Jump to content

Middle Silurian Shawangunk Eurypterid hunt in PA


Dean Ruocco

Recommended Posts

Thought Id share some of my finds today from the Shawangunk formation! The beds I investigated today are stratigraphically the highest in the Shawangunk I've looked at for eurypterids. After looking through a dozen shale packets one bed caught my interest, after digging for about 5 minutes I realized I was in a new horizon.  What differs from this horizon then the more basal Eurypterid horizons in the formation and this layer is the size of eurypterids, and the absence of Parahughmilleria maria. I spent only about an hour of digging before calling it a day and leaving. The specimens below are a few of many eurypterids I collected today. 

 

Top: disarticulated Erettopterus globiceps. 

 

Bottom: Hughmilleria shawangunk, before cleaning and then photographed under

 

339157876_214735951185928_73252735447657846_n.jpg.c454081d30cbf072c6357537b56585a1.jpg

339324872_920523929281684_2283597427770910189_n.jpg.868804c469034e60198749bca3a23f1f.jpg339798696_1411065102982397_8143549550538250747_n.jpg.b736fc0d3bdee7835a3028d8f8b34074.jpg

  • Enjoyed 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm no eurypterid expert, but I'm not quite seeing anything here. :( It would thrill me to be wrong, though.

  • I Agree 1

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, to my eye, this looks like wishful thinking to me. Let's allow some other folks to weigh in as I could be very wrong.

  • I Agree 1

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Kane said:

Yeah, to my eye, this looks like wishful thinking to me. Le's allow some other folks to weigh in as I could be very wrong.

 

Here's two more close ups, bottom tail and thorax, these might help make it out too.

 

339297965_935518987779102_4418007264965476570_n.jpg.279820a9e484e6c57990025f0559960c.jpg339930767_547293850850423_8869049326105314749_n.jpg.99b4f5b39f76b98352661f138327874c.jpg

  • Enjoyed 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can see bits and pieces of exoskeleton but not really anything that jumps out.  I think it is there, but it's likely one of those situations where in the hand the eye/braIn can see more than a photo an capture.  Maybe a photo with the light coming from an oblique angle to use shadows to bring out texture would help.  Also it might help for the specimens to be dry, as when wet too much detail is obscured by reflections.

 

Don

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

Some more photos of the specimens not under isopropyl. The top is the Hughmilleria and the bottom Erettopterus, one photo is a close up of the gnathobase. 

 

 

339455321_760775139065469_5848056189226140873_n.jpg.f22984cb16f50560bd806f429094076a.jpg

 339645182_146021061556791_1924133661322927594_n.jpg.dab1920a3bfaaca662c04066178811a2.jpg339738296_770936924701040_1848953594959348924_n.jpg.9b58f7d60ef870309501d50fe1031fb0.jpg

  • Enjoyed 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can definitely see it, the telson is by far the most defined part on the plate. 

Edited by KompsFossilsNMinerals
  • Enjoyed 1
  • Thank You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome finds Dean!! Definitely seems like a productive horizon, those are by far the biggest Gunk Eurypterids I’ve ever seen :default_faint:

  • Thank You 1
  • I Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I may be seeing something as well. But it still might be a face in the clouds. Do you know of any papers that have photos of similar specimens from this site?

  • Enjoyed 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can make out something(s) too, but the preservation is so unique and obviously strongly mineralized. It really is "gunky" :P Never seen anything like this.

  • Enjoyed 1

 

Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

http://www.steinkern.de/

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...