PRK Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 (edited) A few years ago, I flew back to Missouri on business, and to visit. I had a heavy carry-on pkg of fossils/rocks to show. While there I had a free day, so my friends and I decided to do some sightseeing around town. My friends were not at all "fossil people", and when I told them that fossils were prevelant in their area they were astonished. As we drove around, just sightseeing, on the outskirts of the city, near a park, I noticed the foundations of a housing tract being built. and being the weekend there were no workers to annoy, and I still had a couple of hours of light left. I had a hunch exposed rock inthis area could produce fossils. So I proceeded up the dirt road to the tract area. It was obvious the construction crew had been blasting the solid rock into more easily removable rubble. There were piles of it everywhere. luckily the workers hadnt even begun to clear it yet, and I guess no fossil collectors had been there to gather the fossils from the large piles of rubble. And lemme tell you, there were quite a few fossils laying exposed all around the area. I was very astonished also! As I didn't have any tools, i could only gather what was exposed and easy to pick up. Being so out of my element I had/ have no idea what was considered "good pickins". So I just started gathering, and near the end of my time there even started to find crinoids in one area. And, of course, right as i started finding numerous crinoid pieces, it was getting dark and cold, so we had to leave. I spent my one day shot there. I must have carried out 50-60 pounds of giant brachiopods,. and being from the west coast had never before seen such mammoth brachs; along with many other smaller fossils back to the car and home. I certainly would have liked to spend a couple more days there, to zero in on some crinoids NOW,--- I had the problem of not only bringing my firstly heavy package of rocks back on the plane, but my luggage, and now an extra added large and heavy quantity of rocks. Remember, i did not even know what "good collecting" in that area was, and actually still don't, for all i knew i was wasting my time. so I decided to higrade and bring back only what I happened to like. I narrowed it down to about a half dozen pieces.( about 25 more pounds). I left the other pieces there with my friends After quite a looong day of schleppin, and fast talking, I made it back to my home on the west coast that next evening. Here are some pics of those brachiopods---- can anyone advise me? The two larger shells I am relatively sure are. Spirifer grimesi-- but the smaller. ?? And are they as cool as I thought? Edited March 13, 2013 by PRK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Y'know, there's a darn good book lurking in your adventures and reminiscences...seriously! "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...
PRK Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 (edited) Thank you auspex! Throughout my career, this I have been told numerous times. Since I have hurt my knee recently I cannot collect in the field as I Used to. You just cant find the good stuff where everyone else goes. I never did any writing before, so now I can finally give writing a shot, possibly trying to refine it here on the FF. we'll see!!!!! HOWEVER, these adventures are NOTHIN compared to the plites of Charles Sternberg!!! every fossil collector should read his marvelous story of his field work. He had a couple of fine sons but "daddy" Charles is my hero! "LIFE OF A FOSSIL HUNTER" Edited January 15, 2013 by PRK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I can relate better to your tales, since the privations faced by collectors in the western fossil beds are far outside anything I have experienced. Struggling with an overweight carry-on I understand! "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...
DeloiVarden Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Sounds like a good adventure. I mean getting on the plane that is. I think we can all relate a little to the airport stuff. I also can imagine the excitement of checking out a place you are sure should have fossils and your hunch being correct. Some nice look stuff there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 They are as cool as you thought - maybe more since you seem unsure... I can say that even not being too familiar with that area except via the FF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Oh! Post the pics & salient info in Fossil ID; that will get more traction if an ID you seek "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...
Herb Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 My guess is "Syringothyris", Mississippian. "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...
dougbugs Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) I am not really a brach guy, but I have collected the Mississippian of the Midwest for many years. The matrix appears to be Keokuk Limestone. I would concur that the first two pictures are probably Spirifer grimesi. The specimen in the third picture, if I remember correctly, used to be called Leptaena analoga. I don't know if this name is still valid. Edited January 21, 2013 by dougbugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 haha reminds me of the time i so overloaded a rolling carryon that the friction between the wheels and axles melted the wheel brackets, then the wheels fell off, then i had to drag it the rest of the way thru the airport as the bracket ground down and the bag began to wear thru on the floor... unpicked virgin fossil piles.... i hate it when that happens! Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 There is always the post office... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRK Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 However when time is of the essence.--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRK Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 So anyway, i know / knew these brachs are Spirifer, but can anyone tell me if these giant brachs are of unusual size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evren Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I agree with the previous posters that you have 2 Spirifers and a Lepteana. They are very large brachiopods, but the size is not unusual on the global scale. However, on localized scales these could be unusually large. It depends on the locality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRK Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 (edited) Thanks evren. They are from Springfield mo. Right in town Edited February 4, 2013 by PRK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kehbe Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Every fossil I find is every bit as cool as I think it is but for some reason not everyone I show them to thinks they are as cool as I do! Neither does my wife think they are very cool when they are piled up on the kitchen table or in her kitchen sink, or filling up the garage, or the floorboard of my truck! Well, wait, the floor of the truck is mine to fill up Anyways, you got some cool brachs there! Nice finds! If you ever get up around Kansas City Missouri, give a shout to one of us here and maybe we can show ya where some 'cool' fossils are! 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...
Mr_ed Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Those are cool fossils ... nice find Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I agree with the previous posters that you have 2 Spirifers and a Lepteana. They are very large brachiopods, but the size is not unusual on the global scale. However, on localized scales these could be unusually large. It depends on the locality.I think the "leptaena" might be a brachial valve of a productid My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kehbe Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Squalicorax, I agree with you on the productid brachial valve idea. I have found productids with pedicle and brachial valve together and when seperated, this is what the 'inside top' of the brachial valve looks like! Good call. 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...
squalicorax Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Yes and in the Springfield area the Burlington Limestone is abound, so I think that is what you have. My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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