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Our largest tentaculitid yet from the Permian of AZ


Arizona Chris

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HI all,

 

As we go through the latest acid fines from fossiliferous limestones from the Permian Fort Apache Formation at our new rich site on the Mogollon Rim, we now have a new specimen which is larger than dozen others we have obtained from this site over the past few years, a whopping 7mm long!  The Permian was the very end of the span of these enigmatic fossils, the current thoughts are they were a lophophorate of some sort related to brachiopods and bryozoans.  

 

These Tentaculitids (say that three times real fast) are curved which is a bit rare, and etch out as hollow tubes with one end closed.  Here the tip is missing, but you can see the general shape. 

 

More exciting finds are coming out of the fines, besides super tiny gastropods, we have found many urchin parts and some silicified trilobites as well.  Ill keep you updated as we sort through the latest material!

 

10x microscope shot, mm scale at bottom.

 

DSC00598-1290a.thumb.jpg.b103be093384285e829603a1500dac7c.jpg

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Arizona Chris

Paleo Web Site:  http://schursastrophotography.com/fossiladventures.html

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That's a big one, the ones I've found are on the order of one or two millimeters. Good job!

“...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

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Interesting... I'm not used to seeing Tentaculitids younger than Devonian... and curved too! (I would have thought 'scaphopod' if not for the ringed ornamentation. Are these features internal or external?)

btw, looks closer to 8mm to me..

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They are pretty uncommon, and I hope to get out this week and collect some more limestones to acid down.  Maybe If I get a few more complete specimens, we can make a better determination if its a Tent., or cornulitid.  

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Arizona Chris

Paleo Web Site:  http://schursastrophotography.com/fossiladventures.html

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