Missourian Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 (edited) Sometimes things turn up in the most unexpected places. Anyone who has hunted the Cretaceous chalk of Kansas may have come to despise the bazillions of inoceramid fragments that clutter the slopes. I know I have. I still collected a few pieces: This one is covered with encrusting epifauna. Most of these are the oyster Pseudoperna congesta. Until today, I didn't realize that many tiny cirripeds are also attached: Two individuals: 'Siamese twins': At least four individuals: These are all about 1-2 mm in size. They are similar in appearance to Stramentum elegansa shown here, which is from the upper Cretaceous of Kansas: Oh yeah.... Smoky Hill Chalk, Cretaceous Trego County, Kansas Edited May 24, 2013 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 (edited) Mitch, Those are pretty cool. Had to look them up - hadn't realized they were barnacles. Never heard the word "cirriped" before. I enjoy looking at fossils with "hitchhikers". Thanks for posting these. Regards, Edited May 22, 2013 by Fossildude19 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Very nice. They look similar to ones found in the British Cretaceous chalk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 very neat! Waittaminute.....were you hunting outside the Pennsylvanian!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 Never heard the word "cirriped" before. I changed the thread title to at least spell it correctly. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Cirriped and Cirripede appear to be interchangeable depending on the source, so each is correct. It reminds me of some authors that spell enrollment with one 'L', perhaps a regional preference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 very neat! Waittaminute.....were you hunting outside the Pennsylvanian!?! Not quite. There are Penn strata a few thousand feet below the chalk. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 Some more: There are at least 7 individuals here. I marked them in red: Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I have lots of examples of the holes they bore, but I've never even looked for the animal themselves! Very cool, something I haven't seen before. Want to trade for some? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 I have lots of examples of the holes they bore, but I've never even looked for the animal themselves! Very cool, something I haven't seen before. Want to trade for some? There must be dozens of the things on the fragment shown above. I've yet to check any of the few other pieces that I brought home, but I'd be surprised if they aren't present on those as well. If you happen to have pieces of inoceramids in your collection, I would surely think the little barnacles will turn up. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I try to avoid clams unless there are fish inside them but, I have several Inoceramid plates, none of which contain the remnants of these animals. I'll have to look extra close next time. Still trade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 The few pieces I have also have bits of the little fish on the other side, so I don't have any material to trade at the moment. I would like to rectify that in the future with another trip out west. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 Since I mentioned the fish, here is a pic of them that I used in an old thread: I guess I do have a few other chunks as well, but I don't know if the cirripedes attached along with so many oysters: Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 I try to avoid clams unless there are fish inside them but, I have several Inoceramid plates, none of which contain the remnants of these animals. I'll have to look extra close next time. Have you examined the back side of your fish pieces with a lot of magnification? The cirripedes can't be any longer than 2 mm. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 To give an idea of their size, I highlighted the location of the cirripedes in pic #4 from the inoceramid piece in pic #1: Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 (edited) Good eye! How did you ever spot those? or did I just answer my own question... Edited May 25, 2013 by Wrangellian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 25, 2013 Author Share Posted May 25, 2013 (edited) Good eye! How did you ever spot those? or did I just answer my own question... I was thinking of posting some little fish bones stuck to an inoceramid in my micro thread. They turned out to be a bit disappointing under magnification, so I then flipped the piece over to look at the encrusting oysters. I soon spotted a couple tiny forams on the shell. I scanned the surface for more, and these cirripedes started to turn up. Now I wonder if these could turn up on Cretaceous material in other areas. You should check your material. Edited May 25, 2013 by Missourian Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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