Micros from the Glen Rose Formation, Texas

[JamieLynn]

Got me some matrix from a couple of sites in the Cretaceous Glen Rose Formation- one of my favorite (and closest to me!) formations. So much tiny stuff!! It's too dang hot to hunt in Texas (we are on day 58 of 100+ F degree ). So, hunting from home is my preferred pastime! Here are some of my recent nice finds.

 

My best thing I found, which I was quite excited about is a little madreporite - part of a starfish cirulatory system. I found one big one  (1/2 inch) at this same site a few years ago but had not found one since, so was happy to find this little one. It's only 1/4 inch.

 

Here's the big one and the little one:

 

Found quite a few little starfish ossicles. Not many Glen Rose starfish have been found "whole" or even partly whole. If I remember correctly @JohnJ is one of the few who have found them at least partly whole.

 My favorite are these bumpy ones. There are two found in this formation - a larger more robust smooth with tiny dimples and these smaller, skinny bumpy ones.

 

Another treat to find are these floating crinoids - a relatively rare thing in the Cretaceous.  I was happy to finally find this

mostly whole one....often they are missing a section. I think this is a Solanocrinites sp.

 

This one preserved a little better, but as you can see, has a chunk missing. But that Star!!

 

And more crinoids - the variation in the Isocrinus annulatus amazes me:

 

And don't forget the Echinoids!

I found a lovely Pygopyrina hancockensis  size 1/4 inch

 

a nice sized Hyposalenia phillipsae 3/8 inch

 

a small one:  1/8 inch

 

and a juvenile!  1/16 inch

 

Also found this interesting spine - possibly a Cidarid spine. 

 

Some decent tiny crab claws (unknown)

 

and finally, a Foraminifera Orbitolina texana which you can see some of the structure of. I thought that was pretty cool

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JohnJ]

Super finds, Jamie!  The tiny echinoid spine is a form I've seen below the ambitus on some echinoids.

[JamieLynn]

25 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

Super finds, Jamie!  The tiny echinoid spine is a form I've seen below the ambitus on some echinoids.

 Yes, I figured it was one of those weird underside ones. I found a similar one of an Archeocidarid from the Pennsylvanian that has that short, fattened morphology.  Finally found a reference for it that showed where it was on the echinoid. 

[Coco]

Hi,

 

Reference ? May we see it please ?

 

Coco

[JamieLynn]

4 hours ago, Coco said:

Hi,

 

Reference ? May we see it please ?

 

Coco

Finally found it! And I was slightly wrong - the shortened fat one from the Pennsylvanian Archeocidaris is from the Aboral side, rather than Adoral. 

This is what I found and it looked very different from the "typical" Archeocidaris spines, which are usually very long and slender:

 

Here is the reference that shows it is located at the top of the echinoid

 

 

 

 

[old bones]

These are lovely finds, Jamie!

[Ironhead42]

Interesting micro fossil finds!

[Jackito]

Very nice! 

[JamieLynn]

thanks y'all!

[sixgill pete]

Fantastic finds.