Fossil hunting in Onondaga County, NY

[Nautiloid]

Yesterday I was able to get out to Onondaga County in central NY. While I was there I got a chance to do some fossil hunting at two locations. The first was in Pompey Center, NY near Pratt’s Falls. The second location was a creek in Delphi Falls. The rock at both of these locations was the Skaneateles formation. I was able to get into a different formation at the second spot that was more shaly and had better preservation. This was my first time fossil hunting in the middle Devonian and I was amazed with the number of bivalves I found. (I’ve never found one in the lower Devonian near me). As well as bivalves I was able to find a few very well preserved gastropods, some brachiopods, a bunch of ostracods, and what I believe is a partial phyllocarid carapace. 

[Nautiloid]

Location 1:

This location was in Pompey Center NY. The rock was the Delphi member of the Skaneateles formation. Fossils were sparse but I found a few nice bivalves and some Spyroceras partials. 

[Nautiloid]

Location 2: 

My second stop was at a creek in Delphi Falls, NY. The rock was mainly Skaneateles formation which again, yielded not too many things. Lots of bivalves, an unidentified gastropod, Spyroceras partials, and some brachiopods. Near the end I was able to get into a different formation that had better preservation and fossils were more abundant. I am unsure of the formation but it is a soft shale and most of the fossils in it are jet black. I found a few gastropods, brachiopods, bivalves, ostracods, and what I think is a partial Phyllocarid carapace (picture no. 7).  There is also some pyrite in the rock and I was able to find one little tiny pyritized gastropod. 

[Nautiloid]

The first thing I found at the second spot was this really large inarticulate brachiopod. 

[Nautiloid]

Here’s a better pic of the possible phyllocarid. 

[Fossildude19]

Nice report, and some decent finds!

Thanks for posting this. We don't see enough of upstate NY finds. 

 

I don't think the last one is a phyllocarid, though.   

 

I am not seeing the texture you normally see in arthropods. 

The photo isn't greatly detailed, however. 

Looks more like a bivalve, to me. 

 

 

 

[Fossildude19]

Here are some Rhinocarids, and a Echinocaris for comparison. 

Do you see any of the same textures on your item?

 

    

[Nautiloid]

@Fossildude19

My fossil has the same bumpy texture as the Echinocaris in the last photo. Sorry about the bad pics. iPhones are pretty horrible for taking detailed photos. 

[Nautiloid]

Here’s a more detailed closeup  

[Fossildude19]

Very cool!  

Congratulations. It does look more like a Phyllocarid with the new pictures.  

[Nautiloid]

@Fossildude19

Thanks!! I’m super excited I finally found my first phyllocarid! 

[Jeffrey P]

The top bivalve is Actinopteria boydi. The second pic is a partial nautiloid, Spyroceras. The third is the common bivalve Modiomorpha concentrica. The gastropod is Bembexia sulcomarginata. I love the Orbiculoidea inarticulate brachiopod. Nice finds. If that is a phyllocarid, that's a very nice find. Congratulations. 

[Nautiloid]

@Jeffrey P

Thanks for the ID’s! 

[Monica]

I especially love the Spyroceras and the Bembexia - congrats on a successful hunt!!!

[Nautiloid]

@Monica

Thank you 

[Joe Z]

I found this trilobite in Tully on the hill (or what's left of it) behind the motel. I'm looking for new places in and around Pompey-Tully area. Found some cool stuff in Pompey Road cut on Rt 20 Any help would be appreciated .

[Stingray]

Nice lot for your hunt