Missourian Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Here are some Pennsylvanian gastropods I found years ago that are mostly free of matrix, which is unusual around these parts: Winterset Limestone Jackson County, Missouri They include Hypselentoma, Knightites, and one other that is too tiny to id. Because they are so pristine, I suspected that they were silicified. A scratch on a glass bottle confirmed it. The next thing that came to mind is that if I could find the limestone bed from which they came, I could extract some more with acid. I had returned to the exposure in the past, but I didn't find any more gastropods. I'll have to find them in the matrix. I plan to swing by the area tomorrow.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I love fossil escargot! Thanks for posting, Missourian, and Best of luck in your hunt tomorrow. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masonboro37 Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I just love gastropods! Splendid finds! Thanks for sharing. Process of identification "mistakes create wisdom". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Thanks all. I hope to have more to share soon. If I have good luck with dissolving some snails from the limestone, I'll try to clean up the ones above a bit more. That is, if I can find the right layer.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Yes! Nice. We cant wait for the block extraction. My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 So....what else might be in that silicified layer? Not that these gastropods are shoddy or anything; just askin'. "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...
Missourian Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 So....what else might be in that silicified layer? I'm not sure, though I figure I would have picked other things up at the time if they had been there. Again, as you're aware, there are no guarantees with fossils. The shells I found likely had been weathering out for years, if not decades, so it may be difficult to find any more.... that is, if I can even find the correct bed. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Really nice! I think internal molds are all I've found, and never as complete as those. Hope you find the bed, and more goodies. Can't wait to see 'em! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Well, I got the hard part out of the way.... The most interesting thing about the exposure is a series of faults visible along the highway: Kansas City fossil fans may be familiar with this spot. The gastropods are scattered throughout the top level of the beds here, which happen to be the lower Winterset Limestone: The gastropods are locked in the limestone; I didn't find any loose specimens: Winterset chert can be fickle, so I'm not sure if the snails are all silicified. The next step is to dunk some in muriatic acid.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Awesome! Those lil guys are neat! Hope the acid doesn't destroy them! Good luck Missourian! Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 I'm not sure I got the hard part out of the way.... After a little acid and a lot of drying, I got some gastropods and tiny bryozoans (I think) from several of the smaller chunks: The containers are a little over three inches in diameter. The gastropods here are mostly Hypselentoma. There are a couple tiny oddballs in the mix. As for the fine material, I plan to examine it under the microscope. There were pockets of nodular chert throughout many of the pieces: Groups of gastropods may have provided nuclei for some concretionary growth: Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Really nice!!! Be sure to report on the micro search! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 those are beautiful. Little molluscan gems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Nice work! Amazing how well-preserved they are! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grokfish Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Very cool! The detail of those are really impressive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nala Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Very nice specimens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 Very pretty.... and very fragile. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 Just noticed this.... This little gastropod appears to have an operculum, which is a second bit of shell that covers the aperture: The poor little guy may have been buried alive. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Just noticed this.... This little gastropod appears to have an operculum, which is a second bit of shell that covers the aperture: The poor little guy may have been buried alive. This is exceedingly uncommon! (Don't you want to know what's in it?) "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...
Missourian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 (Don't you want to know what's in it?) Hopefully solid chert. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astron Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Just noticed this.... This little gastropod appears to have an operculum, which is a second bit of shell that covers the aperture: The poor little guy may have been buried alive. Indeed!!! Some of them are in a fine condition! The coloration is remarkable, as well!!! I don't think that the nuriatic acid is on the help in this case, becouse I don't see that the fossils are hurder than the matrix. So, the acid disolves everything on the way. To hit the matrix with care, seems to be the best solution to me... Astrinos P. Damianakis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 I don't think that the nuriatic acid is on the help in this case, becouse I don't see that the fossils are hurder than the matrix. So, the acid disolves everything on the way. To hit the matrix with care, seems to be the best solution to me... I'm sure many unsilicified fossils were dissolved along the way, but I'm happy with the small amount that remained. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 Another thing that came to mind.... It's possible some of the stick-like things could be fossil roots. They came from the same level as these root molds here, which probably were part of Cordaites: Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Great finds, thank you for sharing them with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Very nice specimens! Maybe you can get the local hospital to x-ray the snail with the operculum, maybe it's still in there "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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