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Weekend Ordovician collecting in Kentucky


connorp

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This past weekend I had to cancel a collecting trip due to ominous weather, so I instead made an impromptu trip to northern Kentucky to do some Ordovician collecting for a couple days. I really love this area and would spend a week down there if I could. This trip I decided to focus on the Kope and Fairview formations, two of the older formations in the greater Cincinnati area.

 

The first day was mostly driving and not much collecting due to rain. But I did briefly stop at a spot where I found a pocket of Ectenocrinus crinoids on my last trip. I checked to see if any more had weathered out and found a few small calyxes.

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I also collected a neat trace fossil and a small brachiopod plate (Zygospira modesta maybe?).

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I spent the first half of the second day in the Fairview Formation. I was hoping to find the crinoid Glyptocrinus decadactylus which is an iconic Fairview species, and I did have some luck.

 

First a couple small and weathered specimens.

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A calyx free of matrix

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And here's a really well preserved calyx.

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I also found a very nice specimen of the blade-shaped bryozoan Escharopora falciformis, and couple Trematis millepunctata inarticulate brachiopods. These are my favorite Cincinnatian brachs, and not easy to find.

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I also collected a large slab that might have some potential. I didn't think much of it at first, but upon closer examination I noticed a number of at least partial crinoids. I am not sure if any will turn out to be complete or if they are all just fragmentary, we shall see.

 

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Afterwards I visited another site in the Kope hoping to find some Flexicalymene granulosa. They can be quite plentiful if you know where to look, unfortunately most are molts, and those that aren't are usually crushed, so it can be difficult to find good specimens.

 

A fairly complete but super crushed roller

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A slab with three molts plus many isolated thoracic segments. I think this will end up being a neat piece after some prep.

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At least three partials here, not sure if any will turn out complete.

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A teeny tiny one. Not sure if there is a head, although if there is it looks like it will be disarticulated.

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Another tiny guy, but this one looks like it will prep nicely.

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I also collected a nice orthoconic nautiloid.

ceph1.thumb.JPG.2ec28fd24678faf0477a97374162fe00.JPG

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On the third day I visited three more Kope sites. The first was in the lower Kope.

 

What was once a nice Flexicalymene granulosa. There's a chunk missing out of the right side, and I am unsure if there is a head yet.

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Here are a couple crinoid stems caked in inarticulate brachiopods.

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The second site was in the middle Kope.

 

A teeny tiny crinoid. Not in great shape so tough to ID, although the calyx may be buried.

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A large fragment of an orthocone.

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And a slab of graptolites.

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The last site was also in the middle Kope. The site is well known for producing crinoids, although it is fairly picked over. Still, I had some success.

 

Some Ambonychia bivalves with shell preservation.

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And what might end up being a nice Ectenocrinus.

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All in all, a very productive trip.

 

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Very good all that. I look forward to seeing them after preparation.

 

Coco

----------------------
OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici

Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici
Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici
Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici
Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici
Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici
Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici

Un Greg...

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7 hours ago, connorp said:

This past weekend I had to cancel a collecting trip due to ominous weather

 

Connor, With those finds, I can honestly say your choice of heading south was correct!!! I will try and produce a trip report from the rainy north as soon as I clean up my finds.

 

Mike

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Looks like you had a very successful trip- What an interesting variety! I hope these prep out nicely for you.

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Great finds! Only just saw this topic.

Those are some really cool crinoids, the one with inarticulate brachiopods, I find especially amazing and that bryozoan, really interesting as well.

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