minnbuckeye Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 Whenever I visit the Decorah Shale the gumdrop bryozoans called Prasapora stand out. The vast majority have a domed top to them. But once or twice a summer, I stumble on a few that are distinctively pointy. Are these separate species or just variants of the same one? The species eludes me even if they are one in the same. HELP!! Mike Normal domed ones: Pointy one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 Can't help you but I like 'em. Good name for the domed ones, gumdrop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClearLake Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 In the Fosils of Ohio book they describe Homotrypella as forming hemispherical, gumdrop shaped colonies. The apertures are rounded as opposed to Prasopora where the aperture are subpolygonal. No picture is provided but I think the apertures on your specimen fit that description when I zoom in. Homotrypella is an Ordovician genus. Iowa is not too far from Ohio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 3 hours ago, ClearLake said: Iowa is not too far from Ohio Only 250 miles of Illinois and Indiana in between! Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 I wish to point out I don't feel I'm that much of an "expert" on Paleozoic bryozoan systematics, but here goes anyway The Journal of Paleontology has some articles on Prasopora, I think (e.g.,Marintsch?) FRITZ Life Sciences Contributions Royal Ontario Museum 107 Redescription of Type Specimens of Species of the Bryozoan Genera Monticulipora,Mesotrypa, Peronopora, and Prasopora,from the Upper Ordovician Rocks of Toronto and Vicinity, Ontario, Canada Madeleine A. Fritz or: Ok, Canada is not the USA, but redescriptionoft00frit.pdf Of course, additional expertise might be provided by others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 The only way to properly identify a lot of bryozoans is through thin sectioning then looking at the structure through a microscope. This obviously will destroy the sample piece, but if you find damaged ones, it may be worth a try. When I had access to great ordovician material here in Ontario, I'd find both styles of Prasopora as well, but I never got to the point of sectioning them. 1 There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted May 28, 2019 Author Share Posted May 28, 2019 @ClearLake, the apertures appear polygonal like to me from the pictures. From your perspective, they look round? I will try and get a better look/ picture. @doushantuo, thanks for the info!!! Very educational but didn't give me that SIMPLE answer I was hoping for. @Northern Sharks, doushantou's reference spells this out vividly. I have many "prasapora" that would love to be thin sectioned, but I have no capability of such an undertaking. So they will just be filed with my general "prasapora" label. Thanks for everyone's participation!!! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted May 28, 2019 Author Share Posted May 28, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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