Trilobite plus?

[grg1109]

 

Ok, foolishly I was hoping that the Limestone would "pop" off the front of this Trilobite.  But, I've run into a problem.  At first I thought it was a Bryozoan lying along side...then I found spikes?  Can anyone tell me what I've run into here?

Thanks

Greg

[grg1109]

close up

[Huntonia]

Hmm, not entirely sure, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd say your spikes are calcite formation, and this is a bryozoan or coral of some sort. But I'm not confident enough to say anything with certainty.

[Top Trilo]

Agreeing with Huntonia that it is probably a crystal formation because there is that spike shape at the top but then it loses its shape which has me thinking crystal. The trilobites looking good so far, do you know what kind of trilobite it is?

[grg1109]

No I don't know what kind of trilobite it is yet hoping to do a good enough job to find out though

[LabRatKing]

Looks like calcite-type crystals to me...or the edge or a trilo fragment.

[grg1109]

They really look like trilobite spikes to me however trilobite Spike's usually a black in this area 

However it really doesn't matter at this point because I ruined them this morning

The crystal theory holds up because they are very similar in color to the calcite crystals I find

Thanks

Greg

[grg1109]

I'm a little bummed about ruining them...it looked like a Bryozoan cephalopod with teeth...lol

[aek]

The pygidium looks like a Greenops. The "spike" looks like possibly a ventral genal spine, but I could be wrong.

[Huntonia]

1 hour ago, aek said:

The "spike" looks like possibly a ventral genal spine, but I could be wrong.

I had considered this, it is also a possibility. It does look somewhat similar to the cephalic doublure of an isotelus but it's hard to say for certain. Here's an older topic that may be of interest to you, @grg1109

 

 

[Kane]

Isotelus is Ordovician, and this rock is Devonian. To my recollection, I don't think Greenops or Bellacartwrightia have a terraced doublure. 

[Huntonia]

36 minutes ago, Kane said:

Isotelus is Ordovician, and this rock is Devonian.

 my bad. I'm not sure as to which trilobites may or may not have similar doublure. 

[grg1109]

Thanks All!  I am trying to prep this Trilobite.  I'm literally "shaving" the grains of stone off of it.  I expected to "shave" until I began to see the dark patterns of the Trilobite.  However, I have not found any yet.  Possibilities:  It may not be whole or perhaps I won't see darker patterns in the rock?  Remember...this is Tully Limestone...very, very hard.

Thanks

Greg

 

[grg1109]

As to the spikes...they had the exact form...but, entirely the wrong color for spikes of Trilobites in this area.  All the Trilobites I have seen  from here were black or dark colored.  They were "triangular", with a rounded upper face and were flat underneath.

Thanks

Greg

[Huntonia]

30 minutes ago, grg1109 said:

However, I have not found any yet.  Possibilities:  It may not be whole or perhaps I won't see darker patterns in the rock? 

Could you add a picture? Perhaps you simply haven't reached the fossil yet. I'd also be interested to see what you're using to "shave" the stone with.

As far as the spikes go I do think calcite is likely, it tends to grow in those jagged formations, some people prefer to it as 'dog tooth crystal'.

[grg1109]

I have "uncovered" two of the "ribs" (located towards the top of the photo of the Trilobite.

The engraver...I'm using "soft and shallow".  I'm not using the tip of the "chisel", but the edge...trying to keep it in the middle towards the "heal" of the cutting edge.

Greg

[grg1109]

It's difficult to see but, this is the pile of shavings after a couple of passes. Very white patch in the center approx. 2mm long.  Plus I hold the weight of the engraver only letting the edge of the "chisel" to touch the rock.  Basically a "powder".