hound dog. If you collect the same spot every weekend you are a hound dog. If the river's low or the weather's good and you neglect a family event or holiday to collect; you're a hound dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngodles Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Haven’t been to Swatara since 2008, way before I even knew what I was getting into. Fossils of Parks Township - Research | Catalog | How-to Make High-Contrast Photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 17, 2020 Author Share Posted January 17, 2020 -6 Fahrenheit, but it's sunny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Dale, I agree with Plax that this is Mahantango Fm. material. Devonian. I also think your possible starfish is actually a bit of the bryozoan, Taeniopora exigua. Taeniopora is a common fossil in the Mahantango. Have a look at this photo from Shamalama's blog, Views of the Mahantango. 3 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 On 1/12/2020 at 1:12 PM, piranha said: Lehman, D., Pope, J.K. 1989 Upper Ordovician tempestites from Swatara Gap, Pennsylvania: Depositional processes affecting the sediments and paleoecology of the fossil faunas. Palaios, 4(6):553-564 Is there a pdf version of this available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.JPG.d64a00de120fb553baacff5149461632.JPG)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now