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Bryozoan? Coral? One or two species?


mossyfern9564

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I found several mixed pieces last weekend while out in southwest Virginia; bits that had tumbled down the hillside and into the road.  This was along a road that follows the Holston River, in mostly limestone/shale.  One piece was filled with crinoids (stems), from tiny to pencil diameter; one had meshy bryozoan pieces and brachiopods, then there was the piece that had this.  Please bear with me, I've looked online, and in my books, but since I have no idea what I'm looking for, it complicates things, and I want to learn. In both examples, the coral-looking chamber/pore sections are alongside the mesh/bryozoan-looking sections, so I'm not even sure if I'm looking for one, or two separate, organisms.  I'm sure whatever it is, it's probably very common in this area,  but if someone could help ID it so I'll know next time, or at least point me in the direction of what I need to research, I'd be grateful.  Thank you!

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This looks like 2 different Bryozoans, to me. :unsure: 

I'm not familiar with the area, however. 

Any idea what county you were in? 

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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Thank you Fossildude19 for your reply.  This is from Scott County, near Hiltons, VA, which is near both the Washington County,  VA and Sullivan County, TN borders, just a few miles from the location where I found the brachiopods I posted here a few weeks ago. The third photo I posted is of the whole piece they're from.  I assumed this was two organisms,  too, but it's interesting (to me, at least) that they overlap in both examples, and that made me wonder if it was indeed two, or two parts of one. 

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I've found that the Ordovician Benbolt and Wardell Formations in Scott County near Gate City and Rye Cove have an impressive diversity of bryozoans.  I don't know for sure that your fossils are from one of those formations, but they are similar to some I have collected.  I've collected trilobites, a crinoid (the calyx, not just stems), and a few different cystoids including many specimens of Echinosphaerites in that area as well, so you're in a good place for some nice finds.

 

Don

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Hi Don, and thanks for your reply.  I'll have to find a quadrangle map and start from there to figure out what I'm looking at in the area where I found this.  Another piece is more like a feldspar/limestone mix, covered in a sandy, gritty-feeling layer with lots of (what I now know are) fenestrate bryozoans. Most of what I find near where I live in Sullivan Co. TN appears to be Ordovician, and sparse, lol. This is all fairly new to me,  and I'm so glad to have found such a great resource as this site--I really appreciate it!

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