Early Jurassic Plants In Western Massachusetts

[Pagurus]

Last weekend I enjoyed meeting the dealers at an impressive Gem, Mineral and Fossil show in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Not many fossil dealers, but a few good ones. I took the opportunity to visit a nearby Early Jurassic site, of the Newark Supergroup and the Shuttle Meadow Formation, I think. Thanks, Tim. I didn't stay long, but I'm happy with the plants I found, including a bit of the fern, Clathropteris and pieces of what may be Equisites. I like the contrast of these shales.

[Pagurus]

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[Bullsnake]

Very nice. Congratulations!

[Fossildude19]

Wow! Great finds, Mike! You did well.

Yup, You're spot on - that site is Shuttle Meadow Fm.

The Clathropteris meniscoides has that leathery, palmate look to it.

The contrast of the fossils on these shales is quite nice. Not at all like my black shale plants.

I'm not sure the branching ones are Equisetites, though.

They may be either Loperia simplex, or Baiera muensteriana.

See this PDF for figured plates.

The straight long ones with the ribbing are Equisetites.

Thanks for posting these, Mike!

Regards,

[Ludwigia]

Thanks for showing these things. Jurassic plants, other than undefineable incarbonated bits of wood are hard to find in my parts, so it's interesting for me to see such samples. Am I right in assuming that the Shuttle Meadow Fm. is a crossover from Triassic to Jurassic, which would mean that the finds are from the upper layers of that Formation?

[Fossildude19]

Thanks for showing these things. Jurassic plants, other than undefineable incarbonated bits of wood are hard to find in my parts, so it's interesting for me to see such samples. Am I right in assuming that the Shuttle Meadow Fm. is a crossover from Triassic to Jurassic, which would mean that the finds are from the upper layers of that Formation?

Roger,

Not quite. The Newark Supergroup outcrops sporadically from North Carolina to Nova Scotia, and spans the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic.

The Shuttle Meadow Fm. is indeed higher in the Newark Supergroup sequence, however, it is the lowest formation of the three Jurassic aged formations within the Hartford Basin. (the East Berlin and Portland formations being stratigraphically higher.)

Palynoflorule analysis, paleomagnetic data, radiometric dates, and plant megafossil remains have cemented the Shuttle Meadow formation firmly in the early Jurassic. (Basal Liassic - Hettangian)

A good description can be found HERE.

Regards,

Edited April 3, 2012 by Fossildude19

[Ludwigia]

Tim,

Thanks very much for the orientation.

[Pagurus]

Thanks for your expertise, as always, Tim!

[Lloyd]

Very nice finds.

[Fossildude19]

Tim, Thanks very much for the orientation.

Roger, You're welcome.

Thanks for your expertise, as always, Tim!

I don't know about that, Mike.

If I was an expert, I would be able to tell you for sure what you have.

More like, ... a knowledgeable amateur.

I'm leaning towards Loperia simplex for your branching specimens, though.

Regards,

Edited April 3, 2012 by Fossildude19

[Fossildude19]

Here is one of my black shale Clathropteris finds:

Not nearly as pretty.

Regards,

[Shamalama]

Very nice finds, especially for the east coast!

[Pagurus]

Very nice. Congratulations!

Thanks for looking!

Thanks for showing these things. Jurassic plants, other than undefineable incarbonated bits of wood are hard to find in my parts, so it's interesting for me to see such samples. Am I right in assuming that the Shuttle Meadow Fm. is a crossover from Triassic to Jurassic, which would mean that the finds are from the upper layers of that Formation?

I'm so glad I've found this forum, with everyone so eager to share their knowledge and their fossils, all over the world.

Very nice finds.

Thanks Lloyd

Here is one of my black shale Clathropteris finds:

Not nearly as pretty.

Regards,

I hadn't realized you found these at your CT site too, Tim. Pretty cool. I saw the one you found in Holyoke, and that was really a great find.

Very nice finds, especially for the east coast!

Thanks Dave. By the way, I visited your fossil blog and it's really terrific. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[Fossildude19]

Mike,

I do find them in CT, but they are exceedingly rare, and then usually only small fragments.

This is the largest example I have found in CT - Probably 3" by 1.5".

I'll have to see if I can take some more pics of other examples.

Regards,

EDIT: PS - I have a number of the Clathropteris from the site you visited up in my gallery!

Edited April 5, 2012 by Fossildude19

[Shamalama]

Thanks Dave. By the way, I visited your fossil blog and it's really terrific. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Thanks! Glad it's helpful.