Colossalfossils15 Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 I got this trilobite from a small shop that sold many different relics and fossils. I have done all the common tests on the trilobite and found that they all check out because there are lenses on both the eyes although the right eye is slightly damaged, there is a crack in the matrix underneath where the trilobite is situated, under a magnifying glass there are no air bubbles whatsoever, and the hardness of the trilobite definitely checks out. I would just like to see some other opinions and feedback on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colossalfossils15 Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 Here are some more pictures: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Yes, this is a real trilobite and a fairly common one. I cannot tell if there is any restoration, but the fine details are present. Did the seller give any information on it? ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colossalfossils15 Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 I bought this awhile ago and I forgot if the seller gave me any information on it regarding the origin, but I am pretty sure he told me it was a Phacops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colossalfossils15 Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 I also bought this fossil fish from the seller. I have no background information on it, but I don't think it is faked because you can feel the spine and it does not seem painted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runner64 Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 It comes from the Green River Shale and looks to be a Knightia. It's not the entire fish that usually is painted but the fins. I'm not much of an expert and can't really tell if your's has the fins painted on or not but I'm sure someone else will be able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 (edited) I agree - this is a Green River Formation Knightia eocaena. Unfortunately,...All of the fins on your specimen are painted on, and the entire body is covered with paint as well. I think it is disengeuous of sellers to paint on the fins/enhance the bodies with paint, to sell more product, without disclosing the amount of "restoration" that has been done. Compare yours with this one (found in a Google image search. ) The fins on this one are natural. They are rarely all totally splayed out like yours are painted to look like. Granted, lesser quality fish don't sell for nearly as much, and those who are not informed are, unfortunately, quite easily fooled. Regards, Edited April 17, 2016 by Fossildude19 2 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Full disclosure: I have enlarged and enhanced yours with contrast adjustments. I have also annotated all that is "restored" on your fish. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colossalfossils15 Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 Thank you for your reply, I found online that to remove some paint you can gently rub the specimen with rubbing alcohol. I removed most of the fin paint and by doing so I actually revealed the faint outlines of the real fossil that I wasn't able to see before. I am at least happy it is a real fossil and the paint on the body enhances it's visibility. Needless to say, I will never buy anything from that shop again and I will be much more diligent of this kind of reparation work in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeutsch Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Before dismissing the fins to painting, I wanted to show some Green River fins that look similar. This is a specimen I personally split- The fish from the various quarries can really vary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 (edited) In the OP's fish, the fins are not bifurcated at the ends of the fin rays.. If they were actually that dark, the bifurcation would show up like the ones on your examples. The fins on the OP's fish are definitely painted on. No doubt in my mind. You can totally see where they missed painting parts of the caudal fin. There are way too many of these painted fossils out there. Regards, Edited April 17, 2016 by Fossildude19 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colossalfossils15 Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 I removed the fin paint by using rubbing alcohol. Even though I am disappointed that it was painted, at least you can now see the faint indentations of the actual fossil underneath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 I removed the fin paint by using rubbing alcohol. Even though I am disappointed that it was painted, at least you can now see the faint indentations of the actual fossil underneath. Can we get a picture of the fossil now? Personally speaking, the fossils as found are much more interesting to me. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colossalfossils15 Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 It may be hard to see in the picture, but by removing the paint you are more clearly able to see the real fossil impression underneath. Paint came off of the body too, but I left most of it on because I don't want to completely ruin the fossil and make it too light to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 It may be hard to see in the picture, but by removing the paint you are more clearly able to see the real fossil impression underneath. Paint came off of the body too, but I left most of it on because I don't want to completely ruin the fossil and make it too light to see. Thanks for the new photo. Much better looking now, I think. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 I wouldn't hold the shopkeeper's feet to the fire; he in all likelihood acquired the enhanced fish as-is, without any idea that it had work done. In the end, you have a couple nice fossils, and the learning experience is being shared with thousands of folks. 1 "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeon.rocks Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 The trilobite on photo seems to be Reedops cephalotes from Morocco. Thanks for the nice info regarding Knightia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 On 4/18/2016 at 11:11 AM, aeon.rocks said: The trilobite on photo seems to be Reedops cephalotes from Morocco... Reedops cephalotes hamlagdadianus does not have large glabellar tubercles. Boeckops stelcki looks like a better match. figure from: McKellar, R.C., & Chatterton, B.D.E. (2009) Early and Middle Devonian Phacopidae (Trilobita) of southern Morocco. Palaeontographica Canadiana, 28:1-110 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplomado Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I removed the fin paint by using rubbing alcohol. Even though I am disappointed that it was painted, at least you can now see the faint indentations of the actual fossil underneath. Hello Colossalfossils15- unpainted green river knightia fish aren't too expensive on our favorite auction site if you look carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeon.rocks Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 (edited) Reedops cephalotes hamlagdadianus does not have large glabellar tubercles. Boeckops stelcki looks like a better match. IMG1.jpg figure from: Chatterton, B.D.E., & McKellar, R.C. (2009) Early and Middle Devonian Phacopidae (Trilobita) of southern Morocco. Palaeontographica Canadiana, 28:1-110 U`re right, at second look at the crapy-quality photos it looks like glabela is tuberculated. Thanks! Edited May 20, 2016 by aeon.rocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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