Newfoundland Trilobites - Fossils

[piranha]

Yet another in a series of threads for our fossil experts from Canada. Unlike the other more high profile provinces Newfoundland is apparently off the radar. It has been my understanding that Newfoundland fossil collecting laws are the strictest of the bunch. Please share your collecting stories and by all means post any photos of your Newfoundland fossils (not just trilobites) for us to see. The history of fossils and collecting in Newfoundland are also appreciated as well as any substantive links to photo galleries or virtual repositories. Most importantly (to me ) are the trilobites, specifically the giant Paradoxides from Manuels River. This is the very same trilobite that adorns the cover of Riccardo Levi-Setti's 2nd edition book Trilobites. I have only ever seen a single example of one specimen in a museum (USA) and with provincial law in Newfoundland it would appear that's how they want it. It would also be useful to know which institutions in Canada have the best collections available for public view.

I'm looking forward now to all of the inside info and photos on the Newfie bugs and fossils -

Thanks! :eat popcorn:

Edited November 30, 2010 by piranha

[Northern Sharks]

Well lord-tunderin-jeez my son. Lookin for Newfie fossils are ya now, wha?

If you read that with a newfie accent, it's much better.

I married into a family of Newfie's, but I've never been there myself. In addition to the trilobites, Newfoundland has apparently the largest pre-cambrian ecosystem exposed at Mistaken Point

http://www.geol.queensu.ca/museum/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=61

Unfortunately, it's eroding into the ocean. The Discovery Channel, Canadian version anyway, did a report on the ROM making latex casts of the groung there, before it's too late. The ROM will be opening a new gallery of early life, and this cast will be the centerpiece. I don't know when it's scheduled to open, but it's on my must see list when it does

[pleecan]

Great link Northern.... more pre-Cambrian stuff.... really interesting.

[palaeopix]

It's been my dream to visit the Manuels River site for many years. I tried hitchhiking back east in 1995 but only made it far as Quebec City. I don't recall seeing any of those trilobites in the museums that I have visited. As a consolation I do own three copies of Ricarrdo's excellent book.

I have seen examples of the Mistaken Point Ediacaran fossils at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller (Alberta) and on the discovery channel. I understand there is a self appointed guardian, for these amazing fossils, who visits the site daily to discourage illegal removal of the specimens. I don't recall the lady's name but she took it upon herself to watch over the fossils after many of the fossils went missing. It seems someone went in with a diamond saw and cut the specimens out of the outcrop.

Edit: Now that I think about I'm not even certain whether the specimens at the Tyrrell are real or casts. I think I need to go on a road trip.

Edited December 1, 2010 by palaeopix

[FossilDAWG]

The Manuels River trilobite beds are now included in a regional park. According to the web site, specimens may be collected from the eroded material but hammering rock is forbidden, so I imagine whole or even identifiable specimens are out of the question. I recall hearing that at one time the site had been so heavily collected that the trilobite layers were mostly represented by pits and talus piles, which is what lead to efforts to "protect" the site.

A few other undeniably unique sites are also protected, such as Mistaken Point with its Ediacarian fauna. These sites are declared ecological reserves, and collecting is not permitted. Fortune Head Ecological Reserve, Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, and Table Point Ecological Reserve are the only reserves specifically mentioned in the regulation.

However, in searching "Newfoundland fossil regulations", I did not find any blanket prohibition on fossil collection in the province. I did find some dealers who made statements about fossil collecting being banned in Newfoundland, associated with specimens from Manuels River. It seems to me that dealers often use such language, such as "site now closed to collecting", to ratchet up the price of specimens. However my google search might have been inadequate; if collecting is indeed banned in Newfoundland I hope someone will point us to the relevant regulation or law. I hope that's not the case, as there are a lot of classic fossil sites there, including large areas of the shore on the Western and Southern coasts, and I've long wanted to collect there.

Don

[cowsharks]

The first trilo on this site http://www.twoguysfossils.com/ is from Manuels River formation...with the following note included:

"Recent provincial laws in Newfoundland have made collecting almost any fossil material in the province illegal, so there will be no more future collecting of any fossil materials, trilobites included. This site produced a good number of trilobite species, including Paradoxides and Niobella (among others), but Agraulos ceticephalus was perhaps the rarest of the rare from this locality."

Daryl.

[Wrangellian]

So it looks like the situation at Mistaken Point is the same as up at Burgess Shale, if not worse - the fossils are eroding into the ocean! I hope someone comes to their senses and extracts them (the ones that can be extracted that are exposed to the elements) before they erode away.

[Chrissy]

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that The Manuels River Heritage Society is constructing a new building entitled the Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre`` where they will showcase many of the fossils found on the river. Here`s the link to the site: http://www.manuelsriver.com/ I`m very much looking forward to this as there aren`t many places open to the public to view fossil-related material. Also there is the Mistaken Point fossil of the one of the oldest complex organisms on the southern coast of Newfoundland. I have been there but haven`t hiked to the location...you have to go on a guided tour in order to get there (understandable)...anyway, I know this thread is old but I just wanted to let you know!

Chrissy

[Auspex]

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that The Manuels River Heritage Society is constructing a new building entitled the Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre`` where they will showcase many of the fossils found on the river. Here`s the link to the site: http://www.manuelsriver.com/ I`m very much looking forward to this as there aren`t many places open to the public to view fossil-related material. Also there is the Mistaken Point fossil of the one of the oldest complex organisms on the southern coast of Newfoundland. I have been there but haven`t hiked to the location...you have to go on a guided tour in order to get there (understandable)...anyway, I know this thread is old but I just wanted to let you know!

Chrissy

This is good civic action; thanks for posting it!

[Chrissy]

The Manuels River trilobite beds are now included in a regional park. According to the web site, specimens may be collected from the eroded material but hammering rock is forbidden, so I imagine whole or even identifiable specimens are out of the question. I recall hearing that at one time the site had been so heavily collected that the trilobite layers were mostly represented by pits and talus piles, which is what lead to efforts to "protect" the site.

A few other undeniably unique sites are also protected, such as Mistaken Point with its Ediacarian fauna. These sites are declared ecological reserves, and collecting is not permitted. Fortune Head Ecological Reserve, Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, and Table Point Ecological Reserve are the only reserves specifically mentioned in the regulation.

However, in searching "Newfoundland fossil regulations", I did not find any blanket prohibition on fossil collection in the province. I did find some dealers who made statements about fossil collecting being banned in Newfoundland, associated with specimens from Manuels River. It seems to me that dealers often use such language, such as "site now closed to collecting", to ratchet up the price of specimens. However my google search might have been inadequate; if collecting is indeed banned in Newfoundland I hope someone will point us to the relevant regulation or law. I hope that's not the case, as there are a lot of classic fossil sites there, including large areas of the shore on the Western and Southern coasts, and I've long wanted to collect there.

Don

Fossil collecting is apparently illegal in National and Provincial Parks and Ecological Reserves unless with a permit...the rest of the island seems to be fair game! See link for the geological survey: http://www.nr.gov.nl.ca/mines&en/geosurvey/education/fossils.stm

[TMNH]

The ROM will be opening a new gallery of early life, and this cast will be the centerpiece. I don't know when it's scheduled to open, but it's on my must see list when it does

Wow I hope they're still doing that. Every time I visit the ROM, I always think about how they should make a paleozoic/precambrian gallery!

It seems a shame to leave all those Burgess Shale fossils and the giant pterygotus hidden away in corners where too few people visit...

Those Mistaken Point fossils are a must see.

Edited September 17, 2011 by TMNH