Plantguy Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 (edited) PL, nice creature there with the possible worn out teeth...I still can't get over the detail that shows up in these nodules. The color contrast is pretty special. Nice addition to the collection! TD, before I went into the semi-unconscious state viewing RCfossils pictures I did have problems loading pages from this posting. I tried a couple hours later (same day) and had no problems viewing everything. I was using IE 8. No problems now. Regards, Chris Edited December 25, 2009 by Plantguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 PL, nice creature there with the possible worn out teeth...I still can't get over the detail that shows up in these nodules. The color contrast is pretty special. Nice addition to the collection! Thanks Chris... what attracted me to start looking at the Mazon Creek Lagerstatten was the unique preservation of the nodules... some of the marine fauna preservation only unique that the region especially the soft bodied creatures that rarely gets preserved in such fine details... and RCfossils collection just awesome!!! PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 (edited) To facilitate identification... are there any conodont experts out there? I have taken a few more pics of the worm jaws at 40X magnification...... thanks Tim for your help. PL Edited December 26, 2009 by pleecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFossils Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Hi Plecan, Just noticed your post. I believe your worm is an example of Esconites zelus. The preservation is pretty light but the mandibles are well preserved. Esconites was named for the Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois (ESCONI). It is one of the more commonly found polychaetes and usually has well preserved jaws. I will attach a few pictures of some additional examples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Hi RCFossils: Thank you very much for the ID and background information....your worm fossil has very nice soft tissue preservation ... you can see the individual legs and segmentation on the worm... very nice, sharp looking fossil. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 RCFossil's ID looks like the right one. The teeth drawings in Shabica's book on Esconites zelus match yours perfectly, Pleecan. "Total body length 3-11cm, 28 to 80 segments. Anterior end usually poorly preserved; well preserved specimens with five prostomial antennae and paired palps. Mandibles well developed, with short, broad carriers..." Wish I had a scanner at home. Later this week, I'll scan the teeth drawings after I go back to work. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Thanks Tim! Hoped you had a good Christmas. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hi Pleecan, hope you had a good holiday season, too! Attached below are a couple of figures from the "Polychaete Worms" chpt. in Shabica's book "The Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek." The remarks on E. zelus say that antennae are only found on well preserved specimens. I included the other two just for the fun of it. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Super! Thanks Tim for the info.... eagerly waiting for a copy of Shabica's book to arrive in the mail box... looks like a great reference book to have. I got more Mazon Creek Fossils to post... stay tune.... a large package of fossils arrived today. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) Purchased Shrimp Fossil from Mazon Creek. approx. 2" PL ID = Belotelson magister? Edited January 9, 2010 by pleecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Beautiful, PL! Do you know any more about the critter? "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Beautiful, PL! Do you know any more about the critter? Thanks Auspex, I am hoping some one could ID the critter.... Seller Description: " Unless otherwise stated, all of our specimens were found and collected in the actual Mazon Creek Area or the Mazon Creek itself. Unlike other areas that produce simular type fossils, Mazon Creek is located in Northern Illinois. Mazon Creek fossils are found in the Francis Creek Shale Member of the Desmoinesian Series, middle of the Pennsylvanian System of North America: the Westphalian D of Europe. At the time of the shale's deposition about 290 million years ago, Mazon Creek was near the Equator, situated along the delta front of a tremendous river system. The strip minning for coal by the Peabody and Chicago Coal companies has left many shaft mines and strip mines (Pits) resulting in numerous places to hunt for and find MAZON CREEK Fossils. " PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 ID = Belotelson magister? Looks like it to me! (I've hunted the river once, and would like to get back there... lots of plant material!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Thanks Tim for the reply. Here are some photos of another shrimp fossil showing possible soft tissue preservation with impression of gills? Anterior portion at the base of the carapace... also close up shots of the mouth head area..... and a shot of the tail. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Pleecan, the underside structures look like legs on the thorax -- thoracopods, and pleopods, which are on the abdomen. The first photo, upper left, appears to have a worm invading the nodule to scavenge. It's on the upper right side of the nodule. I've got a shrimp nodule with worm, too. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Pleecan, The first photo, upper left, appears to have a worm invading the nodule to scavenge. It's on the upper right side of the nodule.Tim Is that ever neat... worms feeding on dead shrimp.... I was thinking it was part of the feeding mechanism where the shrimp pincher like arms to catch bit of food and direct it to its mouth. .... I still think I am seeing gills not legs as legs would be huge under that magnification... first picture is under high magnification...PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) I still think I am seeing gills not legs as legs would be huge under that magnification... Don't forget about decay. Most of my shrimp are legless. And, the pleopods are short. More like little paddles for swimming than legs. They also hold eggs/fry to the underside of the abdomen. Tim PS: are all photos the same nodule? If yes, a photo of both halves, side by side, would be helpful. Edited January 9, 2010 by michigantim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Hi Tim: Took photos of the 2 halves... believe orientation you are looking down dorsal /ventral view legs are underneath or above the critter... you can see 2 eyes at the front...PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Very nice specimen! That looks like Peachocaris strongi. And yes, you're right. Those are the exopods, defined as: "The outer ramus of a biramous limb of a crustacean." In the illustration for this shrimp, they look like little feathers. I don't know (or can't remember!) their function, but they do look like gills! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 (edited) Thanks very much Tim for the ID! Always fun poking around with a microscope / camera as this combination extends our visual perception... missed by the naked eye. PL Edited January 10, 2010 by pleecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 That looks like Peachocaris strongi. And yes, you're right. Those are the exopods, defined as: "The outer ramus of a biramous limb of a crustacean." In the illustration for this shrimp, they look like little feathers. I don't know (or can't remember!) their function, but they do look like gills! Heavy stuff! I love this Forum "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 Red Annularia...PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Gorgeous, Pleecan! Annularia is one of my favorites out of Mazon Creek. I could find the space for a lot of them! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks Tim. Here is Cyclus americanus (water bug). PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Didontogaster cordylina. Annelid....at first looks similar to tully monster but is a worm. GI tract is exposed showing remnants of its last meal. THe last picture is an image of it's leg. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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