Catskill Formation, Pennsylvania 3

[Paul1719]

 Another trip to the Catskill formation and more fish. This time it was new sites on Rt 6 in Pennsylvania and some of the sites visited before. During the Middle Devonian, the Acadian orogeny had uplifted the edge of the tectonic plate and created  a very high mountain range to the east over New England and down the east coast (ref1). These mountains eroded rapidly and much of that sediment was carried west toward the inland sea that covered PA and NY.  The Catskill delta shoreline raced westward across the northern part of Pennsylvania in the Middle to Late Devonian. Marine sediments were replaced by near shore fresh water and then flood plain deposits. The Catskill represents this deposition and in this environment the first tetrapods evolved in a very diverse and complex ecosystem. So it's interesting to examine the spatial and temporal relationship of the deposits.  Most of the work so far has been done at Red Hill and along Rt 15.  So I had read about a Tristichopterid jaw that was found in the road cut along Rt 6 at Wyalusing Rocks and wanted to take a look. That site was a little disappointing but another road cut east of there in Laceyville, PA produced this interesting and almost complete but poorly preserved jaw.

And after some reconstruction. The plates above the jaw appear to be some kind of head plates but because of the poor preservation I have yet to see any ornament. There are teeth in there and I will attempt to expose them when I get to my new house in Connecticut.

and the counter-part

More to come

 

[fossilcrazy]

Paul1719, You seem to be a thorough fossil investigator. Nice find. So now we have an extension to the Upper Devonian of the Rt 120 and 15 corridors in PA. Keep seriously searching those shales on Rt 6, there must be more to be had. 

[jdp]

That jaw looks a lot like Elginerpeton. I do hope it will find its way into the ANSP

[jdp]

Please PLEASE do not try to prep this at home. This is a scientifically unique specimen and needs to be handled by a professional.

[Pemphix]

Indeed, this fossil should be shown to professionel paleontologists at a museum or institute being familiar with the topic "early tetrapodes"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elginerpeton

[fossilcrazy]

Dr. Ted Daeshler has done extensive work on the fossils of the area you speak. Having been at Red Hill you must know that. He is good with corresponding with citizen paleontologists. 

[Fossildude19]

 

5 hours ago, jdp said:

That jaw looks a lot like Elginerpeton. I do hope it will find its way into the ANSP

 

5 hours ago, jdp said:

Please PLEASE do not try to prep this at home. This is a scientifically unique specimen and needs to be handled by a professional.

 

2 hours ago, fossilcrazy said:

Dr. Ted Daeshler has done extensive work on the fossils of the area you speak. Having been at Red Hill you must know that. He is good with corresponding with citizen paleontologists. 

Paul and Ted have a good working relationship, so I feel confident he will be showing it to the right people, and will end up where it should be.  

 

 

 

Image from HERE.

 

[Paul1719]

My first impression was OMG it looks like a Densignathus jaw! But closer examination by me and I have been working with Ted Daeschler (ANSP) and Prof. Dave Broussard (Lycoming U), it's probably a Tristichopterid. They have seen this and I have been offering up everything I find to them …and they do have a lot of stuff I found this summer but I think because of the poor preservation there was not a lot of urgency about even seeing it in person. I will be doing minimal prep on this and hopefully meet up with them before the end of the season. 

[Fossildude19]

This is a very cool find, Paul!  

Can't wait to see what more can be uncovered!   

 

Welcome to Connecticut, by the way!  

[Paul1719]

Hey Tim! A little off topic but the house in Windsor fell through and I found another one in Wethersfield. This is one of the oldest framed houses in CT and possibly North America. The restoration was spectacular. Here is the rebuilt chimney. Originally, wattle and daub, restored with local sandstone (Newark?). I'll be moving next weekend.

 

[Fossildude19]

Wethersfield is just around the corner from me.  

Looks like a beautiful house!

Also, ... there are Dinosaur prints there.  

Welcome again! Let me know when you get settled in. We'll have to get together. 

 

[Paul1719]

I guess I'm going to have to relearn my CT geology. The chimney is from the Portland formation of the Newark supergroup.

 

and here is an update of the Cogan House Tristichopterid skull at the ANSP: This will be described in JVP probably next year!

 

Only missing the premaxilla! And the underside of the skull.

[Fossildude19]

That is super cool!  

[jdp]

11 hours ago, Paul1719 said:

My first impression was OMG it looks like a Densignathus jaw! But closer examination by me and I have been working with Ted Daeschler (ANSP) and Prof. Dave Broussard (Lycoming U), it's probably a Tristichopterid. They have seen this and I have been offering up everything I find to them …and they do have a lot of stuff I found this summer but I think because of the poor preservation there was not a lot of urgency about even seeing it in person. I will be doing minimal prep on this and hopefully meet up with them before the end of the season. 

Awesome! Glad to hear it.

[Jeffrey P]

Congratulations on the Tristichopterid jaw. An incredible find, even if it isn't the best preservation. You've been finding some amazing Devonian fish material in northern PA. Thanks for sharing it. By the way, your new high tech kitchen is quite stunning.