Jump to content

bigred97

Recommended Posts

Here is a concretion I found at Braceville. I'm curious if others have found ones like this as well. When the outer shell came off, the inner part looked like it had already been split and was glued back together. This is the second one I've found that has this pentagon shape. I've found others that are split along what looks like the more typical plane of a concretion. In each case, when it opens along these lines, there is a white, sometimes crystalline, substance. But no recognizable fossil. This one split into many pieces all with that white substance (I suppose it must be calcite). I wonder if these have split years before and then re-joined. I have only found these in Braceville.

20Concretion368Braceville.thumb.jpg.62c1cbe0dca4c1d458363f38e9c43017.jpg

21Concretion458Braceville.thumb.jpg.0bffa786c78933620208d167978d4a69.jpg

22Concretion571Braceville.thumb.jpg.0e0f90121ba92c4fdae740ca2bf3dd5f.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/6/2019 at 3:48 PM, bigred97 said:

21Concretion458Braceville.thumb.jpg.0bffa786c78933620208d167978d4a69.jpg

Typical Francis Creek Shale septarian. Pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal and way out there crazy pattern are all common. I have one sitting in the front yard that is flat and round and about 15 inches in diameter, and many smaller ones that I have kept and there's many, many that I have discarded or even ignored while collecting. They are fascinating at first. I like the multi-colored ones they find in Texas. (And yes, that's calcite)

  • I found this Informative 1

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Mark. I suppose I will start to leave these behind knowing that they aren't going to contain a fossil. Or maybe split them open where I find them. I'd certainly like to avoid carrying back anything that I can tell from the outside won't contain a fossil - my back will thank me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This next one is from Pit 11 and I believe it is an acorn worm, Mazoglossus ramsdelli. Not terribly well-preserved (the concretion was particularly crumbly) but seems to have the correct shape at least.

23AcornWorm1040Pit11.thumb.jpg.6634d72f0201f112f77e6fe839294afd.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, bigred97 said:

Thanks, Mark. I suppose I will start to leave these behind knowing that they aren't going to contain a fossil. Or maybe split them open where I find them. I'd certainly like to avoid carrying back anything that I can tell from the outside won't contain a fossil - my back will thank me!

They become less interesting the more you see them, but those who don't have access to them may see them as something collectible. In retrospect I would have collected and kept every one I found and either given or sold them to those who expressed interest. Some of them are really cool.

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/1/2019 at 9:18 PM, bigred97 said:

This next one is one of my favorites, because it's the first Mazon Creek fossil I ever found, on my first trip to Pit 11 in May of last year. I found this Neuropteris leaf already open and just couldn't believe it. If I wasn't hooked already, I sure was then! I love the detail in fossils like this. I remember just crouching there with it in amazement. Followed up with many minutes of searching for the other side, which I never did find.

19Neuropteris779Pit11.thumb.jpg.62a6da81bd524aaf9341b766117ebe75.jpg

Yep, thats a beauty! congrats. 

Regards, Chris 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎7‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 7:16 PM, Plantguy said:

Yep, thats a beauty! congrats. 

Regards, Chris 

Thanks, Chris!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark, I did like this septarian. I would probably take one that looked like this home again. But I would know not to break it apart next time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, bigred97 said:

Mark, I did like this septarian. I would probably take one that looked like this home again. But I would know not to break it apart next time!

If you take them all and no one else does you will eventually have cornered the MC septarian market and will rule the monopoly you have created. MWAHAHAHAHA!!!! Once there are none left except the ones you have, the possibilities of fame and fortune are endless. Or so I've heard. :default_clap2:

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, then I can sell this one as a Game of Thrones dragon egg - starting to hatch! :heartylaugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, bigred97 said:

Yes, then I can sell this one as a Game of Thrones dragon egg - starting to hatch! :heartylaugh:

Yes, I can see it all now. :D

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can’t tell what this next one might be. It’s from Braceville. I was thinking it was maybe part of a sea cucumber or shrimp. Then I saw a picture of Anthracophausia ingelsorum and could see some resemblances there as well. I’d appreciate any thoughts from the group.

24SeaCucumber1000Braceville.thumb.jpg.4cc763bcee1f07205a918154948a68ba.jpg

25SeaCucumber903Braceville.thumb.jpg.f73c2865cf52dbf47d2c110630c930e4.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, bigred97 said:

I can’t tell what this next one might be. It’s from Braceville. I was thinking it was maybe part of a sea cucumber or shrimp. Then I saw a picture of Anthracophausia ingelsorum and could see some resemblances there as well. I’d appreciate any thoughts from the group.

I don't know. Not familiar enough with that specie. But I did find this feature interesting:

 

Untitled.png

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/8/2019 at 5:33 PM, bigred97 said:

I can’t tell what this next one might be. It’s from Braceville. I was thinking it was maybe part of a sea cucumber or shrimp. Then I saw a picture of Anthracophausia ingelsorum and could see some resemblances there as well. I’d appreciate any thoughts from the group.

24SeaCucumber1000Braceville.thumb.jpg.4cc763bcee1f07205a918154948a68ba.jpg  25SeaCucumber903Braceville.thumb.jpg.f73c2865cf52dbf47d2c110630c930e4.jpg

This is a shrimp molt.

it appears to be Belotelson.

  • I found this Informative 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonderful finds bigred97, i wish i had a site like mazon creek nearby.:envy:

theme-celtique.png.bbc4d5765974b5daba0607d157eecfed.png.7c09081f292875c94595c562a862958c.png

"On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

"We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes."

 

In memory of Doren

photo-thumb-12286.jpg.878620deab804c0e4e53f3eab4625b4c.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

27 minutes ago, RCFossils said:

This is a shrimp molt.

it appears to be Belotelson.

Shrimp molt - interesting! Thanks, RC!

 

10 minutes ago, fifbrindacier said:

Wonderful finds bigred97, i wish i had a site like mazon creek nearby.

fifbrindacier, thanks! I'm about 2 1/2 hours away which makes it a little tough to get out there all that often, especially with two little boys at home. Sometimes I wish I was closer but then I give myself a shot of perspective - I'm lucky to be as close as I am!

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll buy shrimp molt, but I still want to know what those spikes I highlighted are. I find those more interesting that the rest of the fossil.

 

EDIT: Oh, poop. I just looked at it again. That's the telson, isn't it?

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark, I was thinking when I looked at the pictures of Belotelson in Wittry that the part I circled in red below is perhaps the fan tail. It just seems to have the same shape. If so then this would be just the tail end of the molt. In any case, I don't know what the spike you highlighted is. Could it perhaps be a leg that came off with this part of the molt and is turned at a weird angle? Or maybe you are right and that is in fact the end of the tail side, I'm certainly no expert on this topic. Anyhow, thanks for your question, Mark, you've certainly piqued my curiosity! Chris

 

26SeaCucumber1080Braceville.thumb.jpg.abd8b048c93df7755041b601a237183a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, bigred97 said:

Mark, I was thinking when I looked at the pictures of Belotelson in Wittry that the part I circled in red below is perhaps the fan tail. It just seems to have the same shape. If so then this would be just the tail end of the molt. In any case, I don't know what the spike you highlighted is. Could it perhaps be a leg that came off with this part of the molt and is turned at a weird angle? Or maybe you are right and that is in fact the end of the tail side, I'm certainly no expert on this topic. Anyhow, thanks for your question, Mark, you've certainly piqued my curiosity! Chris

 

26SeaCucumber1080Braceville.thumb.jpg.abd8b048c93df7755041b601a237183a.jpg

Remember that it  may be a molt. So a leg that's pressed flat with no internal features to support it will likely become about twice as wide, perhaps more. In addition parts may be flipped, inverted, superimposed, twisted or pointed in an unnatural direction. This is the reason I'm not totally convinced this is a shrimp molt. It may be part of a different arthropod. This is another one of those fossils that I want to hold in hand and examine using a 10x loupe.

  • I found this Informative 1

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark, I did my best to get more detailed pictures. I even used my loupe and took pics through it for some of these. This will take a couple posts, I have 6 pics to post. I think this is the best I can get. If we lived closer I'd drive on over and show it to you! Chris

27Belotelsonmolt980Braceville.thumb.jpg.dfbf02de34357e9c73c88612e97f3de4.jpg

28Belotelsonmolt1010Braceville.thumb.jpg.7423a1c01192b520ea2cc08a44b4c95c.jpg

29Belotelsonmolt829Braceville.thumb.jpg.aed37ed343299c93a7b052cb118b0bad.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

This next one is from Braceville. I thought at first it was just a line but then I saw these tiny, delicate branches coming off of it. They almost look rootlike to me. I really like this one. My best guess based on Wittry is that this is a foliated twig of Lepidodendron. I am interested in what others think.

33Lepidodendronfoliatedtwig630Braceville.thumb.jpg.10a9ff3471fa2bcaddacf1d8988c60f5.jpg

34Lepidodendronfoliatedtwig868Braceville.thumb.jpg.3d31778fb689c464df562abe7c3411f6.jpg35Lepidodendronfoliatedtwig836Braceville.thumb.jpg.22c139cf8d4cc876987d8a728f5a3731.jpg

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking Stigmaria -- root. The irregular lengths of the branching structures suggest root as opposed to twigs which tend to display more regular lengths and intervals.

  • I found this Informative 2

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/9/2019 at 11:46 PM, bigred97 said:

Mark, I was thinking when I looked at the pictures of Belotelson in Wittry that the part I circled in red below is perhaps the fan tail. It just seems to have the same shape. If so then this would be just the tail end of the molt. In any case, I don't know what the spike you highlighted is. Could it perhaps be a leg that came off with this part of the molt and is turned at a weird angle? Or maybe you are right and that is in fact the end of the tail side, I'm certainly no expert on this topic. Anyhow, thanks for your question, Mark, you've certainly piqued my curiosity! Chris

 

26SeaCucumber1080Braceville.thumb.jpg.abd8b048c93df7755041b601a237183a.jpg

That is preserved chitin.  Looks like from the tail of a shrimp, like noted earlier.  Belotelson molt.

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 6:51 PM, Mark Kmiecik said:

I'm thinking Stigmaria -- root. The irregular lengths of the branching structures suggest root as opposed to twigs which tend to display more regular lengths and intervals.

Thanks, Mark! I thought it looked root-like, so that makes sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...