Arizona Chris Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Hello all, As promised we are just starting to post the huge photo pictorial of our recent work in the Bright Angel Shale south of the Grand canyon in Arizona. I have over a thousand images that go with this write up, however for now Ive posted the starting page and the first photo page - Key fossils. Most paleontologist are led to believe that the Lower Middle Cambrian Bright Angel Shale can only be found in the depths of the Grand Canyon National Park, and therefore is not open to collecting for the general public. After much research spanning years pouring over old - and nearly unobtainable geologic maps, professional papers and Bulletins, we found that this is not the case. There are half a dozen small areas far outside the Canyon (south), and isolated outcrops in the Juniper Mountains in Northern Arizona. We spent over a year finding and evaluating these outcrops - when accessible, and found two in particular that were highly fossiliferous. Besides hordes of Cambrian trace fossils, we found a plentiful but low diversity of fauna similar to the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, and the Chengjiang Fauna in China. Phylums include at least half a dozen species of Trilobites, Hyolithids, inarticulate Brachiopods, a colonial hydrozoan like animal, and trace fossils from arthropods, mollusks, and annelids. So here is the new photo pictorial page itself: http://www.schursastrophotography.com/paleo/Fossilfotos-4a.html And if you want to see the planned future pages, this will be the BAS jump off page: http://www.schursastrophotography.com/paleo/Fossilfotos-4.html Thanks for looking. We have so much more to write up at this point, but the material is very exciting to us! Arizona Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona Chris Paleo Web Site: http://schursastrophotography.com/fossiladventures.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Very exciting discoveries. Don't forget to post some of your unknowns and problematica here. Our members come up with good ID suggestions and great literature. My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Always interested to hear about new Cambrian localities... will be watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Very nice blog. Thanks for posting. 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...
Arizona Chris Posted June 7, 2017 Author Share Posted June 7, 2017 Thanks guys! Any identified specimens will certainly be posted on your gallery, and I appreciate all of you that helped in identifying our mystery trilobite! The phosphatized brachs will be difficult to identify, they are not preserved well. They are hopefully the same as another site we found many more in southern Az , both Billingslella and Lungulids. Arizona Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona Chris Paleo Web Site: http://schursastrophotography.com/fossiladventures.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 The items labeled as cranidia are hypostomes. That is why they are smaller than the associated Zacanthoides. Also, trilobites have 'genal', not 'genial' spines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Ammonite Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Here is a diagram from http://www.geologypage.com/2013/11/trilobite.html that shows the parts of a trilobite head. My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arizona Chris Posted June 7, 2017 Author Share Posted June 7, 2017 Thanks, Ill make the appropriate corrections. We have never ever found hypostomes before. this is fantastic! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona Chris Paleo Web Site: http://schursastrophotography.com/fossiladventures.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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