Maine Fossil Trip

[rocksnstars]

I am the president of the Oxford County Mineral and Gem Association, but I am at least as interested in fossils as minerals.  Maine is of course not known for fossils but there are some in the north.  After living here nearly eight years, my wife and I finally ventured in that direction to see what we could find.  The attached file was prepared for the OCM&GA newsletter.  Hope you enjoy.

 

Tom Hoffelder

A FALL FOSSIL TRIP TO THE RIP.pdf

[Shellseeker]

Tom,

Welcome to the Forum.  It is a welcoming place for fossil hunters.

Thanks for sharing your hunting trip report.  Almost everything in it is brand new knowledge and insight for me.  I love learning new things about ancient creatures, seeing places I have not been.

I was out hunting on Friday and found a vertebra that added a new word to my vocabulary.... Opisthocoelous (rear-facing concave articulating surfaces).

Life is good. Jack

[FranzBernhard]

Sweet! Such a nice report. I like this kind of writing. Thanks so much for sharing your adventure!
Franz Bernhard

[DPS Ammonite]

Welcome to the Forum Tom.

 

Here is a great guide to the geology of the Ripogenus Dam area. Ripogenus Formation is  in shades of blue:

Hillenbrand, Ian, 2018. Ocean crust, fossils, and an unconformity: Bedrock Geology of Ripogenus Dam. Maine Geological Survey.

https://digitalmaine.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1540&context=mgs_publications

 

It looks like you were collecting from the Silurian to Devonian Ripogenus Formation which jives with your stromatoporoid sponge fossils. Your stromatolites are all stromatoporoids. These are stromatoporoids since they have both laminae and pillars. Your “Coral?” fossil is coral.

 

Detail of above fossil.

 

Top part is stromatoporoid; bottom part may also be.

Here is a diagram from Boardman 1987 of a stromatoporoid showing the laminae and pillars: 

 

Photo by Mark Wilson at Worcester Geologist of a stromatoporoid. Note laminae and pillars.

 

I hope that this helps.

 

John

Edited November 8, 2020 by DPS Ammonite

[Ludwigia]

Thanks for sharing your adventure and welcome to the forum!

[rocksnstars]

Thanks to all of you who replied!  Thanks for the likes, the welcomes, the info!  I must do more here!

 

tom h

[Fossildude19]

Nice report!

Thanks for posting it.  

[FossilNerd]

2 hours ago, rocksnstars said:

I must do more here!

 

Yes. You really must! Thanks for sharing.