Petrified Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) I went metal detecting today and found nothing but junk. When I was walkig around the area I saw a shale bed on the hill side. When I got a closer look at it I noticed it was loaded in plant fossils. So I just grabbed 2 pieces real quick that I thought were worth bringing home. Here they are. Imprint. branches. Edited September 1, 2011 by Petrified Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Wow. The first is really pretty, but the second one is very interesting, assuming they're Pennsylvanian age. What is the scale? "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...
Malcolmt Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Looks awesome..... really like the 2nd 0ne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrified Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 The first one is about a 5x5. There were alot of bigger ones about 3 feet. The second one was 2 feet x 2 feet then it broke in pieces so I only picked this piece up and its about 6x7. The shale was very fragile and it broke way to easy. Im not sure on the age yet till I observe the shale bed more a different day. Probably this weekend Ill go back down if I have time. I found this stuff down in the Bennezette area. This area is known for the elk in PA. Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy784 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Jeez, on the second one I'm almost thinking they have to be mud cracks. They do however have some branchlike characteristics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrified Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Jeez, on the second one I'm almost thinking they have to be mud cracks. They do however have some branchlike characteristics. Ill take some good closeup pictures tomorrow for you to see it better. When I first saw it I thought mud like cracks too then I realized they were branches from a tree. Theres alot more of this stuff laying around at the area too. Not sure what kind of tree it is yet though. Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrified Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Heres closeups. Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Microplax Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Heres closeups. WOW... Thats branches and thorns there... I am no expert in paleozoic flora, but I would hazard a guess those are quite unussual for Pennsylvanian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 WOW... ...I would hazard a guess those are quite unussual for Pennsylvanian. You'd be right! I want to learn what these are I'm going to change the topic title, because our best plant people are unlikely to visit a thread about6 metal detecting. "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...
flyguy784 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 (edited) Still looking. The area that you found it, Bennezette, has three periods represented. Primarily Pennsylvanian, some Mississippian and a little Devonian. There's a half dozen different formations all within a couple miles of each other. It's an interesting piece for sure. I don't think they're "thorns" however. Edited September 2, 2011 by flyguy784 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 As John points out there are Devonian exposures in Elk County worth consideration. Based on the new photos it certainly appears to be a vascular plant. This specimen looks very reminiscent of Psilophyton. The literature refers to those 'thorns' as simple microphyll-like appendages. The attached link has a good representative figured drawing at the top. LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrified Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 Thanks for the info and comments everyone. If anyone is interested in going to this location with me I would be glad to share with another fellow collector. The shale bed is only about 20 feet wide and 30 feet long. Theres more of these branches there if anyone is interested send me a message. Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanK Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 I went metal detecting today and found nothing but junk. When I was walkig around the area I saw a shale bed on the hill side. When I got a closer look at it I noticed it was loaded in plant fossils. So I just grabbed 2 pieces real quick that I thought were worth bringing home. Here they are. Imprint. branches. I would say the first one is something like Lepidodendropsis bark (Devonian), thread to my finds. Roman http://s1143.photobu.../donbassfossil/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy784 Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 No input on the "mystery branches" Roman. Seems to have us stumped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy784 Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Possibly genus Cephalopteris. Looks quite similar, although I as of yet find no mention of occurences in the state of PA. It's upper Devonian/Carboniferous. Fits your geologic setting. Certainly worth further research. Dig into that a little bit. I will as well. I'd like to have Roman and the other plant guys voice their opinion on it and any info on PA occurences. I appreciate your offer to come up to search the spot. I very well may take you up on it. Your about 4 hours away I believe. I'd like to see what other plant material is in there and maybe come up with a firm ID on that most interesting specimen. At a minimum, I'd like to get a specimen for my collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhk Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 The second one looks like a Maple leaf I found once. Are we sure of the dates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy784 Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 The second one looks like a Maple leaf I found once. Are we sure of the dates? Well, the second piece is only a part of the plate he found and it's still 6"X7". If he's accurate with his location, the time line appears to be correct. He's in either the Devonian, Pennsylvanian or Mississippian period. No maples there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrified Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 Possibly genus Cephalopteris. Looks quite similar, although I as of yet find no mention of occurences in the state of PA. It's upper Devonian/Carboniferous. Fits your geologic setting. Certainly worth further research. Dig into that a little bit. I will as well. I'd like to have Roman and the other plant guys voice their opinion on it and any info on PA occurences. I appreciate your offer to come up to search the spot. I very well may take you up on it. Your about 4 hours away I believe. I'd like to see what other plant material is in there and maybe come up with a firm ID on that most interesting specimen. At a minimum, I'd like to get a specimen for my collection. Id be honored to take you to the location flyguy. Whenever you want to come up let me know. Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I think Petrified has himself a Devonian land-plant deposit! See what you can do to nail down the stratigraphy. "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...
Plantguy Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Well, those are some really neat finds! I kind of hope that is Devonian age material for sure. I cant help unfortunately with the ID's--have to go look at some of the literature. Roman has some great experience with the Devonian and the Lepidodendron lineage...Cephalopteris is a genus that I am not familiar with and would like to know more about--oh goodness more looking/reading. I do have a Devonian Psilophyton that has many more of the false "spines"....but I seem to remember there being some without. If I find something else worthy I'll add another post... Regardless, super special stuff!! Psilophyton princeps DAWSON var. ornatum (=Sawdonia HEUBER) from GROS-CAPAUX-OS, Near D'Aiguillon on N. Shore of Gaspe' Bay, Gaspe Peninsula, P.Q. Canada. Late Devonian (Upper Part) Battery Point FM, Gaspe' SS Group. Collected by Canright 9/4/59. Looking to hearing/seeing more...continued collecting success! Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMNH Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 WOW! I've never seen anything like that from those periods. That would be really cool if it was Devonian. Great deposit-good luck finding more interesting specimens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdevey Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Its a shame that second plate fell apart. as far as Id, how about the fernlike plant Rhacophyton? My link My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Great finds well done... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy784 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Good morning everyone, hope you all had a nice holiday. Very good call by bdevey, Rhacophyton could very well be the culprit. The location "could be right", the matrix looks right. Dear Mr Petrified, can you be more specific as to the location you found these pieces? How far from Benezette? I ask because you have a number of periods represented in that immediate area. My guess would be somewhere off rt 555. Based on what you've said thus far, I believe you are in fact, in the late Devonian, catskill formation. Rhacophyton and your lycopsid specimen would fit. What's so nice is the fine level of preservation. I would like to make a trip to your location, I'll send you a PM to set it up. I may make it a two day venture and hit a Dipleura site I know of near Williamsport, you of course would be welcome to join me on that site if you can. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrified Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 Its in Bennezette right along the main road. Basically its right downtown Bennezette. Theres 2 creeks about 200 feet from where I found these so that might be worth checking out also. Yeah just let me know when youll be able to come and maybe we could try some other areas out also while youre up here. I also know of a Devonian site in Dubois too. Definition of a fossil= Love at first site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now