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Hi,

Monday I visited a new site highly recommended by another TFF member. It was a roadcut on an interstate highway near Schoharie, NY. The roadcut exposed what I believe (based on fauna and preservation) the Lower Devonian Kalkberg Formation, part of the Helderberg Group (410 million years old). The day was gorgeous. Temp was in the low 70s. Fossils were plentiful in particular layers and the preservation was often excellent. Many were found loose from the matrix lying in the rubble. As with other exposures of the Kalkberg in Schoharie County, the biodiversity was awesome. I collected for two and a half hours, exploring only about half of the exposure when a state trooper pulled up and informed me that this highway allowed emergency stopping only and recommended I move along. I had time to gather all of my finds and my tools. I am a bit sad knowing I can't return to this very productive site and that there were likely more magnificent specimens still sitting there waiting to be picked up. However, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to collect there once. Here is an overview of my finds and a pair of Diaphorostoma ventricosum gastropods on matrix.

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Some crinoid parts: a partial root base, a calyx (Edriocrinus pocilliformis), and unidentified stem section.

Sponges: Hindia sphaeroidalis

Tentaculites with Discomyorthis oblate (brachiopod) 

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What a shame you can't go back! :(

But still, as you say, what you did collect is super, the gastropods are great and some of those brachiopods look gorgeous. :wub: 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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Trilobite parts. the two pygidiums are likely Paciphacops logani.

A brachiopod- Macropleura macropleura

Another brachiopod- Uncinulus abruptus

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3 more species of brachiopods:

Costistrophonella sp. 

Megakozlowskiella perlamellosa

Trematospira multistrata

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And more brachiopods:

Discomyorthis oblata though some could be Levenea or Tyersella

Another Megakozlowskiella perlamellosa, but what is that odd stem-shaped object below it? A bryozoan, a crinoid, what?

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Just now, Jeffrey P said:

And more brachiopods:

Discomyorthis oblate though some could be Levenea or Tyersella

Another Megakozlowskiella perlamellosa, but what is that odd stem-shaped object below it? A bryozoan, a crinoid, what?

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Looks like the bryozoan Archimedes to me.

And those brachiopods. :drool:

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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8 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Looks like the bryozoan Archimedes to me.

And those brachiopods. :drool:

It does superficially resemble Archimedes, the bryozoan, but as far as I know Archimedes didn't appear until the Mississippian.  

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Just now, Jeffrey P said:

It does superficially resemble Archimedes, the bryozoan, but as far as I know Archimedes didn't appear until the Mississippian.  

Yes, but i wonder if there was a similar fenestrate bryozoan back in the early Devonian ? 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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Very nice! 

“...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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Wondering...can you park your vehicle elsewhere and walk to the site?

The GW shark site I have dug in ( even though right next to the highway) I have to park about 3/4 of a mile away and walk to it.

 

 

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Fenestrate bryozoans can be found as far back as the Ordovician.  Archimedes is characterized by a screw-like central axis, and it is only found in the Carboniferous as far as I know.

 

Don

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Fine assortment and preservation, Jeff.  And appreciate the Id's for future reference.

Macropluera macropluera is found in the upper 5' of the Kalkberg (Rickard 1962).

Gordon

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Great finds!!!  I especially like the piece with the brachiopod and the Tentaculites - two fossils for the price of one! :dinothumb::P

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Great finds Jeff! I hope that Phacops logani turns out to be complete.  BTW, Discomyorthis oblata was the name of my album of dance music from the 70's. 

-Dave

__________________________________________________

Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPhee

If I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPhee

Check out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/

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On 6/14/2018 at 6:51 AM, caldigger said:

Wondering...can you park your vehicle elsewhere and walk to the site?

The GW shark site I have dug in ( even though right next to the highway) I have to park about 3/4 of a mile away and walk to it.

Over the years I tried that at two interstate localities. At one the exposure was far enough back from the road that no one seemed to notice me. At the other, much closer to the road, a trooper pulled over and said he was getting calls about someone wandering along the highway on foot. I never went near the road but folks still called me in. Trooper was nice enough but I still had to leave.  

 

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Simply superb! I have never seen anything like that unidentified stem! Splendid, splendid, splendid.

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On 6/15/2018 at 1:59 PM, erose said:

Over the years I tried that at two interstate localities. At one the exposure was far enough back from the road that no one seemed to notice me. At the other, much closer to the road, a trooper pulled over and said he was getting calls about someone wandering along the highway on foot. I never went near the road but folks still called me in. Trooper was nice enough but I still had to leave.  

 

Wear a hi-vis vest and a hard hat and generally dress like a construction worker. Very effective in convincing people you belong there.

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A few more brachiopods:

 

left- Meristella sp. 

middle- Rhynchospira globosa

right- Howellella sp.

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On ‎6‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 10:04 PM, Tidgy's Dad said:

What a shame you can't go back! :(

But still, as you say, what you did collect is super, the gastropods are great and some of those brachiopods look gorgeous. :wub: 

Glad you appreciate my finds Adam. 

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