My last Decorah Shale Trip.

[minnbuckeye]

This will likely be my last trip to the Decorah Shale this season. I thought I would post some finds that were still in the matrix that they were found in. Many fossils of the Decorah are found separated from the rock they were hidden in. I just like fossils in matrix!!! 

 

With that said, the first picture is not in matrix. It shows a cephalopod with a Sowerbella brachiopod within it. Someone (I can't remember who) posted a similar item and I had remarked how many cephalopods have other fossils within the body chambers. Here is an example. I hope that person sees this. 

 

 

Secondly, @DMcLY posted a picture of a Strophomena hash plate this week. I think these pictures show the inside of the concave pedicle valve showing the muscle attachment and the exterior surface of it. It may help you visualize what you found. 

 

  

 

  

 

Now the rest are just for enjoyment:  

 

 

 

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

         

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FossilDAWG]

So, these were all from one trip?  Pretty good trip I'd say!

 

Don

[Bev]

Great finds, Mike! Super photography too!

[Tidgy's Dad]

18 minutes ago, minnbuckeye said:

 

Secondly, @DMcLY posted a picture of a Srophomena hash plate this week. I think these are 2 pictures of the inside of the concave pedicle valve showing the muscle attachment and the inside convex brachial valve of a Strophomena. It may help you visualize what you found. So each specimen shows the INTERIOR of the brachiopod.

 

  

 

  

 

 

No, the top one is the pedicle valve interior, but the bottom one is a the pedicle valve exterior. Two sides of the same valve.

This is a brachial valve interior (top) with a pedicle valve exterior beneath it. 

Some of those hash plates are stunning, particularly some of the orthid ones. The prepping is superb. 

[ricardo]

Great   plates!

[minnbuckeye]

12 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

No, the top one is the pedicle valve interior, but the bottom one is a the pedicle valve exterior. Two sides of the same valve.

This is a brachial valve interior (top) with a pedicle valve exterior beneath it. 

Corrected this! Thanks.

 

13 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Some of those hash plates are stunning, particularly some of the orthid ones. The prepping is superb

 

22 minutes ago, Bev said:

Great finds, Mike! Super photography too!

 

22 minutes ago, Bev said:

Great finds, Mike! Super photography too!

 

Thanks Bev! 

 

@Tidgy's Dad NO prep on the orthids. That is how they were found. Just scrubbed up to get the dirt off of them!!!! Otherwise I used just a razor blade to clean the others up a bit, but most would have been photogenic without assistance! 

 

27 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said:

So, these were all from one trip?

 

@FossilDAWG Yes. This site is extremely productive and the brachiopods are so well preserved. You could just sit on the ground and pick up specimens like this without needing to move around. This might be a slight exaggeration. But I think you would only need to move a few times and NO rock splitting necessary..

[Tidgy's Dad]

1 minute ago, minnbuckeye said:

 

@Tidgy's Dad NO prep on the orthids. That is how they were found. Just scrubbed up to get the dirt off of them!!!! Otherwise I used just a razor blade to clean the others up a bit, but most would have been photogenic without assistance! 

Double WOW!  ! !

Nature can be the best prepper, sometimes. 

[Monica]

What a brachiopod bonanza!!!  Nice stuff, Mike! 

[Grimlock]

Beautiful finds!

[RuMert]

That's a load of pretty brachs Nice preservation and prepwork