Ordovician Odyssey

[Kane]

Malcolm and Kevin B. arrived not long thereafter and they headed down to the bottom of the quarry. Jabali came down a bit after that. Malcolm was already working the spot where he found those great cystoids, while the rest of our crew were fussing with some newly blasted material. I know some of the other guys have some pictures of us in action, but as usual I was just too focused on collecting and entirely forgot to snap pictures unless of a specimen I was relatively sure would not survive transport home. Deb might have a few once I transfer from her camera. (And, Malcolm, feel free to jump in any time to give your side of the trip report!). 

 

The trip was not a bust, but nor was it anywhere near on par with Malcolm's great day last weekend. I collected a good share of material. Although I didn't land anything spectacular, I'm still happy with what I was able to pull out from various parts - down on the first level of the quarry, along the weathered piles of the ledges, up and around the enormous crush piles, etc. We even moved some good rock.

 

As I don't yet have a copy of Hessin's book, I might need some assistance from those who are old hands in collecting there for some IDs. There are a few question marks in my finds that I wouldn't mind clearing up. So, on to pictures of the finds...

 

1 -4: I freely admit it: I love hash plates. There's nothing quite like a snapshot of the marine floor deposits, even if the turbid nature of the seas makes it all look like some enormous creature gobbled up the sea bottom and spewed it forth. The second hash plate had some typical cranidia of Flexicalymene, but I'm not sure if the closeup one I have here may be Cryptaulax? More experienced Ordo folks can say much better than I can.

 

EDIT: Last picture with the cranidium looks like a dead ringer for Calyptaulax sp. via Ludgivsen.

[Kane]

Crinoids! Sorry, but no calyx or arms on these, but the stems on them can get pretty long - and these are hardly representative of how long they can get. The third pic is just some pieces.

Nautiloids. It always amazes me just how big they can get in the Ordovician compared to what I usually find in the Devonian. 

[Kane]

1. High-spired gastropods. The ones on the bottom right are a different species, so not the Fusispira sp. that more commonly weather out. 

2. More gastros and a corkscrew high-spired chap that didn't make it into the first pic.

3. Brachs galore.

Bryozoans, sponges/corals etc., on the top two rows. Bottom two rows trilo-bits (Isotelus, Flexicalymene)

[RJB]

  Love the ocean bottom piece with the bryo's and trilo pieces!

 

RB

[Kane]

Deb found this itty-bitty trilo-butt. I don't think it's a Flexi... ?

Not sure about this one. Glabella of a juvenile Isotelus? Something else entirely?

[Kane]

In situ pic of possibly a Ceraurus missing its pygidial spikes. I managed to save most of it.

More trilo-bits. 

1. Got to love when their shnozzes poke out at that angle. This one is going to be tough to tease out. No idea on species yet.

2. Some Isotelus etc., bits

3. Two pieces of Ceraurus sp. 

4. More bits.

[Kane]

Pictures of the Flexi from home, including a small Flexi roller I found later in the afternoon.

 

 

In all, a great time with great folks. I was just making my way back from the crush piles, and missed saying goodbye to Malcolm. He left Deb with some nifty pieces of eurypterid, but also the fruits of his excellent prep (everyone has probably already seen the work he did on that Greenops). I'll end the picture posting for now with one of the eurypterid pieces, and Malcolm's exquisite work on the Eldredgeops rana. I'm still gawping at them!

[Monica]

Wow, @Kane - well done!!!  I also love hash plates because there is often an itty bitty thing in there that you don't catch until you've looked at the plate ten times, and then you get that rush of excitement at making a new discovery - it's such a great feeling 

 

I was just wondering - do you know what the item is that I've circled in red below?  Is it a gastropod (and speaking of which - I love the high-spired ones that you found ), or is it something else?  I'm just curious because back in April I found something at Etobicoke Creek (different formation but still Upper Ordovician) that looks kind of similar to what you've found, and I'd love to know what it is...

 

Kane's specimen: 

 

My specimen: 

 

Thanks so much for sharing, and congratulations on your finds!

 

Monica

[Kane]

Hi @Monica! I am reasonably sure it is a gastropod, but I'll have to do some digging to figure out which species (I SO need that Hessin book!). Of course, I really want to know which species of trilobite is to the right of the gastro as it doesn't look like a Flexi to me!

[Monica]

2 hours ago, Kane said:

Hi @Monica! I am reasonably sure it is a gastropod, but I'll have to do some digging to figure out which species (I SO need that Hessin book!). Of course, I really want to know which species of trilobite is to the right of the gastro as it doesn't look like a Flexi to me!

 

Hello again!

 

I have the Hessin book in paper copy - if the trilo you have is indeed Calyptaulax sp., then its species name is likely callicephalus (Hall) because Hessin states that "all of the Ontario specimens appear to belong to the species Calyptaulax callicephalus (Hall)." (p. 174)  Apparently this particular trilobite is "most common in the Verulam Formation but occurs sporadically from the Gull River to Coburg formations." (Hessin, p. 174)

 

As for your unknown trilo - I agree that it doesn't quite look like a Flexicalymene sp.   Looking at Hessin's book, it might compare well with trilobites belonging to the Family Cheiruridae, Subfamily Cheirurinae.  The seven genera listed in Hessin's book are Ceraurinella, "Xylabion" or Hadromeros ("these two genera are presently known only from Europe (England and Scotland).  So it would seem that the Ontario specimens belong to a new species" (Hessin, p. 177)), Ceraurinus, Bufoceraurus, Gabriceraurus, Ceraurus, and Leviceraurus.  I'll see if I can find out which of these are present in the Bobcaygeon and Verulam formations...I'll be back... 

 

Monica

[Monica]

@Kane

 

Ceraurinella trentonensis - "The most likely areas to collect this species is in the uppermost Verulam Formation of Prince Edward County where several cranidia have been found." (Hessin, p. 176)  The one pictured in the book "is a rare occurrence of this trilobite in the Hillier Member of the Cobourg Formation." (Hessin, p. 176)

 

"Xylabion" or Hadromeros - This trilobite "is rare but is most common in the Bobcaygeon Formation of the Lake Simcoe area.  Partial specimens have also been found in the Verulam Formation in the Belleville area." (Hessin, p. 177)

 

Ceraurinus serratus - This trilobite "is restricted to the Hallowell Member of the Cobourg Formation." (Hessin, p. 178)

 

Ceraurinus marginatus - This trilobite "is a moderately common trilobite restricted to the Hillier Member" (Hessin, p. 179) of the Cobourg Formation.

 

Ceraurinus icarus - This trilobite "appears in the Georgian Bay Formation of Ontario." (Hessin, p. 179)

 

Bufoceraurus - Some specimens have been collected in the Verulam Formation near Belleville (Hessin, p. 180) but "most specimens...have been found in the Bobcaygeon Formation in the Lake Simcoe area.  One large weathered exoskeleton...has also been found in the upper Gull River Formation at Point Anne Quarry, east of Belleville." (Hessin, p. 180)

 

Gabriceraurus - Bobcaygeon Formation at Standard Aggregates Quarry in Brechin and the uppermost Gull River Formation at Point Anne Quarry near Belleville (Hessin, p .181)

 

Ceraurus - This genus "occurs in the Black River and Trenton groups as well as the Georgian Bay Formation" (Hessin, p. 182) so that would include the Gull River, Bobcaygeon, Verulam, and Cobourg formations.

 

Leviceraurus mammilloides - "This species has not yet been found in any natural exposure in the area; all material is either from St. Mary's Cement Quarry, Bowmanville or Ogden Point Quarry, Colborne." (Hessin, p. 186)  These locations are part of the Hillier Member of the Cobourg Formation. (Hessin, p. 186)

[Kane]

Thanks, Monica! I just acquired some Hessin and Rudkin today courtesy of a guardian fossil angel.  I seem to have a few Calyptaulax fragments on hand! 

 

PS: I think the gastropod you referenced above may be Liospira.

 

There are a few other pygidial fragments in hash plates from my previous trip to Brechin that I can revisit, particularly the very long and pointed ones. I'll have to take a few more close up pictures from the hash plates. I'll start with the four pictured here. There'll be more to compare against the literature.

[Fossildude19]

Nice haul, Kane.  

Glad you did well there.  

[FossilDAWG]

 

The cephalon on the slab with the Isotelus pygidium may possibly be an Achatella.  I can't be sure until more is uncovered, but the size and spacing of the eyes and the shape of the glabella have an Achatella "vibe" to me.

On the other hand, the "Cerarus without pygidial spines" seems to be a fairly nice Flexicalymene to me.  Not sure what everyone is seeing that makes it look like a cerarid.

 

Nice finds!

 

Don

[Jeffrey P]

Looks like quite the excellent haul there, Kane. I bet you really combed those debris piles well, but that prone Ceraurus would be the trip maker for me. Congratulations. Would love to see some of those prepped like your Eldredgeops. Thanks for bringing us along. 

[Monica]

6 hours ago, Monica said:

 

Hello again!

 

I have the Hessin book in paper copy - if the trilo you have is indeed Calyptaulax sp., then its species name is likely callicephalus (Hall) because Hessin states that "all of the Ontario specimens appear to belong to the species Calyptaulax callicephalus (Hall)." (p. 174)  Apparently this particular trilobite is "most common in the Verulam Formation but occurs sporadically from the Gull River to Coburg formations." (Hessin, p. 174)

 

As for your unknown trilo - I agree that it doesn't quite look like a Flexicalymene sp.   Looking at Hessin's book, it might compare well with trilobites belonging to the Family Cheiruridae, Subfamily Cheirurinae.  The seven genera listed in Hessin's book are Ceraurinella, "Xylabion" or Hadromeros ("these two genera are presently known only from Europe (England and Scotland).  So it would seem that the Ontario specimens belong to a new species" (Hessin, p. 177)), Ceraurinus, Bufoceraurus, Gabriceraurus, Ceraurus, and Leviceraurus.  I'll see if I can find out which of these are present in the Bobcaygeon and Verulam formations...I'll be back... 

 

Monica

 

6 hours ago, Monica said:

@Kane

 

Ceraurinella trentonensis - "The most likely areas to collect this species is in the uppermost Verulam Formation of Prince Edward County where several cranidia have been found." (Hessin, p. 176)  The one pictured in the book "is a rare occurrence of this trilobite in the Hillier Member of the Cobourg Formation." (Hessin, p. 176)

 

"Xylabion" or Hadromeros - This trilobite "is rare but is most common in the Bobcaygeon Formation of the Lake Simcoe area.  Partial specimens have also been found in the Verulam Formation in the Belleville area." (Hessin, p. 177)

 

Ceraurinus serratus - This trilobite "is restricted to the Hallowell Member of the Cobourg Formation." (Hessin, p. 178)

 

Ceraurinus marginatus - This trilobite "is a moderately common trilobite restricted to the Hillier Member" (Hessin, p. 179) of the Cobourg Formation.

 

Ceraurinus icarus - This trilobite "appears in the Georgian Bay Formation of Ontario." (Hessin, p. 179)

 

Bufoceraurus - Some specimens have been collected in the Verulam Formation near Belleville (Hessin, p. 180) but "most specimens...have been found in the Bobcaygeon Formation in the Lake Simcoe area.  One large weathered exoskeleton...has also been found in the upper Gull River Formation at Point Anne Quarry, east of Belleville." (Hessin, p. 180)

 

Gabriceraurus - Bobcaygeon Formation at Standard Aggregates Quarry in Brechin and the uppermost Gull River Formation at Point Anne Quarry near Belleville (Hessin, p .181)

 

Ceraurus - This genus "occurs in the Black River and Trenton groups as well as the Georgian Bay Formation" (Hessin, p. 182) so that would include the Gull River, Bobcaygeon, Verulam, and Cobourg formations.

 

Leviceraurus mammilloides - "This species has not yet been found in any natural exposure in the area; all material is either from St. Mary's Cement Quarry, Bowmanville or Ogden Point Quarry, Colborne." (Hessin, p. 186)  These locations are part of the Hillier Member of the Cobourg Formation. (Hessin, p. 186)

 

I just realized that I perhaps was looking at a different trilobite than you were referring to, @Kane!  I was trying to look for a match for the item circled in red below:

 

 

(assuming that that is indeed a trilobite cephalon...)

 

Sorry about that!

 

Monica

[mossyfern9564]

 thanks for sharing! Nicely done!

[Monica]

6 hours ago, Kane said:

Thanks, Monica! I just acquired some Hessin and Rudkin today courtesy of a guardian fossil angel.  I seem to have a few Calyptaulax fragments on hand! 

 

PS: I think the gastropod you referenced above may be Liospira.

 

There are a few other pygidial fragments in hash plates from my previous trip to Brechin that I can revisit, particularly the very long and pointed ones. I'll have to take a few more close up pictures from the hash plates. I'll start with the four pictured here. There'll be more to compare against the literature.

 

I'm still looking at the trilobite pictures in Hessin (2009), but I think that the third one looks like a Flexicalymene sp. pygidium.  And perhaps Pseudogygites sp. pygidium (if that genus can be found in the rocks at the quarry you were at) for the second one?

[aek]

Those are some killer plates at the end there. Nice work!

[Malcolmt]

Well turns out that the great wall of cystoids had pretty much petered out. Kane and I put in quite a few hours and really found nothing else in that spot other than crinoid stems. Anyway here is where we were excavating and a pic of the boys at work... Funny later in the afternoon Kane (the beast) actually snapped the yellow crowbar I was using ...

 

 

[Malcolmt]

"possibly a Ceraurus missing its pygidial spikes" ......... unfortunately looks like a decent prone, flattened flexicalymene to moi.....

 

That is a damaged achatella cephalon with the iso

[Kane]

7 minutes ago, Malcolmt said:

"possibly a Ceraurus missing its pygidial spikes" ......... unfortunately looks like a decent prone, flattened flexicalymene to moi.....

 

That is a damaged achatella cephalon with the iso

Yeah, I was fussing about with it this morning and now that I can see the details on this one much better, it is A Flexi. I was being fooled by the pleura and a bit of hopefulness

 

I also removed a bit more from the suspected Achatella and I am pleased to say that it is!