Clanjones Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Are certain areas better for finding intact trilobites? I've found plenty of tails, but no other bits. I've been hunting in the Decorah Shale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurdelmb Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) Welcome Clanjones ! Your question sounds very similar to my first year's experience of Trilobite hunting. It really depends on what particular trilos your are encountering. If you are mostly finding Isotelus pygidiums then it will be a tough go to find an intact complete Isotelus. I find literally thousands of Isotelus pygidiums and have yet to find a complete specimen. I would recommend spending some serious time reading the old (100 year old) documents that the geologists and paleontologists that did extensive research in our area published. This is INVALUABLE information and it is all still valid. My documents are mostly relating to the maquoketa shale of Iowa and if you are hunting south of Decorah I would be more than happy to share all I know about this area and take you to spots that produce complete specimens. If hunting north of Decorah I would recommend talking to Bev at http://bluffcountryfossils.net She is a wealth of knowledge about the Galena and all that area. I hope this helps a little.. ?? Edited July 28, 2014 by kurdelmb 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Finding complete trilobites is not only a matter of luck, but also a matter of locating the right facies. Some layers are stuffed with fragments, but these are most often the result of molting. Trilobites shed their carapace numerous times during the life cycle, and often do this in particular spots (providing shelter). Sediments there can get loaded with these exuviae, while the living trilobites go about their business elsewhere. Better chances of finding complete specimens is in facies associated with turbid events, like a mudflow. Ideally, the trilobites would have been buried alive. Poor things. 1 Paleo database, information and community Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clanjones Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 There must have been a lot of trilobites molting in my area then. I've found a piece of Decorah Shale with several pygidiums and other various bits. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurdelmb Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Fred is right on. If you are searching a particular horizon and are continually finding lots of molts (particularily in the Decorah shale) it may pay big divedents to move up or down a bit. It is always tough because you ARE finding interesting things (molts) so it tends to want to keep you locked into looking at that horizon. We have a couple "zones" down here in Northeast Iowa that are literally Isotelus graveyards. You can split small slabs that may have 20-40 cephalon parts and pygidiums. I have never seen a complete specimen from these zones though. Not much help I guess... :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurdelmb Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Just as a follow-up... here is an example of a 6" x 6" slab from my area that kept me looking for complete trilobites at this horizon for WAY too long.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clanjones Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Beautiful trilobites! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyT. Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Just as a follow-up... here is an example of a 6" x 6" slab from my area that kept me looking for complete trilobites at this horizon for WAY too long.. Know what you mean. I am stuck just looking at the photograph! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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