Amblypygus Americanus

[Gatorman]

Here's an echinoid I found in a sink hole, its the largest I've ever found. I've never even seen any near this size around here, does any one know what it is?

[LanceH]

Cool!

[Roz]

Mammoth ech! I will try to look in my ech book to help you if someone doesn't know by looking. Great find!!

[Gatorman]

Thanks guys most of the echinoid's we find here are no bigger than an couple inches across but this one is a monster i need a measuring tape or ruler i have nothing to measure with but I have full grown man size hands and as you can see it takes up most of it so I'm guessing its near 6 inches across.

[Harry Pristis]

Thanks guys most of the echinoid's we find here are no bigger than an couple inches across but this one is a monster i need a measuring tape or ruler i have nothing to measure with but I have full grown man size hands and as you can see it takes up most of it so I'm guessing its near 6 inches across.

Nice find, Anson!

I believe you have Amblypygus americanus Desor 1858. This urchin is reported from Marion and Alachua Counties (and probably others by now) and from Georgia.

They are hard to find! I have found only a few in many years of collecting, and only one complete one. They seem to be large and vulnerable -- the larger the test, the less likely it will be intact.

--------Harry Pristis

[jkfoam]

Anson, Harry is right on!

For a reference see, L.D. Toulmin, Stratigraphic Distribution of Paleocene and Eocene Fossils in the Eastern Gulf Coast Region, Geological Survey of Alabama, 1977, Monograph 13, Vol 1, pp338, Plate 64 fig 4-5. The Monograph is still available from the Alabama Geological Survey at a reasonable cost. Toulmin shows it from the Crystal River Formation, Upper Jackson Group.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

I would have guessed Amblypygus as well.

[Gatorman]

This one was found in Columbia county, I actually used it as a hand hold for climbing before I knew what it was. How big do these things get? I would love to have a whole one.

[jkfoam]

Anson,

I suspect the one you found looks pretty typical for an adult of the species. There may be some slightly larger and some slightly smaller. The one pictured in my reference book was very similiar to your example.

JKFoam

[Gatorman]

Whats the best way to clean it? or should i even bother trying?

[jkfoam]

Anson,

After looking at your photo of the specimen I would say it is clean. Any further cleaning would just wear away detail (IMHO). I would leave it alone.

JKFoam

[Harry Pristis]

Whats the best way to clean it? or should i even bother trying?

You can use a laudry-bleach solution to kill any algae that has infiltrated the pores and cracks. A short soak in a weak solution is all it takes to eat up the organic material. Rinse and air-dry. You may lose some of the contrast that the dead alge provides, nestled there in the pores, but that's the trade-off. No algae? don't soak.