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With all of the recent field trip reports being posted I have been :envy: that I haven't been able to get out there yet myself. The weather has been warmer than usual, but it’s also been rainy.

 

Today I had very little time, but on my way home from giving my father-in-law a helping hand, I was able to make a quick stop at a local Mississippian site that is 5 minutes from my house. I believe it is St. Louis Limestone, but need to verify.


I was only at the site for 20 minutes or so, but I picked up a handful of things. I didn’t get any pictures from the field as I was in a rush, but a few of the finds are below. 
 

I’ve known about this spot for a while, but it’s the first time I have stopped there. I think that’s because when I get a chance to go hunting I want to go to a place that it a little farther away since I have the extra time. I have been telling myself “It’s close. I can stop there any time...” I finally took the time, albeit a short amount, and I’m glad I did.

 

The site is a low road cut. Well... it’s more of a water eroded slope on the side of the road than an actual cut. Little bed rock is exposed, except fragments mixed in with the soil from erosion. The dirt in the area is locally called red clay. With the recent  rains,  it was very muddy and the red clay tends to stain whatever it touches. You can see a reddish orange hue to the fossils. This was after a cleaning with water and a brush.

 

I haven’t had a chance to try and ID these yet, so if anyone has any suggestions feel free to throw them out there! :) 

 

The area is littered with pieces of this rugose coral.

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This picture of a calice is a little more out of focus than I realized, but you get the idea...

 

EDIT: Swapped the out of focus picture with one that is a little less fuzzy. 

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This rock is full of these little gastropods. They are only about 1cm in height.

 

D95B8FC1-9D4A-4581-ABC5-9F1C9978A607.thumb.jpeg.b8f9916f08748dc400dc9fa91c39e107.jpeg

 

I also found this gastropod and brachiopod.

 

F2D0CE40-7393-4187-AEEF-40738BCF8511.thumb.jpeg.ba4dc6b277408409bfbbdb3dd1e41de5.jpeg

 

A close up of the gastropod. I like it. :) 

27BEB0D7-D36D-49A7-860F-AFCAA2206DA4.thumb.jpeg.2e7e4ebb118bff20df80a02073854725.jpeg
 

Hopefully this quick stop will hold me over until I can get out there for a long relaxing hunt. 

 

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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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Nice finds and report. I like the gastros.:dinothumb:

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Dipleurawhisperer5.jpg

I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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The rugose corals are Acroyanthus floriformis. From your description and the photos it appears to be the same site I visited a few years ago. Didn't find any gastropods or brachiopods there however. Those certainly look cool. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. 

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Some lovely little finds! For whatever reason my Carboniferous collection is very gastropod-deficient, so I always appreciate seeing ones other folks have found. 

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@Darktooth @Tidgy's Dad @Al Tahan

Thanks everyone! Not a bad lot for just a few minutes of quick hunting. I'm happy with it, and can't wait to spend a little more time there! :)

 

1 hour ago, Jeffrey P said:

The rugose corals are Acroyanthus floriformis. From your description and the photos it appears to be the same site I visited a few years ago. Didn't find any gastropods or brachiopods there however. Those certainly look cool. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. 

Yes, I believe that you were there as well with @Herb. He had suggested I visit the site a while back. ;)

I drive by it a lot and should have stopped long before now. 

 

Thanks for the ID! I was actually just looking over the below paper (Link below) and was torn between Acrocyanthus floriformis and Acrocyanthus proliferus. From what I was reading A. floriformis tends to be cerioid in it's colonial structure and A. proliferus tends to be fasciculate. Their internal structure is almost identical. So was digging into that. Thanks for saving me a few minutes and confirming one of my suspicions! :)  

 

 

Revision of Lithostrotionella (Coelenterata, Rugosa) from the Carboniferous and Permian By WILLIAM J. SANDO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1247

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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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the gastropod looks like Bembexia sp

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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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I have a soft spot for all of those gastropods, both the ones in matrix and the one that's loose :wub:

 

I'm glad you were able to get out for a little fossil-hunting - it's always nice to be outdoors, and if you can find a few fossils at the same time, then that's just the icing on the cake! 

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9 hours ago, Herb said:

the gastropod looks like Bembexia sp

Thanks for the ID and for the site suggestion in previous posts. It’s the Veterans Way site in Etown. 
 

I’d love to get together sometime. I already told my wife I need a day soon. When I figure out which day, I’ll see if you are available. :) 

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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2 hours ago, Monica said:

I have a soft spot for all of those gastropods, both the ones in matrix and the one that's loose :wub:

 

I'm glad you were able to get out for a little fossil-hunting - it's always nice to be outdoors, and if you can find a few fossils at the same time, then that's just the icing on the cake! 

Thanks Monica! I love being outdoors. Fossil hunting, hiking, gardening, camping, etc. :wub:

I like the gastropods a lot as well. I haven’t found many before so I was very excited when I found them.

 

I almost missed them altogether as the red clay mud was covering everything and they were hard to see. I want to go back when it dries up a bit. 

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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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6 hours ago, FossilNerd said:

Thanks for the ID and for the site suggestion in previous posts. It’s the Veterans Way site in Etown. 
 

I’d love to get together sometime. I already told my wife I need a day soon. When I figure out which day, I’ll see if you are available. :) 

I am free most weekdays and in E'town 2 weekends a month. Let me know whenever it stops raining.  I can also take you to some Ordovician sites around L'ville.

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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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Great report and awesome finds for such a short hunt!

Congratulations on a productive outing, and thanks for posting your results, Wayne! 

 

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    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

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

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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3 hours ago, Herb said:

I am free most weekdays and in E'town 2 weekends a month. Let me know whenever it stops raining.  I can also take you to some Ordovician sites around L'ville.

Sounds great Herb! I’ll give you a shout soon. :D 

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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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