First Group Fossil Hunt of the Season - Thaleops Trilobite!

[Bev]

April 10, 2021 1-4 pm Spring Valley, Minnesota

Eagle Bluff Environmental Education Center organized hunt

Led by Bev Sandlin, Bluffcountryfossils.net Whispering Winds, Spring Valley, MN

Galena Formation

Ordovician fossils

 

What FUN!!! And what Great Finds! This hunt was organized by Eagle Bluff Environmental Education Center in Lanesboro, MN. I am doing hunts for them every 2nd Saturday of the month through this season and any private hunts they book as well. We had about 20 participants and it was a whirlwind hunt they all were enjoying as I left them still hunting the 3rd site at 4 pm!

 

We started at my place, Whispering Winds, Spring Valley, MN with the fossil gardens to acclimate their eyes to what fossils they are looking for and a bit about the Ordovician time period.

This is the river bank hunt portion of site 1. The cliff face is great for showing the difference between the Stewartville and Prosser members of the Galena Formation.

 

 

 

I wish I had pics of all the fossils we found on this hunt! But I have a few and this cephalopod is one found along the creek bank.

 

 

 

We hunted by the spring, the abandoned quarry and then the "Cave Man" cave.

 

 

Taking pictures in the cave.

 

 

 

Y

 

And what finds! You will have to forgive my photos as these were all taken in the field on a very cool, 40 degree F, spring day.

 

One of the BEST 3D graptolites I have ever seen!

 

 

 

Without a microscope, I can't tell if this is a "print" of crinoids or bryzoans, but it is spectacular! And fragile, and of course these all went home with the collectors.  :-D

Any of you know what this is???

 

 

 

And DRUM ROLL, I am so envious of this find, a THALEOPS TRILOBITE that appears whole! And this guy is large! Perhaps 2 inches or better across! Dad, an experienced hunter from over south of La Crosse, Caleb's old territory, found this and the trilo is pictured with his son.

 

 

What a PRIZE!!!

 

We moved on to site 2 with lots collected there including this nice gastropod. Gotta love the enthusiasm of the kids!  :-D

 

 

 

 

And onto site 3 where I left them all happily breaking rock! I did invite anyone back over to my home if they needed IDs.

 

 

 

I went home exhausted, as I just had surgery the week before and my last covid vaccination which put me down for two days that week, but so happy to see so many smiles under the masks!

 

Thank you TFF for making this possible! Without all of the oh so patient TFF members teaching me about fossils, I would not be able to share the joy of fossil hunting with others!

 

KUDOs TFF!!!

 

Oh, FYI, I know my fossil blog is down, but can't seem to figure out how to get it back up on hostgator. The gal who did it has since died and I'm not techy, but working on it. Anyone with suggestions, please PM me.  :-D

[Fossildude19]

Great report and finds, Bev!

Good to see you out and about, as well as posting. 

Thanks for sharing this with us!   

 

[Ludwigia]

Hi Bev. Nice to see you out and active again. Looks like y'all had a great time.

[minnbuckeye]

Hey Bev, 

  

Looks like the kids ( and adults) had a great time. I think your crinoid is a graptolite!!!! 

Here is one I found by Wubbles?? Ravine: 

 

  

Now off the subject, as for the pygidium discussed earlier, here is what piranha had to say: These are not Bumastus or Bumastoides.  The course of the facial suture matches better with an isoteline, similar to the attached figure of Homotelus(?) florencevillensis from the Maquoketa of Iowa.  I added the question mark as there is some ongoing taxonomic work regarding the best generic classification.

 

 

Amati 2014:

"Homotelus was erected by Raymond (1920) for isotelines lacking genal spines but with wide cranidia, weak axial furrows, elevated palpebral lobes and a lateral border. Jaanusson (in Moore, 1959) added that a frontal area is lacking and the palpebral lobes are positioned slightly in front of the transverse mid-line of the cranidium. Whittington (1950) noted that the differences between Homotelus and Isotelus are small and recommended restricting the genus to the type. I agree that the genus should be restricted but feel that the lack of a frontal area on the cranidium allies Homotelus more closely with Vogdesia than Isotelus. Some species previously assigned to Homotelus (e.g., H. bromidensis, Esker, 1964) may belong in Vogdesia."

 

   

@Bev

Edited April 15, 2021 by minnbuckeye

[Al Tahan]

Love seeing kids involved with fossils. Great trip! That Thaleops really is a stunner 

[Bev]

Thank you all for being so wonderfully supportive! The last couple of years have been rough to say the least. I was in the ER and surgery the week before this hunt. Without TFF these hunts would have never been possible. YOU ALL have touched so many lives here in Minnesota by generously sharing your knowledge with me so that I can share what little knowledge I have learned from you with them. How much longer I can continue doing this is questionable, but know that YOU ALL are truly appreciated and part of a team effort!  THANK YOU!

On 4/13/2021 at 8:29 PM, minnbuckeye said:

Hey Bev, 

  

Looks like the kids ( and adults) had a great time. I think your crinoid is a graptolite!!!! 

Here is one I found by Wubbles?? Ravine: 

 

  

Now off the subject, as for the pygidium discussed earlier, here is what piranha had to say: These are not Bumastus or Bumastoides.  The course of the facial suture matches better with an isoteline, similar to the attached figure of Homotelus(?) florencevillensis from the Maquoketa of Iowa.  I added the question mark as there is some ongoing taxonomic work regarding the best generic classification.

 

 

Amati 2014:

"Homotelus was erected by Raymond (1920) for isotelines lacking genal spines but with wide cranidia, weak axial furrows, elevated palpebral lobes and a lateral border. Jaanusson (in Moore, 1959) added that a frontal area is lacking and the palpebral lobes are positioned slightly in front of the transverse mid-line of the cranidium. Whittington (1950) noted that the differences between Homotelus and Isotelus are small and recommended restricting the genus to the type. I agree that the genus should be restricted but feel that the lack of a frontal area on the cranidium allies Homotelus more closely with Vogdesia than Isotelus. Some species previously assigned to Homotelus (e.g., H. bromidensis, Esker, 1964) may belong in Vogdesia."

 

   

@Bev

I had no idea graptolites came with tendrils! Love it! Hey Mike, do you know what this is? It was just collected today at the quarry in Masonic. I'm not sure if I've ever seen anything like it. Ordovician, Galena, probably Prosser.

[minnbuckeye]

 

1 hour ago, Bev said:

How much longer I can continue doing this is questionable

 

@Bev,  

     I am sure you are more likely to run out of fossils than having to quit due to health. At least I hope so. 

 

 Not sure of an ID. Get a broken brachiopod vibe, maybe a rhynchonellida. 

 

 Mike

[Bev]

11 hours ago, minnbuckeye said:

 

 

@Bev,  

     I am sure you are more likely to run out of fossils than having to quit due to health. At least I hope so. 

 

 Not sure of an ID. Get a broken brachiopod vibe, maybe a rhynchonellida. 

 

 Mike

Thanks, Mike. I appreciate you taking a look and IDing it for me. You have been a wonderful fossil friend and I sincerely appreciate you.  :-)

[Bev]

Eagle Bluff has me doing hunts the second Saturday of every month during the season here in Minnesota. I thought you may enjoy some pics of the second hunt. No great finds this time, but the participants had FUN! The wild flowers are starting to bloom, the day was crisp, I had eight cars full of people! I truly enjoy the kids learning new things and how the boys get so excited breaking rock!  :-D

 

After a tour of the fossil gardens in my yard, we hit Deer Creek.

 

Then an abandoned quarry.

 

o

 

No great finds, but lots of smiles!  :-D

 

 

 

Thanks goes to all the TFF members who have taught me so much, so that I can share with others.  :-)

[FossilNerd]

Good to see you posting, Bev. Great report! You keep thanking us for being supportive, but I wanted to return the favor and thank you!
 

I have used your Ordovician ID chart on more than one occasion, especially when I first started hunting. Thanks for putting it together and sharing! 

 

 

[Wrangellian]

Hey Bev, I just came by this thread now... Some of the photos are a bit small, it would be nice if you could post larger versions. Anyway, looks like a nice day was had by all and it's good that you're still doing it.  That trilo is an enviable find, even I know that! I hope they can get an experienced prepper to prep it, if they want to do that at all.