Some Silurian fossils

[aek]

Recently I've been revisiting some local Silurian outcrops. I have a love/hate relationship with these outcrops as they are incredibly difficult to work with, however I secretly enjoy that aspect as well. The fossils represent  the Homerian stage just before the Mulde Event, so roughly 422 - 426mya (if I'm not mistaken). For whatever reason, in the Racine formation, Gravicalymene celebra are almost always complete in the molting position and other species usually found disarticulated. The trick is extracting them without destroying them. 

 

 

Sometimes they are found enrolled, though much less common. I have only found two enrolled from this location over the past few years.

 

 

 

 

1) enrolled Calymene

2) Gravicalymene celebra

3) "

4) "

5) "

6) Sphaerexochus romingeri

7) Pentamerid brachiopod

8) favosites    blastoid?

9) Dalmanitid pygidium

10) partial Dalmanites cephalon

 

Close up snaps

 

Sphaerexochus romingeri

 

 

I believe this is a crinoid cup judging by the shape, but not sure. If anyone has any ideas...

 

 

 

and the drum roll...

 

 

Three species on one plate, Encrinurus pygidium, Dalmanites cephalon and a Calymene on the bottom . Unfortunately, due to the nature of the rock and my lowly prep skills, the only survivor is the Dalmanites. I somehow managed to restore both eyes with the original pieces for a nice "eye-popping" specimen.

 

 

Thanks for looking . Also, in case you're curious, this entire collection is the result of four trips, not one. About 4-5hours per trip , so about 18-20 hours of collecting. and many more prepping.

Cheers

 

[Bone guy]

Some nice critters! 

[ynot]

Nice finds!

Thanks for sharing.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Lovely bugs. 

And I think that's a crinoid, but can we see the top, please, as it may possibly be a blastoid. 

 

[Herb]

Nice finds, I really like the look of dolestone fossils

[Herb]

the crinoid looks like Eucalyptocrinites sp.

[Peat Burns]

Woooooo! NICE finds!

[Dan 1000]

Beautiful trilobites!

[deutscheben]

Love that sugar sparkle! Cool finds, especially that Dalmanites cephalon with the eye stalks.

[Innocentx]

Cute faces on these little guys.

[Ludwigia]

Thanks for sharing. You really need patience to get some good fossils out of dolomite. Well done.

[Monica]

Like @deutscheben I am drawn to the sparkle - simply stunning specimens!!! 

[Fossildude19]

Great finds and report. 

Thanks for posting this.

Regards,

[FranzBernhard]

Thats something different trilobitic... I like them! Thanks for sharing.

And I think its not only rock-breaking work, but often also heart-breaking work...

Franz Bernhard

[aek]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies everybody!

Silly me, I marked number 8 as a favosites, but I think it is actually an encrusted blastoid. I can't seem to find much info on Silurian blastoidea though. The ISGS website only has Mississippian blastoids listed. My books are pointing towards Troosticrinus or Codaster sp? @Tidgy's Dad

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

34 minutes ago, aek said:

Thanks for all the wonderful replies everybody!

Silly me, I marked number 8 as a favosites, but I think it is actually an encrusted blastoid. I can't seem to find much info on Silurian blastoidea though. The ISGS website only has Mississippian blastoids listed. My books are pointing towards Troosticrinus or Codaster sp? @Tidgy's Dad

 

 

No, neither of those.

I still think crinoid is more likely. Can we see the other end, please ? 

[aek]

32 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

No, neither of those.

I still think crinoid is more likely. Can we see the other end, please ? 

Bottom view:

 

Side view:

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

It's very nice, I think it's a crinoid calyx, but not sure which species. 

[fossilized6s]

Nice Illinois material! 

[Herb]

 Eucalyptocrinites sp.

[aek]

 @Herb  @Tidgy's Dad Thank you for your help! I thought it looked similar to some of my Waldron finds...Best regards 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I'm not so sure. 

Look at the basals on Eucalyptocrinites. 

Yours doesn't seem to have them. 

[Darktooth]

Nice trilos!

[aek]

On 7/30/2018 at 4:52 AM, Tidgy's Dad said:

I'm not so sure. 

Look at the basals on Eucalyptocrinites. 

Yours doesn't seem to have them. 

I agree. Now I'm thinking  Caryocrinites is a closer possibility..