Brush Creek Pennsylvanian Marine Life

[historianmichael]

Last month I made my last trip for the year into Pennsylvania. I was hoping to stop at Swope Quarry in Mapleton, but the site is now posted. With a quick change of plans, I decided to travel even further west and visit some Late Pennsylvanian marine sites that I had planning on visiting on a different trip. The two sites I visited expose the Brush Creek Marine Zone, Glenshaw Formation, Conemaugh Group. They date to the Late Pennsylvanian (Missourian). Fossil collecting at these sites was a lot of fun as the fossils just pop right out of the surrounding shale and can be picked up by hand. But they are very fragile! I felt like Dr. Frankenstein putting some of the fossils back together. I always wanted to add a Worthenia gastropod to my collection so I was really excited to add a couple at one of the sites. By the time I made it to the second site the sun was already going down and I had a long drive home. I ended up bringing back a big block to break down, and I was astonished to find a Metacoceras fragment in it. I apologize in advance for some of the photos. As some may know, the gastropods of the Glenshaw Formation tend to be very small and dark, so it is challenging to photograph them. I used my new digital microscope on some of them. I hope you enjoy! I tried very hard to find a correct identification for everything. If you have a different identification, please let me know.

 

Cephalopods

Metacoceras sp.

 

Pseudorthoceras knoxense

 

 

Brachiopod

Neospirifer triplicatus

 

 

Bivalves

Astartella concentrica

 

Solenomya trapezoides

 

Edmondia sp.

 

Edmondia aspenwallensis

 

 

Coral

Stereostylus sp.

 

 

Trace

Worm Burrow

 

 

Gastropods

Worthenia tabulata

  

    

 

Strobeus primigenius

 

Euphemites vittatus

 

 

 

 

[historianmichael]

Pharkidonotus percarinatus

 

Straparollus (Amphiscapha) catilloides

 

Meekospira percuta

 

Cymatospira montfortianus

 

Glabrocingulum grayvillense

 

Trepospira depressa

 

Last, but certainly not least, Shansiella carbonaria. This is perhaps the smallest gastropod in my collection. It is the size of a pin head. It is tough to see by the naked eye, but once I put it under the microscope, it looks awesome!

[Jeffrey P]

Western Pennsylvania's late Pennsylvanian marine fauna I find very intriguing and you've collected some fine examples there. Those Worthenia gastropods are especially impressive. Congratulations and thanks for sharing your good fortune.

[fossilnut]

@historianmichaelWhat an abundant variety of fossils. I grew up in PA and went fishing with my father to Brush Creek. That was before I knew about fossils. Have you ever collected in the Vanport Limestone? Later I did collect fossils in that marine limestone but I no longer have any of that material.

[historianmichael]

@Jeffrey P Thank you! I too have always been intrigued by the marine fauna of the Late Pennsylvanian Conemaugh Group. I was fortunate enough to visit two sites in the Ames Marine Zone on a separate trip- one in West Virginia and one in Western PA. I hope to visit some others soon with a multi-day trip to the Pittsburgh area in the new year. 

 

@fossilnut That's awesome. I unfortunately have not. I read about a couple of sites, but they are no longer accessible. I am aware of one possible exposure in Venango County, but I haven't ventured all the way out there yet. 

[FossilNerd]

I agree with JeffreyP.  Love the Worthenia Gastropods! 
 

The other finds are great as well. Thanks for sharing! 

[Petalodus12]

Awesome finds! The brush creek is such a productive and diverse layer

[Monica]

What an awesome array of fossils!!!  I think my favourites are the Astartella concentrica bivalves and the Worthenia tabulata gastropods