Mazon Creek Plant ID Help

[Runner64]

5 plants I need help with.

 

1)

 

2)

 

3)

 

4)

 

5)

 

3 & 5 look to be the same species. Number 4 also appears to have 2 separate plants on it but am not 100% confident.

 

Thanks for the help!

[Coco]

Hi,

 

@Nimravis

 

Coco

[Mark Kmiecik]

1, 3 and 5 are Pecopteris, possibly miltoni, which is quite common. 4 looks like Neutopteris.  2 is a fragment of something that is probably not identifiable. If you rinse the dirt off of them they may show more detail. A light brushing using toothbrush and tapwater will work wonders to make them more presentable and won't hurt them, and will help a lot to determine the other plant above the Neuropteris.

[Runner64]

5 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

1, 3 and 5 are Pecopteris, possibly miltoni, which is quite common. 4 looks like Neutopteris.  2 is a fragment of something that is probably not identifiable. If you rinse the dirt off of them they may show more detail. A light brushing using toothbrush and tapwater will work wonders to make them more presentable and won't hurt them, and will help a lot to determine the other plant above the Neuropteris.

Wow thank you so much! Unfortunately for #2 and the plant in #4, they are cleaned off about as much as I can possibly do but can try some more tomorrow.

 

Was also at Mazon today and found about 40 fossils already cracked and lying there. Was hoping for some more help from the community!

 

1)

Some type of vascular stem but anything about species?

 

2)

Vascular stems as well

 

3)

Unsure on this one bit the black portion is very smooth.

 

4)

I believe shrimp moly but unsure if can be described any further?

[Runner64]

17 hours ago, Runner64 said:

Wow thank you so much! Unfortunately for #2 and the plant in #4, they are cleaned off about as much as I can possibly do but can try some more tomorrow.

 

Was also at Mazon today and found about 40 fossils already cracked and lying there. Was hoping for some more help from the community!

 

1)

Some type of vascular stem but anything about species?

 

2)

Vascular stems as well

 

3)

Unsure on this one bit the black portion is very smooth.

 

4)

I believe shrimp moly but unsure if can be described any further?

I believe #3 is a lungfish scale. Correct?

[Runner64]

A few more. @Nimravis @Rob Russell @RCFossils

 

1) I labeled as Essexela asherae but haven’t seen this preservation before so would like to double check. Reminds me of an annularia with radiating lines.

2)

 

3)

 

4) Looks like something moving when it got trapped. Trace fossil?

 

2&3 May very well be mineral stains but wanted to double check

[Runner64]

Poor Cyclus americanus by chance? Line going through the middle on the side

[Rob Russell]

#2 may be a coprolite. 

[Runner64]

50 minutes ago, Rob Russell said:

#2 may be a coprolite. 

Thanks!

[Nimravis]

I’m not seeing anything in these, the last one does look like a Cyclus to me, but due to it's shape, it might be a poorly preserved fish scale, I just can’t see the detail very well. You got a love Maison Creek fossils, when you look at it it’s like taking a Rorschach test. Lol

[Runner64]

28 minutes ago, Nimravis said:

I’m not seeing anything in these, the last one does look like a Cyclus to me, but due to it's shape, it might be a poorly preserved fish scale, I just can’t see the detail very well. You got a love Maison Creek fossils, when you look at it it’s like taking a Rorschach test. Lol

Ha I know exactly what you mean! I had so much luck yesterday. Came home with about 6 ferns, 4 annularia, 3 Calamites stems, dozen jellyfish, first 2 shrimp molts, lungfish scale, and now cyclus americanus. Now need to start cracking them open, hope to get some more!

[Runner64]

This piece just cracked open. Was suggested to be a seed but I’m not certain. May be weird fracture line as well? @Nimravis

[Nimravis]

I also believe that is is just the way it broke, others may say something else.

[Runner64]

1 hour ago, Nimravis said:

I also believe that is is just the way it broke, others may say something else.

Like you said the other day, "it’s like taking a Rorschach test"  

 

Thanks for the help.

[Rob Russell]

I suppose it’s possibe, but I don’t see anything defining that suggests it’s a seed other than perhaps a vague shape of a seed. 

Here’s a trigonocarpus seed I found. 

[Runner64]

21 hours ago, Rob Russell said:

I suppose it’s possibe, but I don’t see anything defining that suggests it’s a seed other than perhaps a vague shape of a seed. 

Here’s a trigonocarpus seed I found. 

Nice piece you found! Thanks for photos. I’ll set it aside in a drawer or possible Mazon fossils. Likewise I agree, most likely a strange fracture line.

[Runner64]

Few more @Nimravis @Rob Russell

 

1)

Shrimp?

 

2)

Looks like it didn’t crack cleanly on plane.

 

3)

Mineral stain?

[Runner64]

4)

Poor bivalve?

[deutscheben]

#1 looks like something, but I don’t know what. (Classic Mazon Creek!)

 

#2 seems like either Coprinoscolex or Achistrum? I would have see more detailed pics to be sure.

 

#3 appears to be an Essexella

 

#4 does not appear to be a fossil

[Rob Russell]

The first one may be a poorly preserved shrimp, or shrimp molt. I’m not seeing much in the other three specimens. 

[Runner64]

Thanks much!

11 hours ago, deutscheben said:

#2 seems like either Coprinoscolex or Achistrum? I would have see more detailed pics to be sure.

I can try to get photos later

[Runner64]

9 hours ago, Rob Russell said:

The first one may be a poorly preserved shrimp, or shrimp molt. I’m not seeing much in the other three specimens. 

Perfect thanks much!  With the poor preservation I would assume it would make an ID of species too difficult?

 

On a side note, I am trying to figure out what books to get to help ID Mazon fossils.  I have Richardson's book as a must add but unsure of others?

[bigred97]

I use two books by Jack Wittry extensively. Although the Richardson book is great, Wittry's books are newer and more up-to-date. One of the books covers fauna, the other covers flora. The flora book was recently reworked, with many new classifications, so I would make sure to buy the new one (it came out this year).  You can get the books from ESCONI at their website:

 

https://www.esconi.org/esconi_earth_science_club/products-for-sale/

 

The new flora book is the one with the white cover and picture of a fiddlehead fern.

 

[Mark Kmiecik]

Wittry's 2 books, one on the flora and one on the fauna, are the most recent. Richardson's Guide is very good but not as comprehensive and somewhat outdated, although some things have changed since Wittry's flora book was published. The Carboniferous is a-changin'. Sounds like a Dylan tune, don't it?

[Runner64]

Perfect! Thank you @bigred97 and @Mark Kmiecik. Yea the Richardson guide is fairly old now so it’s nice to see an updated guide...plus fairly cheap too! I’ll add all three then so I can try to do better at identifying these concretions.

 

In the meantime, had this cool Neuropteris sp. open last night. Seems a little flaky, any suggestions for cleaning it? Would hate to destroy it.