Adam's Ordovician.

[Bobby Rico]

Hey Adam how do you display your beautiful collection in draws or display cabinets?

[Tidgy's Dad]

22 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

Hey Adam how do you display your beautiful collection in draws or display cabinets?

I used to have lovely display cabinets and filing cabinets back in the day, but they all got sold off during difficult times. 

Since I moved to Morocco I've been meaning to build some display things upstairs in my 'lab' but never got around to it. Maybe this summer, I've been reading lots of threads here which have some brilliant ideas. 

At the moment, i'm ashamed to say, they're all displayed in cardboard trays and boxes. 

But, maybe this summer! 

Something to look forward to. Life's good! 

[Bobby Rico]

1 minute ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I used to have lovely display cabinets and filing cabinets back in the day, but they all got sold off during difficult times. 

Since I moved to Morocco I've been meaning to build some display things upstairs in my 'lab' but never got around to it. maybe this summer, I've been reading lots of threads here which have some brilliant ideas. 

At the moment, i'm ashamed to say, they're all displayed in cardboard trays and boxes. 

But, maybe this summer! 

Something to look forward to, life's good! 

I have been there when times are hard. As long as they are safe in doses not really mater. I think it sounds like a really nice summer project. If you can I would definitely build a nice display system in your lab . 

[Tidgy's Dad]

1 minute ago, Bobby Rico said:

I have been there when times are hard. As long as they are safe in doses not really mater. I think it sounds like a really nice summer project. If you can I would definitely build a nice display system in your lab . 

I'll have a go! 

Probably! 

Life's good now, we have enough to live a comfortable existence without working, can go on a few trips to Spain a year and buy the occasional treat or fossil! 

But though our money is good here, prices are higher in Europe so we have to be cautious and a little frugal. I'll never really be able to compete in the auctions here and postage can be crippling. Though, of course, i can get Moroccan fossils much cheaper and lovely members here keep sending me things!  I chose this lifestyle and i love it, so this is not a grumble.

I'm a very lucky and happy chappy. 

Life's good! 

 

[Bobby Rico]

1 minute ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I'll have a go! 

Probably! 

Life's good now, we have enough to live a comfortable existence without working, can go on a few trips to Spain a year and buy the occasional treat or fossil! 

But though our money is good here, prices are higher in Europe so we have to be cautious and a little frugal. I'll never really be able to compete in the auctions here and postage can be crippling. Though, of course, i can get Moroccan fossils much cheaper and lovely members here keep sending me things!  I chose this lifestyle and i love it, so this is not a grumble.

I'm a very lucky and happy chappy. 

Life's good! 

 

It sounds like you are sorted and very happy. Get your lab kitted out and your be even happier.  Sounds great Adam. I have never been to Morocco maybe one day.

[Tidgy's Dad]

2 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

It sounds like you are sorted and very happy. Get your lab kitted out and your be even happier.  Sounds great Adam. I have never been to Morocco maybe one day.

You'd love it! 

It's a great place and it would be amazing to meet up some time! 

You'd be more than welcome here! 

[Bobby Rico]

17 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

You'd love it! 

It's a great place and it would be amazing to meet up some time! 

You'd be more than welcome here! 

Yeah that is on the cards sometime definitely. I also like your hometown hats too. So I will have to come a get one

[Kane]

4 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I acquired this one in Spain recently. 

The cephalon is 3 cm wide. 

It's Dalmanitina socialis from the Middle Ordovician (Llandeilo), Letna Formation at Ded Hill, Beroun, Prague Basin, Czech Republic. 

 

Maybe not quite up to @Kane's Russian pieces, but i'm very happy with it. 

A fine acquisition. 'Tis not about competition, Adam, just enjoyment. I would be as equally happy to have these in my collection.  As you say, Life's Good!

[Tidgy's Dad]

4 hours ago, Kane said:

A fine acquisition. 'Tis not about competition, Adam, just enjoyment. I would be as equally happy to have these in my collection.  As you say, Life's Good!

Indeed, indeed. 

But competitions are quite nice too. 

Next up is a beautiful little Flexicalymene retrorsa courtesy of an exchange with Jay @DevonianDigger

Thank you so much, Jay! 

It's from the Arnheim Formation, Mount Orab, Ohio and is Upper Ordovician in age. 

And look how it compares to its Moroccan cousins : Flexicalymene ouzregui (medium) and Colpocoryphe, a close cousin. 

 

[piranha]

28 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

And look how it compares to its Moroccan cousins : Flexicalymene roaulti...

 

    Only Flexicalymene ouzregui & Flexicalymene tazarinensis are reported from Morocco and Colpocoryphe rouaulti is not reported there in any of the literature.

[Tidgy's Dad]

3 minutes ago, piranha said:

 

  

Ooooooppppppsssss

Changed it 

Thanks. 

[piranha]

8 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Ooooooppppppsssss

Changed it 

Thanks. 

 

 

No worries, old bean, I do it all the time! lol 

[Tidgy's Dad]

23 minutes ago, piranha said:

 

    Only Flexicalymene ouzregui is reported from Morocco and Colpocoryphe rouaulti is not reported there in any of the literature.

I know, only Colpocoryphe grandis thus far. 

F. roualti was just not thinking, it's 4 am here, i think i should go and lie down. 

Is F. tazarinensis as from Destombes stuff 1966 no longer valid, then? 

[piranha]

Just now, Tidgy's Dad said:

I know, only Colpocoryphe grandis thus far. 

F. roualti was just not thinking, it's 4 am here, i think i should go and lie down. 

Is F. tazarensis as from Destombes stuff 1966 no longer valid, then? 

 

see above & see above 

[Tidgy's Dad]

2 minutes ago, piranha said:

 

see above & see above 

Ha de ha!  

Night night. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just to recap as we made this rather confusing by making errors and then going back and editing our posts :

There are two species of Flexicalymene described from Morocco. F. ouzregui and F. tazarinensis. 

Only one Colpocoryphe is described C. grandis, though I believe there are others yet to be formally described and some are very like the specimens of C. roualti, found in similar size and the same mode of preservation in Spain, Portugal and Turkey if my memory serves. We'll have to wait and see.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

Today's specimen was sent to me as a gift by the rather marvelous @Monica

It is the straight-shelled nautiloid Treptoceras crebriseptum and is from the Cincinnatian (Upper Ordovician) Georgian Bay formation of Etobicoke Creek, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and is 3.8 cm long.

  

Thanks again, Monica, I love it! 

[Tidgy's Dad]

This next piece I bought in Spain recently though it is from El Qaid Errami, Khouribga area, Morocco. 

Upper Ordovician starfish, probably an undescribed species of the genus Petraster. 

Width of starfish is 3.3 cm sort of tip to tip :

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

My first starfish! 

And the eagle-eyed will have noticed another first for me lurking in the rock, a bonus fossil! 

What is it? 

[Bobby Rico]

Very nice, in fact beautiful. I would have purchased that too. 

 

Is it a see urchin?

 

[Wrangellian]

Looks like your extra is an edrioasteroid - maybe Spinadiscus lefebvrei? Nice association!

I've got one of the edrio's, but still don't have me a decent starfish from that place...

Only thing is my information says Lower Ordovician - Floian maybe? Tiouririne Fm. and from Mecissi - is that anywhere near El Kaid Errami?

[Spongy Joe]

Hey-up, Wrangellian - your 'Floian' label refers to the Fezouata instead (which also has asterozoans and edrios...), but dealers often get the two mixed up. The lithologies are totally different, though (and the species), so it's easy to work out.

 

This one's definitely a Late Ord. example, from the El Caid Errami (various spellings exist!) area. Not sure of the site; might be Tizi N'mouri or Isthlou, perhaps. As for the (SIX!!) bonus edrios... well, that's a nice surprise.

[Wrangellian]

OK, so if my Spinadiscus lefebvrei name is correct on my specimen, it's Upper Ordovician, and would that be Ktaoua Fm or.., and El Kaid Errami location or could it be from any number of places?

I see I also have another edrio from Morocco, label says: Euryeschatia reboulorum, Ashgillian/Floian, Tiouririne Fm (Fezouata), area east of Erfoud...

Also a Machaeridian (Plumulites), L. Ordo. Fezouata, Kaid Errami....

No idea how much of this is correct. The rock looks much the same to my amateur eye. Really annoying that dealers can't get the info straight.

[Spongy Joe]

That's (unfortunately) hilarious..!

The name Spinadiscus lefbevrei hasn't been easy to track down. In fact, I don't think it's valid... but will be next year! It's a long story, but there was a special volume due to be published on the Late Ordovician echinoderms of Morocco, which for various reasons didn't quite happen (despite several of the papers being completed). I think this name probably comes from there. The good news is the entire fauna (not just echinoderms) is due to come out next year, and most of the chapters are finished; so, hopefully the edrio chapter will include this! It may be from the Tiouririne or Ktaoua Formation, but is certainly Late Ordovician; there are a number of localities, many of them in or around the area of El Kaid Errami.

 

Next up we have Euryeschatia reboulorum (named after an amateur couple, Roland and Veronique Reboul) by Sumrall & Zamora (2011). From the paper: "Found in all cases attached to
conulariids from the Upper Ordovician (lowermost Ashgill) in the Upper Tiouririne Formation in two different localities of the El Caı̈d Rami area (Tarhia and Djebel Tijarfaı̈ouine), Morocco".

     So, Ashgill is correct, and Floian is wrong. Tiouririne Formation is correct, and Fezouata is wrong. And 'area east of Erfoud' is indeed correct.

 

Your machaeridian is also probably from the Tiouririne or underlying Ktaoua formation (collectively known as the Tafilalt Biota). There are plumulitids from the Fezouata - the ones that revealed what machaeridians actually are! - but those are extremely rare, whereas the ones from the Tafilalt are locally common.

 

So, the thing to remember: the Fezouata Biota is from the Lower Ordovician Fezouata Formation (Tremadoc and Floian), from the area around Zagora. The Tafilalt Biota (including most of the echinoderms and machaeridians easily available for sale) is from the Late Ordovician (Katian and early Ashgillian) Ktaoua and Tiouririne formations of the area broadly including El Caid Errami (numerous sites included), east of Erfoud. If your notes say it's a mixture of the two, feel free to berate the dealer vigorously. Hope that makes it a bit clearer!

[crinus]

2 hours ago, Spongy Joe said:

That's (unfortunately) hilarious..!

The name Spinadiscus lefbevrei hasn't been easy to track down. In fact, I don't think it's valid... but will be next year! It's a long story, but there was a special volume due to be published on the Late Ordovician echinoderms of Morocco, which for various reasons didn't quite happen (despite several of the papers being completed). I think this name probably comes from there. The good news is the entire fauna (not just echinoderms) is due to come out next year, and most of the chapters are finished; so, hopefully the edrio chapter will include this! It may be from the Tiouririne or Ktaoua Formation, but is certainly Late Ordovician; there are a number of localities, many of them in or around the area of El Kaid Errami.

 

Next up we have Euryeschatia reboulorum (named after an amateur couple, Roland and Veronique Reboul) by Sumrall & Zamora (2011). From the paper: "Found in all cases attached to
conulariids from the Upper Ordovician (lowermost Ashgill) in the Upper Tiouririne Formation in two different localities of the El Caı̈d Rami area (Tarhia and Djebel Tijarfaı̈ouine), Morocco".

     So, Ashgill is correct, and Floian is wrong. Tiouririne Formation is correct, and Fezouata is wrong. And 'area east of Erfoud' is indeed correct.

 

Your machaeridian is also probably from the Tiouririne or underlying Ktaoua formation (collectively known as the Tafilalt Biota). There are plumulitids from the Fezouata - the ones that revealed what machaeridians actually are! - but those are extremely rare, whereas the ones from the Tafilalt are locally common.

 

So, the thing to remember: the Fezouata Biota is from the Lower Ordovician Fezouata Formation (Tremadoc and Floian), from the area around Zagora. The Tafilalt Biota (including most of the echinoderms and machaeridians easily available for sale) is from the Late Ordovician (Katian and early Ashgillian) Ktaoua and Tiouririne formations of the area broadly including El Caid Errami (numerous sites included), east of Erfoud. If your notes say it's a mixture of the two, feel free to berate the dealer vigorously. Hope that makes it a bit clearer!

 

You are correct about Spinadiscus lefbevrei not being valid at this time.  I started using it when C. Sumrall  ID a specimen for me and it just took off.  I keep asking when it is going to get published but never get a straight answer.  Soon is all I get.  It was in a thesis but that thesis was never published.  There is one reference to it on the internet in a list of species but that is it.  Would be nice if it all comes out soon. There is so much there that is not identified.

Joe