Trilobite?

[MCDean]

I found this is Bragg Creek Alberta

I thought it was a mollusk

but after an acid bath of pickling vinegar it appears to be a trilobite

I am an amateur and would appreciate some input and advice on how to extract the delicate feelers

that is if it is In fact a species of trilobite

[Fossildude19]

Any idea of the age of the sediments where this was found?

Also what is the size of the item?

How about a dry picture, taken from above, looking directly down on it?

My initial reaction is that I think this is geologic in origin, and that it may be a concretion, and not a fossil.

I'm not seeing any indications of trilobite on this, in these pictures. I see some faint lines on it, but not sure.

Regards,

EDIT: If it was a trilobite, feelers would probably not be preserved.

Soft body preservation is very rare, and happens only under certain circumstances.

Most trilobites with soft body preservation of legs or antennae are prepared using air abrasion.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Fossildude19

[Ridgehiker]

Welcome to the forum. Lots of your neighbours here.

The sediments in the Bragg Creek area are mostly Paleozoic ( Carboniferous over Devonian). Some

Jurassic here and there. A bit of Paleocene. Then to complicate it all, all types of glacial deposits hither and yon pushed in during the ice age. Otherwise...yikes.

Hard to tell from the photo.

When you say Bragg Creek do you mean Bragg Creek as the town or 'out that way' as in Kananaskis? Was it found in a creek bed or in a scree slope?

[MCDean]

It was found among rocks by the creek bed

shale splitter I am pretty certain it is a fossil, it might be another bug like critter but it is not a consecration

I'll take some dry pics I have to get to work now

It is about 5 inches in length

after the flood Ii took up collecting rocks and fossils

[Auspex]

Images that are a lot more bright and a lot less wet would show better detail, I think.

[MCDean]

The rock is not completely dry, takes a couple of days, I think I can see feelers or faint impressions of feelers or antennae

hope this shows more detail

still not satisfied with the 'rear" pic, there is minute scaling

[jgcox]

I'm not seeing a trilobite in fact I would say this is a concretion --geologic not organic

[Auspex]

Whatever it may prove to be, it is very water worn. Anything like feelers would be long gone, and their suggested appearance would be a red herring, leading away from an accurate ID.

[Fossildude19]

Sorry, I'm still not seeing a trilobite.

My vote for concretion stands.

Regards,

EDIT: Something similar to THIS.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Fossildude19

[MCDean]

will post better pics showing detail

the exposed part is worn it was a creekbed I found it in

inside the rock is the better part

will dry out properly and take pics in sunlight

[PFOOLEY]

A nodule containing a weathered clam?

[Fossildude19]

Any large bivalves known from the area?

Regards,

[John K]

I had to look 3 or 4 times, but I'm seeing a worn bivalve, maybe something like Inoceramus

[howard_l]

It looks like a limestone nodule but they very often contain fossils. It does look like a warn fossil to me and there could be more of it in the nodule and if there is it would not be warn away. If you are brave and carful you might hit it on the edge and expose more.

[MCDean]

I thought it was a clam at first

then I saw what looked like antennae

the ribbed "backside" might be a hinge

I know it is something

wonder if I should open it at the cracks in rock that are showing

or just leave it

Howard I think you're right

if it is a clam I'll carefully chisel it open

[rejd]

Pictures are quite blurry so hard to make out any detail. But I agree that it is likely a well worn clam.

[Wrangellian]

I concur with everyone else and also vote for you to break it open along the crack.

[rejd]

Hey McDean, I do live in Calgary so if you would like I can come by sometime and have a look. It's always easier to id stuff when you can see it in person.

[howard_l]

Breaking rocks is an art (which I haven’t mastered) but in a piece like this I would try hitting it on the bottom of the edge with a small hammer or what I use the most is the handle end of a heavy butter knife but if you’re married that might not go over very well.

Good luck.

[MCDean]

It is a clam, broke rock open

looks like just half shell

hope these pics are better

[Wrangellian]

Not bad, Well at least it's something!

[Krazy Rick]

you posted those same pics already.

I thought it was just me, having .... "a 70's flashback"

[Wrangellian]

It looks like an Inoceramus of some sort... which is a Cretaceous taxon, and therefore might narrow down where you found it - better pics and a bit of prepping (if possible) would help us ID it.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Wrangellian

[MCDean]

okay I'll try, sorry for the triple post, I didn't see it, twice but I wasn't scrolling to next page, what do you suggest for prepping?

[Wrangellian]

You can delete those duplicate posts, I'll delete my "you showed that already".. although Rick also mentioned it and his would be up to him.

Anyway, as far as prepping, I would recommend the (expensive) airscribe/air abrasive as the most reliable, but if the matrix is soft you could try the old fashioned dental picks and pins, etc. but that might be more likely to result in damage esp. if you are inexperienced. It is a real skill to scratch the removable matrix off without scratching the shell - even with the airscribe. The fossil may not even be worth the effort, either way, but maybe you can find someone with the proper tools and expertise who will do it for cheap or nothing, assuming it's not a big job for them (which it doesn't look to be if I can tell from your pics). Hang onto it, anyway, and try to remember where you collected it - fossils are always worth more (to science or otherwise) with their locality info.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Wrangellian