Malcolmt Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 (edited) Well I spent a wonderful day (perfect weather , not too hot not too cold and no rain) at the Eurypterid quarry today with two fellow collectors from the US and Quarryman Dave from the forum here. I was supposed to be hosting a member of the forum and his girl friend but unfortunately they had to cancel at the last minute. Too bad they might have had a very productive day based on how many eurypterids were found today.. One of the collectors from the US (he is a regular comes up about once a month) found a lovely 6 inch eurpterid with both paddles 1 walking leg and a balancing leg unfortunately the telson (bottom spine of tail) was missing. Non the less a great specimen. Note to self... he found it in a pit I abandoned a few weeks ago about 6 inches from where I was digging. He found it one layer below the layer I had been finding them in. Unfortunately, Quarryman Dave as hard as he tried just doesn't quite seem to have the knack for getting the eurypterids to bite for him. He actually split a lot of rock today............... Maybe he is using the wrong bait...... Not a total loss though he did get a very good geology lesson from a real expert and he found a partial head of a horseshoe crab. I have not found even a part of a horseshoe crab yet. (they are quite small only a a couple inches long at this location). While Dave was there I found this double plate that has a complete ventral view eurypterid at the top although the head is detached and positioned just above the body. The second eurypterid below the first one is a dorsal view and it is also missing the telson but on closer inspection the telson from it is up to the left of the top eurypterid (the one there anyway is the correct size for this one. The first one has its telson attached.. Dave is going to be ##### at me, I found two more complete after he left. He could only stay till about 1:30. The first one is about 7 inches long. I do not have a picture at this point it came out in about a dozen pieces and will require some intensive care. I will have the superglue out for sure tommorow. The 4rth one of the day is a real gem. Actually it is kind of amazing that I even saw it. It may turn out to be may favorite eurypterid that I have collected , haven't quite decided yet. For sure it is staying in my collection. It is the smallest eurypterid I have ever seen come out of the Williamsville "A" layer of the Bertie waterlime. Here are two pictures of the positive and negative with an american dime as a point of reference. This one is smaller than the tiny ones Pleecan and I sometimes find in the Fiddlers Green formation. All in all a very good day I would say (4 eurypterids) Mike and D. it was a real shame you could not make it. The offer to join me for a day of eurypterid collecting is open anytime you can reschedule. For that matter if anyone from the forum wants join me for a day just PM me. Just know there are days that we go home skunked. Just ask Quarryman Dave who has yet to find one in quite a number of visits or Pleecan. Edited September 8, 2012 by Malcolmt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockncajun Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Great report, pics, and finds as usual Malcolm. Sorry about those who couldn't make it, or didn't score! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Empty Pockets Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 There you go again hunting for those BORING eurypterids (as you put it)! Hogwash! Those are super COOL! Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 At least one of them needs some serious prep work to get it into some semblence of of itself...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eero59 Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Nice! I'm happy for you, but jealous all the same. I've always wanted a eurypterid but never had the opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Great finds Malcolm!!! Wish I could of been there.... That tiny one is a real beauty! and rare from the Williamsville formation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 (edited) Here is the tiny eurypterid found in 2005 from Fiddlers Green Formation, Bertie Group. (recently re-imaged) Edited September 8, 2012 by pleecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Malcolm that double will clean up very nicely I suspect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 Just gotta love these little ones they have so much character!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMNH Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Amazing finds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 I never get tired of looking at those guys. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vordigern Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 great report, love that little guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Great report Malcolm. You ARE the Eurypterid whisperer. Thanks for posting. 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...
Raistlin Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Wow, those are super cool I so wish I could find one lol. You always seem to pull out some amazing finds. They seem to come looking for you half the time I believe. You have some sort of Eurypterid mitis touch. That little one is super awesome. RobertSoutheast, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Those are some really nice fossils! Down in NYC we all dreamed of collecting good eurypyterids but there wasn't anywhere close to collect. The Lang quarry at Passage Gulf would allow folks in but you still had to buy what you found. Even at a great discount it was not inexpensive. The idea that you folks are popping into that quarry on a regular basis and extracting good specimens just blows my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revasius Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Incredible !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Hi Malcolm, after reports like these the suspension is building more and more on my side of the big puddle. Can't wait for the big jump over there! I'm really falling in love with these guys. Hope to be making the aquaintance of some of them in October. Thanks again for sharing your experiences! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 I wish I lived close enough to take you up on that offer, Malcolm, I'm jealous. Do you find any other fossils at that quarry, so that you don't feel completely skunked when you don't find any Eurypterids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 The eurypterids are actually the most common fossil found anything else is even rarer. So basically when you get skunked on the eurypterids , you go home empty handed. The other things you have any chance of finding are cephalopods, phylocarids and a few plants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Great stuff... I'd love to find one myself... Well done.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 (edited) Started to clean up the haul from Friday at the eurypterid quarry. Here is a group photo of what I have glued back together and started to clean up so far. This picture was after it had all been washed down and was in the process of drying. Not a bad day all in all. None are museum grade but the double is pretty cool and the large one in the middle is the largest I have ever found. It is missing the head and first four tergirtes but does have one of the paddles. It is 9 inches so I suspect it would have been 13 to14 inches if complete. Edited September 10, 2012 by Malcolmt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Here is the same group but wet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Malcolm: That is what I call a super haul!!!! Something one would find in 3-5 yrs of collecting ....You did it in one day... well done. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Very impressive! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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