Collecting the Kope in Kentucky

[connorp]

Earlier this month I spent a day collecting in the Kope Formation (Upper Ordovician) of northern Kentucky. It is one of my favorite formations to hunt, and I always walk away with some nice stuff. Here are some of my better finds.

 

A decent Ectenocrinus. It is crushed but should turn out nicely after prep.

 

A much smaller Ectenocrinus hiding in a hash plate

 

A pretty classic Kope hash plate. There's a cluster of crinoid arms to the left of center - I doubt there is a calyx but we'll see.

 

A very nice Cyclonema

 

This was a bucket list find for me: a nice example of a crinoid "log jam". There are two little Cincinnaticrinus calyxes mixed in.

 

My best Cincinnaticrinus to date

 

On the trilobite front, not much luck was had. I had been hoping to find some nice examples of Flexicalymene granulosa but found only some weathered partials. But my last Kope site did end up producing something much better: a partial Acidaspis cincinnatiensis! I've never found anything besides a free cheek of this rare bug, so this was certainly a trip maker.

[ClearLake]

Great finds!  No doubt, the Kope is a great formation to hunt, I always enjoy it too.  Good job with the various crinoids!

[Mark Kmiecik]

The hash plates are just sweeeeeet!

[Nimravis]

Great finds Connor- even though the Ordovician is not my favorite, I love collecting in that tri-state area for them and have a lot of fossils from there.

[Misha]

Those crinoids are all very nice, I don't yet know much about the Kope but there's some really interesting fossils from there, great finds!

[erose]

Cool beans! Thanks

[jpc]

crinoid logjam... wow!

 

[Jeffrey P]

Wonderful specimens Connor. Congratulations. I collected in the Kope only once and very briefly. You've given me excellent reasons to go back. That crinoid logjam looks especially cool. Thanks for sharing.

[Stephen50]

Great pictures of some wonderful specimens!  Thanks for sharing!

[sixgill pete]

That Cyclonema is stunning. Would love to see a picture of it prepped.

[connorp]

59 minutes ago, sixgill pete said:

That Cyclonema is stunning. Would love to see a picture of it prepped.

It really is. Usually they are missing shell around the aperture but this one is pristine.

[erose]

I haven’t dipped my feet into the Cinci sea in 10 years. Man o man i miss those formations. Great fossils and nice report!

[Darktooth]

Wow, those are nice finds! Those hash plates have so much going on. Lovely pieces.

[connorp]

After prep

[Mark Kmiecik]

Acid prep?

[connorp]

1 hour ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

Acid prep?

Definitely not.. that would eat right through. Mechanical prep by @Ptychodus04.