Pella Beds and other SE Iowa Sites

[minnbuckeye]

One of the rock clubs I belong to decided to go on a geode hunt near Keokuk, Iowa. Our private hunting area was not accessible due to flash flooding that previous evening, so we went to another dig site. A good 20 inches of goopy muck unfortunately overlayed the rock that contained the geodes. So I was hot and exhausted by the time bedrock was found.  For fear of heat exhaustion, I quit at about 3/4ths of a bucket full. I will take these to the children's fossil pit for the kids to "find".

 

 

 

 Here is what the collecting site looked like., a split slab showing some geodes surrounded by MUD! 

  

With geodes in hand, or at least in the back of my truck, off I went to collect some Burlington Limestone that contained fish teeth. Permission  was granted from a quarry known to expose the layer needed. Once the correct "pile" was located,  I quickly put about 50 pounds of matrix containing the teeth in with the geodes. This matrix will painstakingly be broken down this winter in order to extract the teeth. Here is some of the material collected showing how rich the rock is in fish pieces. All of the black specks are fish remnants. 

 

 

 

 

 While loading the truck, mother nature was beginning to expose a mayfly hatch. No mayflies were present when I arrived, but a short time later, the hatch began.

 

 

 I had multiple routes available to take home and decided on one that took me through  some Pennsylvanian strata. This would be new territory and hopefully interesting material  for me to explore. An old mining operation near Oskaloosa, Iowa was converted into the Russell Wildlife Refuge. There are 5 mine pits on the property exposing the mississippian Pella Formation. I chose this site because it contains blastoids. Unfortunately, the blastoids evaded me. But plenty of new fossils were found!!!!!!!! 

 

Brachiopods were the predominant fossil found, but some bivalves, crinoids, gastropods, and bryozoans showed up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Brachiopod ID was difficult due to the lack of much information. I tried my best and am open to changing the identity of anything labeled or adding a name to the unknowns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

  

The rugosa coral has a beautiful appearance and is know for the protrusions on its surface. Most fossils found needed very little cleaning and are presented as shown like these corals.

 

 

 All fossils found are on the small side, That is why this burrow surprised me. I wonder what "large" animal existed in this environment.

  

  

I have always had an affinity for epibionts. And they were plentiful here!

 

 

  

As mentioned earlier, this site is known for blastoids. But the other unique feature is the presence of crinoid stems with bryozoan epibionts. 

  

 

  

This was a fun spot to hunt and recommend it for a great variety of Pennsylvanian fossils!!!

 

 Mike

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by minnbuckeye

[Fossildude19]

Exquisite preservation on some of these!

Thanks for the great report, Mike!   

[historianmichael]

I am sorry to hear that you could not find a blastoid. The brachiopods with epibionts are still really cool! I also really like the tiny, spiny horn corals!

[Tidgy's Dad]

And I agree, those corals are wonderful. 

Nice report Mike and a myriad of magnificent macrofossils. 

 

[minnbuckeye]

As a side note, WATCH OUT FOR POISON IVY at Russell wildlife Refuge. 

[connorp]

Awesome finds! Can't wait to see the teeth you pull out.

[piranha]

Congrats on the great fossil haul.. ..without one scrap of a pygidium to report?

 

Btw: The Pella Fm is Mississippian

[minnbuckeye]

@piranha, you wrecked my day!!!!! Now I have to go back and relabel all of those little bags. In all seriousness, thanks for pointing out that mistake. Trilobite evidence was as lacking as the blastoids, and I was watching closely.

 

 Mike

Edited July 7, 2021 by minnbuckeye