Jump to content

Worms from the (Waco) pit


KCMOfossil

Recommended Posts

Last week while visiting Waco, Texas, I took four of my grandchildren to the Waco Research Pit.  After getting a permit, we spent about three hours there and among the more fascinating fossils we found were oysters (possibly of the genus Texigryphaea).  Of special interest were the epibionts, some of which seem to be parasitic.  There were at least two sizes of tube worms, and bryozoans.  The second picture below is not of epibionts on an oyster, but rather a one-inch wide piece I found separately in the same area.  If I understand correctly, the Waco Pit is in the Del Rio Clay Formation, Cenomanian Stage, Cretaceous.  It was a nice trip and a great place to take children.  

 

Russ

l_nail_1.JPG

Worms flash 3.JPG

l small group.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice finds!

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, that is definitely Texigryphaea. Based on location the species should be easy to pin down.  I am also interested in all the various "Serpulid" worms we find in the Cretaceous of Texas. Only a few species have been identified but they seem to be catch-alls. I have started labelling some of mine as types: Serpulid type A, S. type B, etc. Maybe in the future someone will do the work on these ubiquitous creatures and we can apply actual proper names.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the confirmation of that genus.  I looked a little more online and found this nice list of species with links to photos.  It seems clear from the Del Rio location and the photos that my specimens are Texigraphaea roemeri.  

 

44 minutes ago, erose said:

all the various "Serpulid" worms we find in the Cretaceous of Texas

 

These are fascinating. 

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for this information.  I was wondering what made the bore holes.  Many of these oysters show a lot of damage from predation--its seems to have been quite an aggressive environment.

 

Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, KCMOfossil said:

Thanks for the confirmation of that genus.  I looked a little more online and found this nice list of species with links to photos.  It seems clear from the Del Rio location and the photos that my specimens are Texigraphaea roemeri.  

 

 

These are fascinating. 

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Russ

Well first of all Russ a question.

Are you here in Texas for an extended visit?

If so you may want to visit some of the Grayson deposits near the Arlington/Handley area set between Dallas and Ft. Worth.

It is the equivalent to the Del Rio formation and any of the specimens you find down there may be found here as well.

The Texigraphaea are quite abundant here and other species of oyster are found here as well.

I have hunted the Del Rio and Grayson for over 30 years and find that I never go to either without finding something interesting.

The tubular specimens are interesting in that it sheds some light on the fact that the specimen lay exposed on the bottom of the primordial

ocean floor long enough for them to form. I find other specimens including echinoids with these attached.

Always a cool find.

 

Jess B.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Preservation is killer! Nice one!

Every single fossil you see is a miracle set in stone, and should be treated as such.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, bone2stone said:

the Grayson deposits near the Arlington/Handley area set between Dallas and Ft. Worth

 

I'm back in Kansas City now.  I only go to Waco once or twice a year for a week or less.  When I'm there we are pretty busy, so I have to restrict my fossil trips to places within about 45 minutes of Waco (actually, Hewitt).  

 

Interesting comment about the story that can be read from the fact that the tube worms are present on these specimens.  I find epibionts fascinating in that regard.  They show an aspect of interaction (a slice of life) between species beyond what an individual species fossil can show.

 

Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...