crinus Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Up here in the great white north we spend our winter collecting time on cataloging the collection. I rather be collecting but that is not realistic. Anyway, this winter I have been working on my ophiuroids and came across two that I thought we were one genus but on closer inspection, something was just not right. So I sent photos (same as below) off to the Marine and Paleobiology Research Institute. They have an expert on ophiuroids there. Below the pictures is his response. Needless to say, I am very excited by the discoveries, which by the way have been sitting in my drawer for about 20 years. The only unfortunate part is that I will probably never see any of this published. Paleontology moves slower than government, if that is possible. 8535 and 8544 respectively Hi Joe -- Great and fascinating specimens. Specimen 8535 from Arkona --- This is probably a Loriolaster and the chances are good that it would be a new species. Specimen 8544 from the Silica --- I want to speculate that this is perhaps an Eospondylus – need to closely examine it to really say. These are great finds. Your 8535 Loriolaster is probably a first for North America. Loriolaster mirabilis and L. gracilis occur in the Lower Devonian Hunsruck Slate. Loriolaster sp. occurs in the Silurian Lower Ludlow Shales of Leintwardine, Herefordshire, England. A different Loriolaster sp. occurs in the Silurian and Devonian of Bolivia, South America. The related Vandelooaster plicatus occurs in the Mississippian of Crawfordsville, Indiana. The related Hexuraster weitzi occurs in the Lower Devonian Bokkeveld Series of South Africa. The related Cheiropteraster giganteus occurs also in the German Hunsruck Slate. Isolated ambulacral ossicles of a very distinctive member of the family Cheiropterasteridae occurs in the Devonian of the Czech Republic. If 8544 is an Eospondylus, then it is a first for the Silica – the Topors found an Eospondylus at Arkona that I mentioned in print. Eospondylus primigenius occurs in the Lower Devonian Hunsruck Slate; a variety E. primigenius compactus has been described from the Hunsruck; also there may be another species or variety from the Hunsruck (not yet described). Eospondylus sp. was reported from the Middle Devonian of another German locality. Eospondylus tenuis was described from the Silurian and Lower Devonian of Australia. Eospondylus sp. is also found in the Lower Devonian of Argentina. Isolated vertebrae from the Middle Devonian of Poland were named E. ingens. Isolated vertebrae of E. primigenius and of Eospondylus sp. were described from the Lower Devonian of the Czech Republic. A good reference is by Lehmann 1957 Die Asterozoen in den Dachschiefern des rheinischen Unterdevons. If you don’t own it (Lehmann 1957): there are reasonably priced used copies at http://used.addall.com/ search author = Lehmann, and title = Asterozoen and they will come up. So great to hear from you. My wife and I spent this morning as judges for the local regional high school science fair [188 students and 31 judges]. It is inspiring to meet and talk with these students. With best regards, Fred Frederick H.C. Hotchkiss, Director Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute www.MPRInstitute.org PO Box 1016, 131 Fuller Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hi Joe: I can relate to the no collecting in winter stuff. I'm really starting to get antsy about going out, but there's still a month or two to wait. Those are some great stars. Could you please let me know a size on them. Thanks There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinus Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Could you please let me know a size on them. Thanks They are small. The Arkona is about 1.5 inches (2.5cm for you) and the Silica one is about 1 inch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Great "re-finds", and an exciting development in their continuing saga; congrats! "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...
Northern Sharks Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 They are small. The Arkona is about 1.5 inches (2.5cm for you) and the Silica one is about 1 inch. Thanks, but I gotta nag you on this one. 1 inch=2.54cm, 1.5 inch would be closer to 3.7cm. Still, nice pieces. Their cousin Salteraster is on my "most wanted" list this summer from Brechin. There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Their cousin Salteraster is on my "most wanted" list this summer from Brechin. Those things are as rare as hens teeth around here. I only know of a few found in the last hundred years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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