Shark Teeth, Crinoids, Trilobites and More

[minnbuckeye]

It was about a month ago that our Fossil Club was going to meet at a Devonian location in central Iowa. The first cold weather of the season hit just then and required heavy coveralls to stay warm, so my sights were not set too high for this trip. I decided to make it a 2 day hunt and sneak down to SE Iowa the first day. My goal was to attempt to find some shark teeth from the upper Burlington Formation. The teeth from this location are extremely fragile and will turn to powder if touched with anything but kid gloves. This is a lesson that I have learned from multiple times collecting  with little to show for my effort. IF I found specimens, I planned to leave them in the matrix and stabilize  before transporting them home. Now I needed to find some! While exploring the Mississippian age rock, I did come across a few specimens that I brought home that were not teeth. 

 A few representative Brachiopods 

 

 

 

  

 

 A brachiopod in matrix that I still am not comfortable on its ID

  

As always, I must always bring a rugosa coral home.  

 

 

Burlington limestone is known for its crinoidal content. Here are some typical finds.  Like the rugosa, I still can not pass up crinoid stems.

 

 The next picture shows the  unique twisting  stem of a Platycrinites. 

 

Now some crinoid cups.

  

 

  

 

 I love geodized fossils and this is the first crinoid cup that I have found in such condition! 

  

Though the picture is hard to see, 4 different crinoid cups are on this piece of matrix. Another first for me. 

 

The next cup is a new one for me. If someone recognizes it, let me know!! 

  

Finally, the last crinoid!!!!!! 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

But as I said, my purpose was to find some teeth, and the trip was successful at accomplishing this!! @Elasmohunter has volunteered to assist in the teeth identification, so I am putting off a display of these until he is done. I will provide a sneak peek of three finds though. They are not as impressive as the Peace River teeth I find with @jcbshark or @Shellseeker, but I am VERY HAPPY!!! 

 

 

 

 

  

 

After a successful first day, I looked forward to the group hunt to follow. Finds overall were marginal. Just your average brachiopods, corals, crinoids, and bryozoans.  The first picture is a bivalve I have never ran into before. 

 

 

 Corals 

 

 

 

 Then the commonly found spirifer. 

  

Finally, the next spirifer may get painted ruby red and displayed as fossilized lips. 

 

During every trip like this, the last hour of my hunt changes  from seeking quality specimens  to collecting 10 gallons of any fossils that I put into a local fossil sand pit at a nature center back home.  Usually there are enough loose fossils to quickly fill a bucket. These atrypa were easy pickings for the kids.

 

 

  

As I filled my buckets, a Club Member came over showed me some placaderm specimens he had found. Knowing he was very interested in fish,  I offered him a large slab of Mississippian matrix, found the day before, that had at least 3 different species of teeth on it. At one point in our discussion, I looked past him and saw what I thought was rugosa corals on a slab of matrix. So once the conversation was over, I went to collect the corals. To my suprise, this was a little different than any coral I had found that day!!! Six trilobites embedded in the matrix. 

 

  

 I called the member over to look at the trilobite plate and as I was extracting a manageable sized piece to lug home, he began scouring the area for more.  As I finished with my rock saw, I looked up and saw  another plate of three trilobites, 6 feet away, right where he had been looking!!!! To this day, I still wonder whether he purposely left that second slab for me as a way of saying thanks for the shark teeth. Any ways, it was a great end to a wonderful weekend of fossil exploration. Now I have to get them prepped.

 

 

   

[FossilDAWG]

I'd say that was a quality couple of days of collecting!

 

Don

[traveltip1]

Awesome trip 

[JamieLynn]

wow......those are so beautiful! And that trilobite plate is spectacular!! 

[Pagurus]

You sure found plenty to be happy with. I'm particularly attracted to that Megistocrinus. Beautiful!  Congratulations on finding and preserving those shark teeth too. Two days well spent!

[Tidgy's Dad]

Yummy, yummy brachiopods! 

But I love that bivalve, that's a great specimen and the crinoids, trilobites, corals and teeth! What a great couple of days hunting.. 

[Fossildude19]

Whoa! Great finds, Mike!  

Thanks for showing us!

Can't wait to see the trilos prepped out.   

[erose]

Superb!

 

[Bullsnake]

Great haul!

The bivalve reminds me of Myalina.

[Shellseeker]

Mike, 

Thanks for sharing.. You are a fun guy to hunt with,  and always , always,  give more than you get!!!!!,  which is downright difficult given the quality of the stuff you get!!!!!

 

But as I said, my purpose was to find some teeth, and the trip was successful at accomplishing this!! @Elasmohunter has volunteered to assist in the teeth identification, so I am putting off a display of these until he is done. I will provide a sneak peek of three finds though. They are not as impressive as the Peace River teeth I find with @jcbshark or @Shellseeker, but I am VERY HAPPY!!! 

 

 

 

 I would be jealous,  but I have been blessed also...

[minnbuckeye]

20 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

but I have been blessed also...

 

@Shellseeker

Jack, I didn't know you collected moldy oranges!! We are coming to Bradenton on Wednesday to see our son. Haven't seen him since January. Wish the Peace was low enough to hunt.. Maybe next time. 

Mike

[jcbshark]

Excellent finds Mike, congrats

[Huntonia]

Those trilos are gorgeous! Excited to see them prepped!