Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hello there! I took advantage of the nice weather we've been having to visit Mimico Creek in Toronto, Ontario (Georgian Bay Formation, Upper Ordovician) yesterday afternoon. Here are some photos of specimens that I'd like help identifying - perhaps @Tidgy's Dad would like to have a look? Firstly - the whole rock which contains the bryozoans and the unknown black objects: Specimen #1: a nice branching bryozoan - perhaps Homotrypa? Specimen #2: a nice encrusting bryozoan (there are actually two of them) - perhaps Mesotrypa? More to come... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Specimen #3 (on the same rock above): a long, black, shiny object - I have no idea what it is Specimen #4 (on the same rock above): another long, black, shiny object - I have no idea what it is Specimen #5 (on a different rock, two views): a brachiopod of some sort - Adam @Tidgy's Dad? More to come... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 1 minute ago, Monica said: More to come... The impression on the lower left seems to compare well with Ambonychia sp. 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Specimen #6: two views of a bivalve - family Modiomorphidae - perhaps Modiomorpha? Specimen #7: two views of another bivalve from family Modiomorphidae? Eric - I know you like Toronto bivalves so I'll tag you @Wrangellian Thanks in advance for your help! Monica 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 3 minutes ago, Kane said: The impression on the lower left seems to compare well with Ambonychia sp. Yes, that is correct. I should have specified which specimen I was referring to - whoops! It's the little guy right next to the ruler that I think is a brachiopod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Ah, ok. I think that would have been my only successful guess. I remember that one because it resembles (to me) a Ruffles potato chip. 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 4 minutes ago, Kane said: Ah, ok. I think that would have been my only successful guess. I remember that one because it resembles (to me) a Ruffles potato chip. Only much less delicious than a Ruffles potato chip! Now I want to eat potato chips, and it's only 9:30am! Thanks, Kane! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 14 minutes ago, Monica said: Only much less delicious than a Ruffles potato chip! Now I want to eat potato chips, and it's only 9:30am! Thanks, Kane! Tough on the dental work, for sure. But therein lies a new business idea of "paleo chips". I say go ahead and grab a handful. It's not like any of us have to go in to teach anywhere today! Extraordinary times call for extraordinary exceptions to standard eating patterns. 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 The first bryozoan could be Homotrypa streetsvillensis. The second Mesotrypa distincta ? The long black shiny object also looks like a bryozoan to me, maybe a species of Bythopora? 4 is indeed a yummy brachiopod, difficult as i can't see the posterior, but could be Hebertella sinuata. I'm not sure about the bivalves, I have a list of some of the Georgina Bay ones, but haven't studied them properly yet, there are lots that look pretty much the same to me. Nice finds, Monica. 4 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 7 minutes ago, Kane said: Tough on the dental work, for sure. But therein lies a new business idea of "paleo chips". I say go ahead and grab a handful. It's not like any of us have to go in to teach anywhere today! Extraordinary times call for extraordinary exceptions to standard eating patterns. Well, I think I'll start with a coffee and some homemade chocolate-butterscotch chip cookies now that my husband is home (he just came home from the 20 minutes allotted to him to go back to his school to pick up his binders and textbooks - I went to my school yesterday) and the kids need a break from their math work (we picked up workbooks for both of them and they've been working diligently on them for about 2 hours per day). Afterwards, chips will likely be on the menu today 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 4 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said: The first bryozoan could be Homotrypa streetsvillensis. The second Mesotrypa distincta ? The long black shiny object also looks like a bryozoan to me, maybe a species of Bythopora? 4 is indeed a yummy brachiopod, difficult as i can't see the posterior, but could be Hebertella sinuata. I'm not sure about the bivalves, I have a list of some of the Georgina Bay ones, but haven't studied them properly yet, there are lots that look pretty much the same to me. Nice finds, Monica. I've never seen a black bryozoan before, but I'm certainly no expert so perhaps it is! Thanks for the assistance, Adam! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 S'okay, i'm off for a nibble. I've somehow come over with a craving for crisps. 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Monica said: Yes, that is correct. I should have specified which specimen I was referring to - whoops! It's the little guy right next to the ruler that I think is a brachiopod I wonder if the proposed brachiopod is another Ambonychia peeking out of the rock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 31 minutes ago, Peat Burns said: I wonder if the proposed brachiopod is another Ambonychia peeking out of the rock I don't think it's another Ambonychia radiata because it's a little "bent" (it appears to have a fold and sulcus) rather than "flat", so I think it's a brachiopod of some sort. I realize that the photos don't really show this but in hand it appears to have this feature. However, since I'm not going to prep it out further, this is probably going to remain mostly a mystery item. Thanks for chiming in! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Brachiopods usually preserve shell differently then bivalves. The folds are almost exactly the same as the other bivalves on the slab. I do sort of see what you mean about the shape, kinda like an Herbetela(brach), but I think that is just an odd artifact of the imperfect preservation 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 11 hours ago, Monica said: Eric - I know you like Toronto bivalves so I'll tag you @Wrangellian I like Paleozoic bivalves as much as brachs etc, but I don't know enough about them to help you with ID. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share Posted April 4, 2020 17 hours ago, erose said: Brachiopods usually preserve shell differently then bivalves. The folds are almost exactly the same as the other bivalves on the slab. I do sort of see what you mean about the shape, kinda like an Herbetela(brach), but I think that is just an odd artifact of the imperfect preservation Perhaps I should whack the rock in the hopes that the specimen will pop out so we can see it more clearly? I'll think about it... 10 hours ago, Wrangellian said: I like Paleozoic bivalves as much as brachs etc, but I don't know enough about them to help you with ID. No worries, Eric! I just thought you'd appreciate seeing a couple of bivalves from my area with the "shell" somewhat preserved (since they normally don't look that nice around here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 I do! Is there intact shell material? I can't tell... at first glance they look to be steinkerns, but they're still keepers if they're anywhere near complete or they are not well-represented in your collection (or others). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjw Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 On 03/04/2020 at 9:26 AM, Monica said: Specimen #6: two views of a bivalve - family Modiomorphidae - perhaps Modiomorpha? Specimen #7: two views of another bivalve from family Modiomorphidae? Eric - I know you like Toronto bivalves so I'll tag you @Wrangellian Thanks in advance for your help! Monica Are the long black things Spenothallus, like on Hessin P64? Maybe too curved. The ones I've observed On 03/04/2020 at 9:21 AM, Monica said: Specimen #3 (on the same rock above): a long, black, shiny object - I have no idea what it is Specimen #4 (on the same rock above): another long, black, shiny object - I have no idea what it is Specimen #5 (on a different rock, two views): a brachiopod of some sort - Adam @Tidgy's Dad? More to come... Are the long black linear objects Spenothallus like on P.64 of Hessin? Maybe too curved. The ones I have observed have been straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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