Devonian Fossil ID please.

[dabbler]

Hi all,

I am back with a few more questions. I've found some interesting fossils on the bedding planes of my Devonian cores and I need some help to have an idea of what they are or what they might be. There are overall 9 images as you will see in my replies.

I would appreciate if you can help me to figure these out.

Cheers

Korhan

Edited November 17, 2015 by dabbler

[dabbler]

2/3

[dabbler]

3/3

[Goldkaiser]

Image 4 is a goniatite and image 2 might just be a partial trilobite not 100% sure their as it could also be a few other things

Image 1 certainly looks interesting thou

[jpc]

What a cool way to find fossils...

[Fossildude19]

Where were the cores taken from?

1. ? Maybe a conodont? Unusual looking. My first thought was fish jaw. Hmm.

2. Looks like a part of a conularid.

3. Partial plant branch.

4. I agree, Goniatite.

5. Partial orthocone cephalopod.

6. Another cephalopod phragmocone- or internal mold.

7. Another orthocone cephalopod.

8. ??? Algal mat?

9. I have no clue.

Definitely neat finds.

Thanks for posting them.

Regards,

Edited November 18, 2015 by Fossildude19

[Al Dente]

One and three might be eurypterid parts. Two might be conularid.

[ZiggieCie]

Welcome to the Forum. Very interesting finds.

[Fossildude19]

Here is a conularid from an internet image search:

It appears to have a similar wavy pattern.

Regards,

[Rockwood]

9. Could it be pyrite formation from an algal mat dense enough to provide the sulfur and exclude oxygen ?

[FossilDAWG]

1 and 3 are eurypterid. 3 has a surface texture that looks typically eurypterid, such the the crescent-shaped scales.

2 does look like a piece of a conularid.

4 is a flattened but otherwise well preserved coiled cephalopod. This one should be identifiable at least to genus but you would need to consult an expert on this group.

5,6,7 are orthoconic (straight-shelled) nautiloids. These need examination of internal structures such as the siphuncle for a confident ID, and that is generally not possible in highly flattened specimens. However an expert might be able to narrow it down some.

8 may be algal

9 might be a sponge. The radiating structures look like spicules to me.

What formation are these from? Are confident that they are Devonian? Are there diagnostic microfossils such as conodonts or ostracods associated with these fossils in the core?

Don

[Jesuslover340]

When I saw image one before seeing "Devonian", I initially thought anomalocarid grasping appendage. I know they existed into the Ordovician from specimens on Morocco...one was found in the Devonian of Germany. So maybe it is a very rare, exciting discovery? One can hope.

I'll entertain the possibility, though I think if experts more knowledgeable than I propose eurypterid, that would be the safest identification.

[Fossildude19]

There have been eurypterids found in Devonian strata. See THIS LINK.

I am having trouble finding any images of eurypterid appendages that look like #1, however.

Granted, it could be from an immature individual, at about 4 cm. in length.

# 3 could be a Eurypterid.

It does look similar to some of the pictures I have found of Eurypterid ornamentation.

Regards,

[abyssunder]

I found this on eBay sell, which is described as to be from Silurian: "Here is an extremely rare claw from the Acutiramus, a pterygotus eurypterid that once reached huge sizes. This claw is well preserved, from the Fiddler's green formation of New York. The claw has the distinct hook on the end that identifies the species."

[Ridgehiker]

Thanks for sharing these fascinating specimens.

There is a a paper published by the Geological Survey of Canada. Found in Bulletin 60. 'The Eurypterida of Canada'. It has a list of Eurypterid locales locales across Canada (to 1960). Included is a mention of drill core specimens. Some of these described in a paper on Augustidontus ( J. Of Alberta Petroleum Society, vol 4. no 5).

[dabbler]

Image 4 is a goniatite and image 2 might just be a partial trilobite not 100% sure their as it could also be a few other things

Image 1 certainly looks interesting thou

Thanks Goldkaiser, for #2 I guess I will go with conularid since there is no significant feature that suggests it is a trilobite.

[dabbler]

Where were the cores taken from?

1. ? Maybe a conodont? Unusual looking. My first thought was fish jaw. Hmm.

2. Looks like a part of a conularid.

3. Partial plant branch.

4. I agree, Goniatite.

5. Partial orthocone cephalopod.

6. Another cephalopod phragmocone- or internal mold.

7. Another orthocone cephalopod.

8. ??? Algal mat?

9. I have no clue.

Definitely neat finds.

Thanks for posting them.

Regards,

Hi Fossildude 19,

Thank you for your help. This is the first time I heard someone calling #9 as algal mat. It makes sense, and it may be very helpful for y research if it is in fact an algal mat.

For #1, I believe it is a claw of an eurypterid, but I will double check with published material or I may try to find an expert.

By the way, these are from British Columbia, Canada.

Thanks again

Cheers

[dabbler]

Here is a conularid from an internet image search:

It appears to have a similar wavy pattern.

Regards,

Looking at this image, I have almost no doubt that it is conularid. Thank you!

Cheers

[dabbler]

9. Could it be pyrite formation from an algal mat dense enough to provide the sulfur and exclude oxygen ?

Interesting, I believe it is a sponge with spicules on top of it, but I will talk to people about your comment.

Thank you

Cheers

[dabbler]

1 and 3 are eurypterid. 3 has a surface texture that looks typically eurypterid, such the the crescent-shaped scales.

2 does look like a piece of a conularid.

4 is a flattened but otherwise well preserved coiled cephalopod. This one should be identifiable at least to genus but you would need to consult an expert on this group.

5,6,7 are orthoconic (straight-shelled) nautiloids. These need examination of internal structures such as the siphuncle for a confident ID, and that is generally not possible in highly flattened specimens. However an expert might be able to narrow it down some.

8 may be algal

9 might be a sponge. The radiating structures look like spicules to me.

What formation are these from? Are confident that they are Devonian? Are there diagnostic microfossils such as conodonts or ostracods associated with these fossils in the core?

Don

Hi,

Your comment was very useful, thank you. Especially learning about eurypterids having crescent-shaped scales.

I can't reveal the formation name; however, it has been documented as an upper Devonian formation, so I am very confident with that. There are abundant tentaculites and radiolaria. In a few sections, I found well preserved conodonts, but not ostracods.

Thanks again

Cheers

[dabbler]

When I saw image one before seeing "Devonian", I initially thought anomalocarid grasping appendage. I know they existed into the Ordovician from specimens on Morocco...one was found in the Devonian of Germany. So maybe it is a very rare, exciting discovery? One can hope.

I'll entertain the possibility, though I think if experts more knowledgeable than I propose eurypterid, that would be the safest identification.

Very interesting, I will keep this in mind when I log my next core and search for this possibility.

Thank you

Cheers

[dabbler]

I found this on eBay sell, which is described as to be from Silurian: "Here is an extremely rare claw from the Acutiramus, a pterygotus eurypterid that once reached huge sizes. This claw is well preserved, from the Fiddler's green formation of New York. The claw has the distinct hook on the end that identifies the species." $(KGrHqNHJCUE7zPq)sl-BO-!mKVYRQ~~60_57.JPG

Hi,

I also saw this sample on ebay, and I have to admit it looks very similar. I have found more than a few in my core, and it is surprising that there are not many information about these claws other than it may cost around $300 !

Thanks again

Cheers

[dabbler]

Thanks for sharing these fascinating specimens.

There is a a paper published by the Geological Survey of Canada. Found in Bulletin 60. 'The Eurypterida of Canada'. It has a list of Eurypterid locales locales across Canada (to 1960). Included is a mention of drill core specimens. Some of these described in a paper on Augustidontus ( J. Of Alberta Petroleum Society, vol 4. no 5).

Thanks!

I couldn't find a paper with that title yet, but I found a few useful ones when I was searching for it. I will definitely keep looking for that .

Thanks again!

Cheers

[Jesuslover340]

Just searched "eurypterid claw"...would definitely go for that as the identification.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Jesuslover340

[FossilDAWG]

Here is a plate from Copeland & Bolton 1979 (Fossils of Ontario Part 3: The Eurypterids and Phyllocarids):

Pterygotus seems like a possible generic ID.

The paper is available for download here.

Don