Nimravis Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I did not think that I was going to have time to hunt Georgia Cambrian trilobites – Aphelaspis brachyphasis from the Conasauga Formation, but I did find a couple hours to collect. So this morning I left at 7 AM and drove one and a half hours to Murray County, Georgia to collect at a small exposure on the Consssuga River. It was a cold morning, 31°, even by my Chicago standards for October. The purpose for this visit visit was to gather some matrix for winter work. If you have a chance to visit this site, besides being abundant , many of your finds will have multiple trilobites on the mudstone. Below are a couple pics of the area, as well as some of the trilobites that I found. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 NIce finds! I’d heard of Georgia trilos, but never actually seen them. “...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 More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 They are lovely wow . Great finds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 46 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: NIce finds! I’d heard of Georgia trilos, but never actually seen them. What is nice with this spot is that it is a very small exposure and the mudstone splits real easy and the trilobites are numerous . 20 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: They are lovely wow . Great finds. Thanks Bobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Very nice , a good days score.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 4 minutes ago, Nimravis said: What is nice with this spot is that it is a very small exposure and the mudstone splits real easy and the trilobites are numerous . 24 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: Maybe I’ll get there someday, thanks for posting! “...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 More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Thanks for the report. Nice finds. Is that Aphelaspis? Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 45 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: They are lovely wow . Great finds. I really like the look of a trilobite when they are in a nice size slab of matrix. Really nice colours to the mudstone too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izak_ Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Those are awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 30 minutes ago, Ludwigia said: Thanks for the report. Nice finds. Is that Aphelaspis? Yes they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 29 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: I really like the look of a trilobite when they are in a nice size slab of matrix. Really nice colours to the mudstone too. I agree. The other nice thing with this mudstone is that once I go through all of the matrix over the winter, I can cut it down to smaller pieces using a hacksaw– it cuts like warm butter. 31 minutes ago, Foozil said: Those are awesome!! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 1 hour ago, Malcolmt said: Very nice , a good days score.... The score will come when I go through the matrix this winter, the trilobites I posted today were ones that just exposed themselves. I will post them in a couple months. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxytropidoceras Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Wow!! Those are fantastic trilobites. An appropriate publication is: Schwimmer, D.R., 2012. An Aphelaspis zone (upper Cambrian, Paibian) trilobite faunule in the central Conasauga River Valley, North Georgia, USA. Southeastern Geology. V. 49, No. 1, p. 31-41 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289333517_An_aphelaspis_zone_Upper_Cambrian_paibian_trilobite_faunule_in_the_central_conasauga_River_Valley_North_Georgia_USA Yours, Paul H. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 Just now, Oxytropidoceras said: Wow!! Those are fantastic trilobites. An appropriate publication is: Schwimmer, D.R., 2012. An Aphelaspis zone (upper Cambrian, Paibian) trilobite faunule in the central Conasauga River Valley, North Georgia, USA. Southeastern Geology. V. 49, No. 1, p. 31-41 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289333517_An_aphelaspis_zone_Upper_Cambrian_paibian_trilobite_faunule_in_the_central_conasauga_River_Valley_North_Georgia_USA Yours, Paul H. Thanks Paul, I have that and I think that it is the only write up on that location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Congratulations Ralph. Those are some excellent finds for such a brief search. I'll have to add this one to my bucket list. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 I only wish I could find trilobites that beautiful and plentiful around here! Congratulations on the wonderful finds!!! Monica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Amazing. Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 That is a 'peach' of a spot (tip of the hat to Georgia)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Those are impressive finds! Quite lovely. That is some pretty hard core fossil hunting on a river at 31 degrees. Hope you were dressed warm enough. The thrill of the hunt and assurance of a good find is an excellent motivator though. I’m happy you found some good ones to make the trip and conditions worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Lovely. What a nice days work. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Great report and photos, Ralph. Good luck with the winter hunt. Thank you for posting this. Glad to see Jeffrey P and I were not the only ones out today. 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...
Nimravis Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 3 hours ago, Jeffrey P said: Congratulations Ralph. Those are some excellent finds for such a brief search. I'll have to add this one to my bucket list. Thanks for sharing. Jeff as an FYI those were just the ones that appeared during the collecting of the mudstone , there will be a great many more in the matrix. It is a great place to collect . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Well done, Ralph! I know I'd love to get my hands on some of that matrix. It does look very soft. Do you have to stabilize it after splitting to prevent it from drying out and cracking? ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 @Monica , @sixgill pete , @Wrangellian , @Tidgy's Dad, @Fossildude19 thanks for the nice comments. @KimTexan , you are correct, I did not feel the cold at all. @Kane So far I have not had to do that– it seems to be pretty stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 If you inspect each piece carefully (a loupe or binocular microscope helps) you may find some agnostid trilobites. I have a few complete ones from that site, but most are heads or tails (which look quite similar). They are not nearly as abundant as the Aphelaspis but they are a nice surprise when they show up. Don 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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