ARTHROPOD?

[TOM BUCKLEY]

Hi everybody. 

It's been awhile. The last couple of years have seen my attention directed to areas other than old dead things. I need help with an ID. Found this locally, not far from the Silurian black shales that Reudeman discovered his Eurypterids in. I'm not sure of the geology as there have not been any geological surveys of this area. A couple of paleontologists seem to think it's Ordovician. 

I asked a number of paleontologists at the Paleontological Research Institute an the Museum of Natural History if this was organic or just a geologic anomaly. They weren't sure. I just feel that it looks "on purpose".

Now you lucky dogs get a crack at it. Thanks.

 

Tom

[Jeffrey P]

Good morning Tom and welcome back!

That does look like a partial eurypterid thorax- but I'm no expert. Eurypterids are the one thing I haven't collected so far.

I have heard of eurypterid remains being found in the Martinsburg Shale which is Ordovician.

[TOM BUCKLEY]

Thanks Jeff.

It could be the Martinsburg. However, the attached survey says it is not fossiliferous, however.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1244h/report.pdf "

If it is a eurypterid, it's the ventral side as the tergites on the dorsal side are not split. The sternites on the ventral are. I really see a center line on the specimen with the "leaves coming off to each side.

[piranha]

These two eurypterids look similar.  You should send the photos to James Lamsdell for more info: LINK

 

[TOM BUCKLEY]

I'll send the info to James Lamsdell. Thanks for the link.

I'm familiar with the morphology of eurypterids and I agree that it could be one. But it could also be any arthropod with segments.

I'll keep the Forum posted.

 

Tom

[JohnBrewer]

[TOM BUCKLEY]

I'm packing for a move to Florida and came across this specimen again and thought I'd give the Forum another crack at an ID. Aren't you all lucky? 

I will soon be saying "Goodbye" to breaking Paleozoic bedrock in the freezing cold and "hello" to strolling along warm, sun-drenched beaches looking for shark teeth. Oh well, it'll be tough, but someone has to do it and it may as well be me.

 

By the way. I'm packing 10 years worth of fossils. I've got 1000 specimens ID'd and many boxes of unprepared stuff. The movers are gonna love me.

[Plax]

badly crushed gastropod cross section?

[TOM BUCKLEY]

44 minutes ago, Plax said:

badly crushed gastropod cross section?

That's interesting. I had never thought of that.

[Zenmaster6]

Might be unpopular but I actually immediately saw crushed gastropod.