Auspex Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 The Creede Formation in Colorado is well known to paleobotanists for its extensive catalog of well preserved Late Oligocene plant fossils, with preservation similar to the slightly older Florissant Formation. Radiometric dating has placed the Creede Formation's age at 27.2 million years before present. Thousands of leaf specimens have been collected, but insects are rare, compared to Flourissant, and birds vanishingly so. For this reason, I was delighted to acquire this fossil feather from that location. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 I'll bet you were delighted! Is that polkadot pattern retained coloration, or just artifact? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 3, 2010 Author Share Posted November 3, 2010 I'll bet you were delighted! Is that polkadot pattern retained coloration, or just artifact? There is little more to this feather than its impression, so any suggestion of color pattern has to be something else. There is a lot of volcanic ash in this shale; from what I've seen, feathers tend not to carbonize in that kind of sediment. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Looks like it is going under the rock on the upper edge there...there's more feather in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 (edited) Looks like it is going under the rock on the upper edge there...there's more feather in there. Plus a visible separation layer....maybe worth a gentle tap with a pin vice just to ping more matrix off... Nice fossil.... Edited November 3, 2010 by Terry Dactyll Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 (edited) Very nice preservation Auspex.... wonder if soaking the fossil in water , then take the fossil out of the water to drain and then quickly freezing it may result in gentle layer separation... PL Edited November 3, 2010 by pleecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Nice fossil, I'd not heard of the flora from that formation before. I would not suggest soaking in water.... you could loose the whole thing. If it's anything like Florissant then you might get more than just the top layer separating. -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 3, 2010 Author Share Posted November 3, 2010 When I get a chance, I'll be picking at that edge The Creede stuff from whence this came (it's a rather variable formation) is denser than the Flourissant matrix; more ashy-silt than silty-ash, and the varves are thicker. I think I'll saw a shallow groove about 3/8" back from the overhanging edge first. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Very cool feather, Auspex. Without the separation in the vanes, it might have been overlooked as something more common. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 cool feather, Ive never heard of that formation before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefootgirl Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Very nice Auspex, congrats. In formal logic, a contradiction is the signal of defeat: but in the evolution of real knowledge, it marks the first step in progress toward victory. Alfred North Whithead 'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 Yikes... don't throw it in water. I'd be willing to bet one fossilized feather that that would trash it. Stick to a pinvice and a microscope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sseth Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 That is a very nice piece. You are very lucky to have gotten it. Seth _____________________________________ Seth www.fossilshack.com www.americanfossil.com www.fishdig.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Nice addition to the collecton, Mr. Auspex! Good luck on the investigation/prepwork! Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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