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My Kansas City conodonts


KCMOfossil

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The past month or so I have had a chance to examine some shale from the Stark Shale, Dennis Formation, Kansas City Group.  I have found many conodonts and I’ve enjoyed the challenge of taking pictures of them while they are still embedded in the shale.  I think I have over 100 specimens now.    Below I have posted some of my results.  I have tried to identify the element position (P, S, or M) according to Purnell, Donoghue and Aldridge’s “Orientation and Anatomical Notation in Conoodonts,” Journal of Paleontology, 74(1), 2000, pp. 113-122, although I have not distinguished among the various S elements.  In addition, I have attempted a bit of genus and species identification using Baesemann’s “Missouri (Upper Pennsylvanian) Conodonts of Northeastern Kansas,” Journal of Paleontology, 47(4), 689-710.  

 

I am just now beginning to experiment with dissolving the shale to extract the conodonts.  I’ve had a some luck just using a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution from a local drug store.  If I can figure this out, I should be able to get some pictures of extracted specimens.

 

It has been fascinating and I’ve learned some interesting things.  I have no training in biology or paleontology, and I am just a fossil hobbyist, so I expect that there are mistakes in my understanding of the terminology and in the ID of specific items.  This is likely exacerbated by my superficial reading of the articles I mentioned above.  So, feel free to correct me and I will be grateful.

 

Just a few things about the pictures.  The conodonts are in the 1-3 mm range.  Second, the places where the conodont appears to be black are actually where the conodont is missing.  Conodonts leave a detailed shiny mold if they are broken out or removed.  Third, certain presentations are common others are less so.  For example the P element seldom presents its dorsal view.  Fourth, depth of field is a special problem for the P elements since they tend to bulge upward--and out of focus.

 

I hope to continue to develop this post as my understanding grows and my specimens increase.


I have numbered each picture by means of the comment above it.

 

 

 

1. S element

5a6cff5ac14eb_171229121620484(2).thumb.jpg.7be0dd4ababa427c29367a0e82eb0980.jpg

 

 

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2. S element

1817171631444.thumb.jpg.eb6134ff7e11ff2277496b83d206284a.jpg

 

3. S element pair

pair.thumb.jpg.fed894ff608d71891ea9f1d420d4f820.jpg

 

4. S elements partial assemblage

5a6d14ff2bf0c_18124205439717(2).thumb.jpg.1ebbfdf3cfa305249ca34013ee06397b.jpg

 

 

5. S elements partial assemblage (other half from the shale split)

5a6d1851a8200_18124205818113(2).thumb.jpg.a8ae13f92fad45b8ac4ba4e074aa7c07.jpg

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6. S element

5a6d17e7b7fa4_18124191949404(2).thumb.jpg.07f645a613e7140698560ebf261ac2d7.jpg

 

7. S element

5a6d199fac559_18115175516953(3).thumb.jpg.e36848d942b59175e059fc3fcd2966af.jpg

 

8. S element

5a6d1adc426ae_1811316432669(2).thumb.jpg.7144a3fd698efd92e50616dfb278fe02.jpg

 

9. P element

161.thumb.jpg.e5ea8f6015feea09ab590a791a531b7b.jpg

 

10. P element

111.thumb.jpg.905f9e9212dcaa5ef89b348b07510669.jpg

 

 

Edited by KCMOfossil
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12. P element

553.thumb.jpg.29be15b76c7edd988913c1c919049f2b.jpg

 

13. P element

626.thumb.jpg.e3a62596ccbd30f5da83e8ee28fd7767.jpg

 

14. P element

563.thumb.jpg.14925bc5da075977a55d7e6cb7a18f4e.jpg

 

15. P elements

905.thumb.jpg.efd5bf73d758c589f1d2f3e770147b3c.jpg

 

16. P elements - a pair view 1

164.jpg.6e49497cca1a28f36cc637e1a1f5f81f.jpg

 

17.  P elements - a pair view 2

941.jpg.181cd8087d7f5d125ce10d73decb217e.jpg

 

18. P element

705.thumb.jpg.a0ca5b43c2995ad111f2ed5edfb2c6bd.jpg

 

19. P element

837.jpg.f064aaa2d15c19a162eb27eb5ee1f508.jpg

 

20. P element

831.thumb.jpg.4d463b1963f939856ca7248a50ea8e6f.jpg

 

21. M Element

5a6f52ce2c74c_17122912344645(2).thumb.jpg.6996ca9a1310f43abb0749699fe4c1f0.jpg

 

22. M element

5a6f5378b5438_1811820143186(2).thumb.jpg.3df2844bc5aa701806f619f4e4b55f39.jpg

 

23. M element

5a6f53e84cb33_1811917221700(2).thumb.jpg.47399d6c625464554a5e8f24c23bff90.jpg

 

24. M element

5a6f54e1bd041_1812011538130(2).thumb.jpg.5104ba956b9cc125df7c9ca1a1a26056.jpg

 

25. M element

5a6f5513827c8_1813204915362(2).thumb.jpg.dcaf604d8ccee45faa0abc328e6bf548.jpg

 

26. M element

5a6f554528971_1814172128888(2).thumb.jpg.c46f7e37a5be6eaa47532dd3eb2c18b3.jpg

 

27. M element

5a6f55f9be0fb_17122913343698(2).thumb.jpg.7e341f0ee250eb68fbb0525f455f0bf1.jpg

 

28. M element

5a6f562a1c812_17123114484579(2).thumb.jpg.5ee9cee22a39bcc66eef37c2c7dfa25e.jpg

 

29. M element - Aethotaxis advena

5a6f582862545_1812171331265(2).thumb.jpg.a167810c2b2a52dbe3e9c313409fda6b.jpg

 

30. M element - Aethotaxis advena

5a6f58ef90015_1819211325763(2).thumb.jpg.42d2a0e21e5120a4f94583a216bec7f7.jpg

 

31. M element - Aethotaxis advena

5a6f5926a7ded_longtooth(2).jpg.4235e29b91747b5aa59ba10b294f3a4f.jpg

 

32. M element - Aethotaxis advena

5a6f5a0294281_181314406787(2).thumb.jpg.a126f508b3384606fe6c11c6763407cf.jpg

 

33. M element - Idiognathodus delicatus

5a6f5b684715a_1811820183686(2).thumb.jpg.de3a8f909f0471f5939a271d069a16ba.jpg

 

34. M element - Idiognathodus delicatus

5a6f5b9fe8e82_18111202012331(2).thumb.jpg.66da88556ccd926005a158c3094753bc.jpg

 

35. M element - Idiognathodus delicatus

5a6f5bcd38e1b_18115193034295(2).thumb.jpg.b13ae5aa672ba2b5538ea8eb4a824525.jpg

 

36. M element - Idiognathodus delicatus

5a6f5c08e1c0a_171229122821382(2).thumb.jpg.daf7ce8f593dcafe7490c2df62ff9d52.jpg

 

37. M element - Idioprioniodus lexingtonensis

5a6f752472a6a_1811519734744(2).thumb.jpg.d7b312f4e0c03cbe4e5ae1f7bad7f536.jpg

 

38. M element - Idioprioniodus lexingtonensis

5a6f7574c4404_18119173238806(2).thumb.jpg.401d057682883c4804c72af38e46f280.jpg

 

39. M element - Idioprioniodus lexingtonensis

5a6f75a8a6a1c_18124203927466(2).thumb.jpg.b02d6fa24940284c4423e02a47f5852b.jpg

 

40. M element - Idioprioniodus lexingtonensis

5a6f75d405879_my_photo-106(2).thumb.jpg.529e0a2fca1a7950fded78201e68762a.jpg

 

41. M element ?

5a6f77f0e6a86_181218325462(2).jpg.85c92d2104086563b4c880bd62851c51.jpg

 

42. M element ?

5a6f785f297e8_18114152736173(2).thumb.jpg.de0b7bca9038a31cf15261ec00a80ff1.jpg

 

43a. M element ? 43a and 43b are two halve of one specimen that would not fit in a single short.  43a is the right side, 43b is the left.

5a6f78f789c36_18118193921650(2).thumb.jpg.ad1aacd855ed5d52f50a0789c321a8d9.jpg

 

43b.  M element ? second half of 43a.

5a6f7984910c4_18118193954510(2).thumb.jpg.030860235e804eb635584dedc7e5a91d.jpg

 

44. M element ?

5a6f79e80dfc4_1813195539538(2).thumb.jpg.86a22de0f8e836b79d95ef266ad248aa.jpg

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You may find this publication interesting:

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269699418_Pennsylvanian_stratigraphy_of_Northern_Midcontinent_Shelf_and_biostratigraphic_correlation_of_cyclothems

 

I am interested in its detailed descriptions of Midcontinent cyclothems, but it also describes the types of conodonts found in each, particularly in what are referred to as 'condensed intervals'. These intervals are often black shales like the Hushpuckney and Stark, but in some minor cyclothems, they can be limestones. One of these is the Exline Limestone within the Pleasanton Group. With luck, one could recover some conodonts from this thin bed after dissolving some with HCl acid. I've yet to encounter the Exline, but there is always a first time... 

 

(Edit: not yet sure on the use of HCl on Ca-phosphate conodonts... should test a small sample....)

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Context is critical.

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Very nice specimens and photos. I really like how I could see the fine serrated teeth. 

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diagenesis

detailing apatite diagenetic structures in conodonts,and written by people who know their conodonts back to front,and back again,sideways...

you get my drift

about 5,5 Mb I think

recommended reading

ordfothvitphojafmjjpwillist.jpg

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On 1/28/2018 at 12:39 AM, Missourian said:

describes the types of conodonts found in each

Thanks, Missourian, for the link to this fascinating article.  I am hopeful that with time I will be able to identify more species based on their specific stratigraphic location.

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3 hours ago, doushantuo said:

diagenesis

detailing apatite diagenetic structures in conodonts,and written by people who know their conodonts back to front,and back again,sideways...

Fascinating article.  Thanks.  It shows how much there is to learn about and from these tiny fossils--for example, palaeoclimatic information derived from their chemistry.

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15 hours ago, JUAN EMMANUEL said:

Very nice specimens and photos.

Thanks, Juan.  I, too, find them fascinating.  Their "teeth" make that microscopic ancient world seem ferocious.

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  • 2 years later...

Going through some shale from the Stark Shale Member (or, perhaps Hushpuckney Shale) of the Pennsylvanian, Kansas City Group, and found this interesting assemblage of four S elements.  The conodont elements are about 3mm long.

5eb6bc0ca70b6_my_photo-183edit.thumb.jpg.821f38dd5b096687891bcbdf28ede464.jpg

 

Below are three close-ups.

 

5eb6bc6a94daa_my_photo-188edit.thumb.jpg.30f954c8cdac6c928c2aca44875a9ef1.jpg

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