Missourian Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) You may have heard of fossils described as being 'algae encrusted'. Here is a dramatic example of such an encrustation on a Heliospongia cluster: This is from the Pennsylvanian Quindaro Shale in Miami County, Kansas. These encrustations may be similar to Osagia and Ottonosia, but on a larger scale. Or it could be something else altogether. Little string-like structures on the specimen could be algae as well. Edited January 20, 2012 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) And lastly, I encountered these tiny cylindrical structures in some very fine-grained limestone within the Pennsylvanian Wyandotte Formation in Johnson County, Kansas: They could be many different things, but faint segmentation seen under the microscope leaves the possibility that they could be beresellids, which are stem-like forms of green algae that can be abundant in the Pennsylvanian. Here is an example of one (marked with 'Dv') in a thin section of a limestone from Spain: Edited January 20, 2012 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilshk Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 2.73 billion years old(Archean), Western Australia Banded iron formation Dinosaur Fossil Lab http://www.fossilshk.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Thanks Missourian, Some good examples there. I can clearly see the cup-shaped nature of some of them. I had no idea there were so many types of algae that could be identified from one area! Re: banded iron.. are these likely to have been stromatolite-type algae fossils, or just that the cyanobacteria are related to their deposition because they caused the precipitation of iron oxide? I guess they are a form of trace fossil in that sense at least.. but I know that it has been debated whether some finely-laminated Archean rocks are organic (stromatolites) at all. Lots of Tiger Eye in that one, nice piece! I've got some similar with not quite as much Tiger Eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Although I've posted this before in other threads, it is certainly my best algae specimen and one of my all-time favorite fossils. At over two billion years old it represents a primitive lineage of eukaryotic organisms. This example is highly unusual having Grypania scattered all over the surface with the filaments raised in 3-D relief. This type of preservation is very rare in these specimens. Grypania spiralis - 2.1 Gy Negaunee Iron Formation Marquette County, Michigan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Tetradium Whitewater Formation, Indiana Ordovician My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) Very cool specimens all. Here is an Ischcadites iowensis from the late Ordovician Maquoketa Formation(Richmondian in age) of Southeast Minnesota. Edited February 8, 2012 by Caleb Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 I love those 'sunflowers'. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 It's hard to imagine an algae taking on such a high level of organization... even seaweed just seems like random branches. Quite the detective work to work out that ID without a modern analogue, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Tetradium was called a coral for 100 years My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordovician_Odyssey Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Tetradium was called a coral for 100 years Haha When was it changed to an Algae, do you know? I find Tetradium algae really interesting -Shamus The Ordovician enthusiast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 yeah it is a red algae http://jpaleontol.geoscienceworld.org/content/85/4/802.extract My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Probable algal mats in a tidal flat deposit: Winterset Limestone Clay County, Missouri These delicate mats were able to form in an otherwise biologically restricted environment. I'm not sure which way is up. Close up: Note the burrow perforating the mats on the left, and the dislocated fragment on the right. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Just remembered that a year ago we discussed another putative "earliest" occurrence of large macrofossil algae (seaweeds) from the Ediacaran Lantian Formation of the Anhui Province of south China. These are off-the-chart spectacular... Enjoy LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Codiacean green algae Westerville Limestone (I think), Pennsylvanian Lees Summit, Missouri Algae? Or is it noodle casserole?: After finding these back in November, I returned yesterday to extract them. Unfortunately, the hammer and chisels were no match for the extremely hard rock. It was so durable, I didn't even manage to destroy the fossils during the attempt. I'm pretty sure this limestone unit is the Westerville. I originally thought it might be the Winterset Limestone, but the lithology and fossil assemblage is all wrong. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Codiacean green algae Westerville Limestone (I think), Pennsylvanian Lees Summit, Missouri Algae? Or is it noodle casserole?: After finding these back in November, I returned yesterday to extract them. Unfortunately, the hammer and chisels were no match for the extremely hard rock. It was so durable, I didn't even manage to destroy the fossils during the attempt. I'm pretty sure this limestone unit is the Westerville. I originally thought it might be the Winterset Limestone, but the lithology and fossil assemblage is all wrong. I've probably seen algae, but honestly wouldn't know that it was. Alot of what you have posted looks familiar. Anyway, I was wondering if you know if this last example you posted is silicified, calcified, or other. The reason I'm wondering is, if it isn't calcium, then it might look pretty cool if you could dissolve some of the matrix in between the 'noodles' for deeper exposure. Just a thought. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Anyway, I was wondering if you know if this last example you posted is silicified, calcified, or other. The reason I'm wondering is, if it isn't calcium, then it might look pretty cool if you could dissolve some of the matrix in between the 'noodles' for deeper exposure. Just a thought. It is all calcified, unfortunately. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kehbe Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) Interesting Pennsylvanian Archaeolithophyllum Sample from the Raytown Limestone, Kansas City Jackson county Missouri. Front Back Edited February 24, 2012 by Kehbe It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. Charles Darwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Interesting Pennsylvanian Archaeolithophyllum Sample from the Raytown Limestone, Kansas City Jackson county Missouri. Very nice. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) Yes, interesting, I can see what look like ridges in cross-section in some spots! (particularly lower-right quadrant of 'back' view) Edited February 24, 2012 by Wrangellian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Yes, interesting, I can see what look like ridges in cross-section in some spots! (particularly lower-right quadrant of 'back' view) Those are conceptacles. They are reproductive structures. I've been trying to find Archaeolithophyllum with those.... More at http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/170_1/ Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Cool! I wonder then if it would be possible (or worth it) to prep this piece (or a similar one) down to these surfaces somehow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kehbe Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Very nice. In your opinion Missourian, would you say this is of the red variety? The crystalization appears red in color. I found a pretty good bunch of it and it comes from right above the Muncie Creek shale layer. Most of what I found is still in situ because much of what is there is in very large pieces! I have managed to break a few small pieces away from the whole. This particular one was already separated. Are there any indicators other than color that would differentiate between red and green? It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. Charles Darwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) In your opinion Missourian, would you say this is of the red variety? The crystalization appears red in color. I found a pretty good bunch of it and it comes from right above the Muncie Creek shale layer. Most of what I found is still in situ because much of what is there is in very large pieces! I have managed to break a few small pieces away from the whole. This particular one was already separated. Are there any indicators other than color that would differentiate between red and green? Red and green algae are two taxonomic groups. They are called 'red' and 'green' due to the prevalent color in living specimens. Other groups, following this 'color' tradition, are blue-green, brown, golden, and yellow-green. These aren't necessarily related to each other. Blue-green are closer to bacteria than they are to plants. Much of the time, you can't tell what kind they are. The preservation just isn't good enough. If I find broken fragments with no detail, I just call it phylloid algae. In a few cases, the variety can be discerned. Sometimes, the overall form of the thalli can give clues. Archaeolithophyllum, the only Pennsylvanian phylloid red algae that I'm aware of, is usually made up of irregular crusts. Codiacean green algae (Eugonophyllum, Ivanovia, Anchicodium, Calcipatera, etc.) often form little cups. Finer details can be useful too. Your algae shows the conceptacles that are characteristic of Archaeolithophyllum. Well-preserved examples retain cellular structure. Adequately preserved green algae often has a sandwich-like layering of light-dark-light under normal lighting. Besides, the Raytown is known for its abundant Archaeolithophyllum, so when you find algae there, you can be reasonably sure of its id. Now I'm going to have to hit my local Raytown cuts to find some more. Edited February 25, 2012 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Missourian, I'm sitting here reading about algae, and enjoying it Thank you for a very informative post! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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