Rescuing Trilobites From The Elements Of Southern Wisconsin

[Caleb]

I haven't gotten out collecting nearly as much as I would have liked these past few months, but I finally got out today, June 1st. This was my first trip this spring to the Platteville Formation of Southeast Wisconsin and it was spectacular! We got to the first spot which was a new pit for us at around 7:45am. Luckily the owners were Amish so they were already outside working and gave us permission to collect their pit. They had recently worked the pit and put the rock they took out onto a driveway to a new barn so we looked at that too. On the driveway I picked up a little beat up rolled Bumastoides milleri. I didn't photograph it because it's a bit ugly. In the pit I found a Thaleops ovata, Sceptaspis lincolnensis, and what would have been double Gabriceraurus sp., but I couldn't find the piece that broke off for the life of me.

Thaleops ovata

Sceptaspis lincolnensis

Gabriceraurus mifflinensis

The next site was one we had collected a few times. It was here that the already fantastic day exploded into one of the best collecting outings I've had in a very long time. The list includes:

2 complete and 3 possibly complete Gabriceraurus sp.

1 complete and 1 possibly complete Isotelus simplex

and 1 nice sized prone Bumastoides milleri

Photos on next post.

Our last stop was to collect a slab of crinoids I found last year. I brought my camera along to document the task but apparently I forgot to bring batteries... Here is the post regarding that find: Link

[Caleb]

Here are photos from the second stop:

The cutest little Gabriceraurus sp. I've found and another larger one.

Possible Isotelus simplex. The free-cheeks are tight so there is a higher possibility that it's articulated, but it may just be the cephalon.

Complete (except for that chunk out of the thorax by the pygidium) Isotelus simplex, the back of the cephalon is barely exposed

Bumastoides milleri

And some more possible Gabriceraurus sp.

My father found the prize at this site though with a very large Gabriceraurus sp.(likely mifflinensis)

[trilobiteruss]

Very awesome day indeed, thanks for sharing!

russ

[Fossildude19]

Glad you were finally able to get out, Caleb!

Thanks for the nice field trip report!

Can't wait to see the bugs prepped out.

Regards,

[fossiladdict]

Very cool, it's nice to see trilobites from other areas.

[Rob Russell]

Nice haul, Caleb! I look forward to seeing them prepped out!

[Malcolmt]

You always have great trips and great finds,........

[hrguy54]

Very exciting finds. I look forward to seeing them once they are prepped.

[frenchtrilobite]

So much and so nice finds !!

Congrats !!

Show us when you will have prep' it !

[piranha]

Congrats on another excellent batch o' bugs!

[Ludwigia]

Very varied, very nice, very good! Still like to see the crinoid plate when it's done.

[Shamalama]

very cool finds! Lots of fun stuff in the Ordovician!

[Caleb]

Thank you all for your comments. The poking, prodding, and prep of the bugs should start soonish, but for the most part just to see if they're complete. The Isotelus and Bumastoides are the easiest to prep because of their smooth exoskeleton, but we'll have to wait for the Gabriceraurus to be professionally done. We have the tools but not the skill to prep those well yet, they have lots of nooks and crannies and are lightly pustulose.

Unfortunately over the winter two crinoids popped off the slab. We were able to find them in the leaves below the rock but could not locate most of the arms. Before attacking the slab with the rock saw and 12lb sledge hammer we covered the area with crinoids with duct tape just in case any other pieces decided to come loose.

Arrows point to the two crinoids that popped off.

[Wrangellian]

Duct tape?? Would that not peel things off that you wouldn't want to come off, when you go to remove the tape? I guess that's not a problem if it's not too crumbly. Here that would be a problem so the only option is to stabilize with glue before any extraction.

[Caleb]

Duct tape?? Would that not peel things off that you wouldn't want to come off, when you go to remove the tape? I guess that's not a problem if it's not too crumbly. Here that would be a problem so the only option is to stabilize with glue before any extraction.

The rock these are in is pretty solid(not shale or crumbly) so the chances of them crumbling is low. If chips/flakes do come off they will stick to the tape and we'll just dip it in some solvent to free them and glue them back in place. Glue would certainly be a good option, but for whatever reason that's not part of our kit... I think it will be from now on though.

[JimB88]

Wow, you sure have better luck than I did when I lived up there

I use rubber cement to temporarily hold fossils or keep them from flying off when extracting. Peels right off when dry. Will not permanently bond with stone.

[Wrangellian]

Whatever works and is easiest. My stuff has got to be the most uncooperative matrix in the world so I have few options... People have suggested various things to me like brake fluid and tin foil... I laugh in their general direction!

Edited June 5, 2013 by Wrangellian

[Missourian]

Those look like trilobite omelettes.

Nice variety. Can't wait to see them prepped out.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Missourian

[Nandomas]

Cannot wait to see those bugs at next Maps

congrats

[Stocksdale]

Hi Caleb,

I've been exploring some of the Platteville in Illinois.

May I ask what county your southeast Wisconsin sites are located?

[Caleb]

I've got some of the bugs prepped out now so here they are:

Thaleops ovata

Isotelus simplex

Bumastoides milleri

[squalicorax]

Sweet!!!!!

[trilobiteruss]

Spectacular!

[Fossildude19]

Wonderful!

Thanks for the update, Caleb!

Regards,

[evren]

Wonderful finds, what a great day!