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We may have had the last deep freeze of the season, so I started going through my buckets again. I am happy to have more flora from the Mazon River to show!

 

First is a bit of mystery- I’m not sure if this is a really degraded Cyclopteris or Neuropteris or something else.


57B5992C-9306-47DE-B154-E6528072BAF7.thumb.jpeg.dbcc32e6dea4160b2ea2912a2b60fb7e.jpeg

 

Next is what I believe is some Calamites bark.

 

0167A740-B1D7-42C6-8F7B-A26A1CD37018.thumb.jpeg.b94daa5d1e22227195374ad80a6d4109.jpeg

 

Then a neat, very dimensional fern. ID update: all three following ferns are likely Crenulopteris- see post below for further detail.
 

AC237CC2-6516-464C-9DAD-8A0ADAB4D497.thumb.jpeg.9be0e808ac3b0d2fdf0e62399d0d851d.jpeg

 

A smaller fern:

 

B9D1848F-4025-46F7-B0E1-0CE6DB7815E1.thumb.jpeg.3734fb2e8f74c9ae9d77ff7d3e756989.jpeg


Finally, my favorite of the bunch- I love the multiple colors and the preservation of this piece. 

 

EA9778A2-9CC3-45F3-B616-D27F3F861EAC.thumb.jpeg.317ff8f8a4c27ec6e4f7af92b9b88300.jpeg

 

Feel free to let me know if any of these IDs are off, I still struggle with pinning down many of them. 
 

More than 3/4 of my 5 gallon bucket of river finds still haven’t split, so I will be moving them in to cycle through the freezer now. We shall see what other treasures lay within!

Edited by deutscheben
ID update
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At least according to the latest revision, Lobatopteris is not present in the Mazon Creek flora. The first two ferns are probably C. acadica. However I do find this presentation of ferns to be difficult to ID. The lateral veins are not visible and the pinna are not complete, leaving just the pinnule shape and midvein to go off of. This is usually the case with most fern fragments found.

3 hours ago, deutscheben said:

We may have had the last deep freeze of the season, so I started going through my buckets again. I am happy to have more flora from the Mazon River to show!

 

First is a bit of mystery- I’m not sure if this is a really degraded Cyclopteris or Neuropteris or something else.


57B5992C-9306-47DE-B154-E6528072BAF7.thumb.jpeg.dbcc32e6dea4160b2ea2912a2b60fb7e.jpeg

 

Next is what I believe is some Calamites bark.

 

0167A740-B1D7-42C6-8F7B-A26A1CD37018.thumb.jpeg.b94daa5d1e22227195374ad80a6d4109.jpeg

 

Then a neat, very dimensional fern. I think this is probably Lobatopteris? 
 

AC237CC2-6516-464C-9DAD-8A0ADAB4D497.thumb.jpeg.9be0e808ac3b0d2fdf0e62399d0d851d.jpeg

 

I’m not sure about an ID for this smaller fern, it’s a bit vague. Perhaps Crenulopteris or Pecopteris?

 

B9D1848F-4025-46F7-B0E1-0CE6DB7815E1.thumb.jpeg.3734fb2e8f74c9ae9d77ff7d3e756989.jpeg


Finally, my favorite of the bunch- I love the multiple colors and the preservation of this piece. I believe it is Cyathocarpus.

 

EA9778A2-9CC3-45F3-B616-D27F3F861EAC.thumb.jpeg.317ff8f8a4c27ec6e4f7af92b9b88300.jpeg

 

Feel free to let me know if any of these IDs are off, I still struggle with pinning down many of them. 
 

More than 3/4 of my 5 gallon bucket of river finds still haven’t split, so I will be moving them in to cycle through the freezer now. We shall see what other treasures lay within!

On the last one, what is the venation like? Is the pattern consistent across pinnules or do the veins randomly undulate? I can't tell from the picture. If the latter (which is my guess), then this is in my opinion a section of a mature frond of Crenulopteris subcrenulata.

Edited by connorp
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  • 3 months later...

Many months later, I am very nearly finished processing my Mazon River finds from last summer. As expected, I did not find anything as stunning as my shark and tetrapod materials from last year, but I am still very happy with these lovely plants. 
 

First are a number of what are probably  Crenulopteris specimens. 
 

IMG_3265.thumb.jpeg.c98985715cced4824520136cacaeb994.jpeg

 

IMG_3262.thumb.jpeg.40bcab926d32fff722ea5910be93411e.jpeg

 

IMG_3263.thumb.jpeg.2dac7c0c9da767088f07e6201c96056f.jpeg

 

The next one is a tiny delicate example.

 

IMG_3268.thumb.jpeg.937a26f7ae87605225e3441e9633a4a9.jpeg

 

And then finally, my largest and most complete one yet! 
 

IMG_3258.thumb.jpeg.c90aff4e85851bdb2292f4d7e37e7fd3.jpeg

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Up next are some other plant specimens.

 

This is a piece of nondescript inner bark with some nice dimension to it.

 

IMG_3261.thumb.jpeg.79bad8c006d2db707b1d2f072b12a0be.jpeg

 

Here is a lovely and small Annularia sphenophylloides.

 

IMG_3269.thumb.jpeg.e014095d2b3a2e890e51507663120166.jpeg

 

And another tiny one, I’m not sure what this fern is.

 

IMG_3271.thumb.jpeg.7404e9fd3dd1325135634733c360bb97.jpeg

 

Next is a large but common fertile Diplazites unita. 
 

IMG_3267.thumb.jpeg.5b84e2ed1926fddb82bade9f50d27f1c.jpeg

 

This next one I can’t quite tell what type of fern it is.

 

IMG_3264.thumb.jpeg.841d1f571389702a4de14bffe6df21a9.jpeg

 

The two following ones don’t have great preservation, but they are different varieties from my most common finds.

 

First is a fairly scrappy Odontopteris, my first specimen of this genus.

 

IMG_3259.thumb.jpeg.3291a56c17c58a8030dca98e52e5fa53.jpeg
 

And finally what might be a small Cyclopteris? It’s got quite a weird shape, likely due to the preservation.

 

IMG_3266.thumb.jpeg.662b6464410306fe54d6f1cea9979636.jpeg

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I have saved the best for last- I would consider the next piece my favorite of all of my finds from the river trip last year.

 

It was also a lot more work to prepare than a typical Mazon concretion- when I noticed a crack appearing during the freeze thaw process, I tapped it and then the entire thing shattered into dozens of pieces. I have spent a lot of time fitting them back together and was able to mostly reassemble it.

 

Here is my example of a complete Lebidostrobus cone, perhaps Lepidostrobus ornatus? 
 

IMG_3273.thumb.jpeg.bada06732ca0e43b2ad2d2c1b569f3c5.jpeg

 

I think part of the reason it split so chaotically is that the cone is preserved across multiple planes, with individual bracts viable on many of the surfaces where it broke. 
 

Although it makes for a less pleasing overall view than a typical flattened Mazon fossil, I find it fascinating to see all of the details on this partially exploded specimen.

 

IMG_3274.thumb.jpeg.79b6d3a7220ecc78b3374b8e711c64ad.jpeg
 

IMG_3275.thumb.jpeg.fa4c13190080737a1ad3bd771877095c.jpeg

 

IMG_3277.thumb.jpeg.725ea16b5eb3e7809c158fc8f1f63cf5.jpeg

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On 6/17/2023 at 8:31 AM, deutscheben said:

IMG_3266.thumb.jpeg.662b6464410306fe54d6f1cea9979636.jpeg

This could be a Neuropteris terminal pinnule? I've seen some that are severely misshapen and may be pathological?

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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  • 5 months later...

It has been a somewhat quiet year for fossil hunting for me, but I have been slowly and steadily freeze-thawing my way through the concretions I have been able to collect. 
 

I have completed processing all of my finds from the ESCONI Braceville trips in the past few years, with nothing of particular note to show unfortunately. Next I have been working through my Pit 11 finds from my opening day trip this March. 
 

These started out slow, with the vast majority (80% or more) being complete duds as well. Thankfully there have been a few finds recently that have buoyed my hopes! 

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Although it has faint preservation, this dainty Esconichthys apopyris is the first of this species in my collection, which is always exciting.
 

IMG_3781.thumb.jpeg.400192838d38dd4f1ba20cf258dc436e.jpeg


Next is a worm- this was actually found already split in the field, but I didn’t notice it until I was starting the freeze-thaw process. This is Paucijaculum samamithion, the arrow worm.

 

IMG_3782.thumb.jpeg.9c7e1e15ce4fd563bfd08defd36b1b67.jpeg

 

The third faunal specimen is sort of unusual- preserving both a ghostly worm-like outline as well as a more 3-dimensional shape that does not coincide directly with the “worm”. Perhaps it a remnant of a burrow of some sort? I’d love to hear what others think. 
 

IMG_3786.thumb.jpeg.eb6f02fb09be1d673c5cd37ad72a7183.jpeg

 

IMG_3787.thumb.jpeg.66a73a0d5d642ff26456d778d2a9a9b3.jpeg

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Nice bladefish!  :) 

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    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
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Nice job Ben !!

I've had a pretty quiet year as well. Maybe we'll both find something exciting this winter !!

Rock On !!

Phil

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Thanks everyone! 
 

I also had a couple of tiny plant specimens split as well. 
 

First is what I believe may be Mariopteris hispida.

 

IMG_3783.thumb.jpeg.6a623e22e9f2cfccd7c618d386ed71a8.jpeg


Next is a single pinnule from sort of Neuropteris, I think?
 

IMG_3784.thumb.jpeg.56dc21d29ef6017b07b94eaca1d44d49.jpeg

 

IMG_3785.thumb.jpeg.58f5dd7a974d01fb63bab0a6b4074660.jpeg

 

 

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44 minutes ago, deutscheben said:

Thanks everyone! 
 

I also had a couple of tiny plant specimens split as well. 
 

First is what I believe may be Mariopteris hispida.

 

IMG_3783.thumb.jpeg.6a623e22e9f2cfccd7c618d386ed71a8.jpeg


Next is a single pinnule from sort of Neuropteris, I think?
 

IMG_3784.thumb.jpeg.56dc21d29ef6017b07b94eaca1d44d49.jpeg

 

IMG_3785.thumb.jpeg.58f5dd7a974d01fb63bab0a6b4074660.jpeg

 

 

Ah, the joys of trying to identify super fragmentary plant remains. My favorite Mazon Creek activity.

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I think that last plant is a Macroneuropteris macrophylla pinnule, judging by the offset of the proximal lobes.

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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