Interesting Cystoid Association

[Malcolmt]

I actually had an amazing day hunting in the Verulam formation near Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Canada on Sunday April 12th with my friend J. Even with his rock saw it took me three trips from the bottom of the pit to lug the rocks out. I figure about 200 pounds of rocks came home with me.The weather was perfect (18 degrees celcius but there is still ice and snow in areas )

I got to the site about 8:00AM and stayed till 5 PM. Two hour drive each way so I was beat by the time I got home. Also was a little worse for wear as I got a finger trapped between two heavy slabs. Throbbed for the whole day. Currently at this location the only way to find anything decent is to split rock. Not a lot of new material has been uncovered since last season. But if you spend the time splitting you will find some pretty decent material. By splitting I literally mean splitting several hundred pound boulders (a shaley limestone).

I found 3 ceraurus, 2 syringocrinus and about 20 (yes I said 20) homocystites. Here is one that I prepped this morning using Low PSI with dolomite and a .010 nozzle. Prep time about 2 hours.

I also found about 5 crinoids that appear to be complete but it will be hard to tell what they are until they are prepped.

I though this was a pretty spectacular association (4 trilo species and a well centered cystite) Considering that all I saw was the homocystites tail outline in the matrix, I think I got very lucky and the prep came out decent. Based on the 20 homocystites found the preservation on this one is typical. I will try to take a group picture once they are all prepped.

1 Homocystites (about 75 mm in length if was not curled)

1 almost complete ceraurus (about 15 mm long) (missing one of pygidium spines) overlapping the homocystites

2 inverted calyptaulax cephaplons

1 achetella cephalon

1 isotelus inverted partial

Edited April 15, 2015 by Malcolmt

[Raggedy Man]

So I tried to infer through context...no luck. Maybe a photo would help.

I'm betting the file size was too large and failed to upload...it happens.

Best regards,

Paul

[Malcolmt]

Yep Had to reduce the photo size a bit.....

[Bullsnake]

[ZiggieCie]

Now that's an OH WOW!!!

Great find. FOTM??

[piranha]

Excellent find! Big Congrats!

[Raggedy Man]

Yeah see ...context definitely failed this find. That's amazing....wow!

[fossilcrazy]

Yup, I like that one Malcolm. Prepped out well too.

[Ludwigia]

FOTM!! I'd trade a sore finger for that any day! Nice to see that you're out and about again . By the way, you got the vowels in Verulam mixed up.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Ludwigia

[Malcolmt]

Never claimed I could spell Roger.....

[JohnJ]

Never claimed I could spell Roger.....

...but you read the rocks exceptionally well. This is one of those finds that dials up the 'fascination meter'.

[fossilized6s]

Wow! I'd say your choice of using the word "interesting" maybe the understatement of the year. Haha! That is superb, Malcolm! Congrats.

[jpc]

Excellent find and prep work, malcolm

[Shamalama]

Nice finds there Malcolm. Looks like that same Shaley layer that the Isotelus and Sceptaspis I found last fall came from. Congrats on all the rare echinoderms!

[Fossildude19]

Awesome find - great association.

And fantastic prepping!
That doesn't happen to often, ... well, at least for me.

I took the liberty of brightening the pic a bit.

Absolutely wonderful find.

Gonna be a tough vote again this month!

Regards,

[Malcolmt]

Thanks Tim, its always a tough vote but I don't really submit things to FOTM, won once ,let others have a turn...

[TOM BUCKLEY]

Malcolm,

Stunning, just stunning!!!

I hope to run into you again at Ridgemount.

Tom

[clfossils]

Wow, that is a very fascinating find. It is interesting to see the various species in close range. It looks like the Ceraurus genal spine is overlapping the Homocystites.

[Wrangellian]

Very nice, Malcolm!

[FossilDAWG]

Wow! The Verulam contains some excellent material, but it obviously takes an artist's hand at the prep to do it justice.

Don

[squalicorax]

Not bad bro!