Pennsylvanian Arachnid Donated to Illinois State Museum

[deutscheben]

This was found partially split while I was hiking this summer on state land in Vermilion County, Illinois, and donated in September to the Illinois State Museum. The nodule likely came from the Pennsylvanian-age Energy Shale. Dr. Chris Widga was my contact person at the ISM, and an ISGS scientist present when I donated it comfirmed it as an arachnid, but said further identification would require closer study.

I did subsequently do some more independent research into the arachnids found in Mazon Creek and similar deposits, and my amateur inclination is that this specimen is a member of the order Ricinulei, possibly Curculioides sp. Unfortunately, the Museum remains closed to the public due to the continued lack of a budget in Illinois, but I'm hoping to make a visit next year when it should be open again.

This was a crazy lucky find, considering the data from the similar Mazon Creek Braidwood biota in Richardson's Guide to the Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek suggests arachnids are only found in roughly one of every 14,000 nodules. I'm just glad I had my eyes on the ground that day!

[ZiggieCie]

[Auspex]

It is a wonderful, breath-taking fossil!

If you would like to post it to the Partner Gallery topic (LINK guidelines therein), I would be delighted to award some bling for your profile

[Herb]

[CBOB]

Hats off to you my friend! Great and incredible find! Congrats!!!!!

[Fossildude19]

Incredible find!

Well done on the donation, as well.

Regards,

[jpc]

Wow.... !!!

[Ptychodus04]

Awesome!!

[Ludwigia]

That is really great! Is there no one at all working in the museum? Even if it's not open to the public, I could imagine that they would let you in on account of your interest for your donation.

[deutscheben]

The scientific staff and unionized employees are still working, so I could ask about visiting, although it would have to wait until after the holiday season anyway now.

Thanks for your comments, everyone!

[fossilized6s]

Wow! Spectacular find!

Thanks for your donation.

[Pterodactyl]

Woah. That's an amazing find.

[deutscheben]

I am so utterly delighted to be able to report that this specimen has been published in the Journal of Paleontology by Niall Whalen and Paul Selden. It was confirmed to be a ricinuleid, and the largest one ever recorded, and even more incredibly, a new species: Curculioides bohemondi. 
 

A new, giant ricinuleid (Arachnida, Ricinulei), from the Pennsylvanian of Illinois, and the identification of a new, ontogenetically stable, diagnostic character

I had emailed Dr. Selden in 2017 to confirm my tentative ID of the specimen, and he subsequently loaned it from the Illinois State Museum for study. Having a fossil I discovered be published as a new species is something I have long aspired to and I can still hardly believe it has come to pass. 

[JohnJ]

Congratulations!

[Monica]

A HUGE congratulations, Ben - what an achievement!!!!!!!!!! 

[Al Dente]

Congratulations.

[Troodon]

Congratulations 

[digit]

Very very cool!

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[RCFossils]

Congratulations!

That is a rare find.

[piranha]

I'm curious why they didn't name it in your honor?  Congrats on the Amazing Arachnid!      

 

PDF LINK

 

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

What a wonderful find and result! 

[FossilDAWG]

Congratulations!  Amazing find!

Don

[FossilNerd]

 

13 hours ago, deutscheben said:

Having a fossil I discovered be published as a new species is something I have long aspired to and I can still hardly believe it has come to pass. 

A noble quest indeed! One that many of us aspire to but never achieve. Congratulations!  

[RuMert]

 

12 hours ago, piranha said:

I'm curious why they didn't name it in your honor?

Indeed. I didn't quite get the idea of naming it after some crusader king who has no relation to arachnids or Illinois or biology whatsoever

[deutscheben]

Thank you @JohnJ, @Monica, @Al Dente,  @Troodon, @digit, @RCFossils, @piranha, @Tidgy's Dad, @FossilDAWG, @FossilNerd and @RuMert!
 

As far as the name goes, I wasn’t sure about the etiquette and didn’t want to be presumptuous by asking for it. After all, the authors did the intensive work needed to determine it was a new species. I’ll just keep hunting for more new fossils and perhaps somewhere down the line one will bear my name. Being a part of the scientific process is honestly the best reward.