mikeymig Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I found these guys stuck to some crinoid stems I picked up recently here in NY. I was looking for crinoids but the stems were all over and I couldnt help stuffin my pockets. When I got home and cleaned them I could see that a few had tube worms on them. I dont get to see fossils like this that much due to the fact they are very small, delicate and have to weather out of the rocks. Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 Do you think the tube worms were attached to the living crinoid? I ask because I think of crinoid stems as being somewhat flexible, and a bunch of these tubes scabbed-on might impinge on that. "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...
mikeymig Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 Do you think the tube worms were attached to the living crinoid? I ask because I think of crinoid stems as being somewhat flexible, and a bunch of these tubes scabbed-on might impinge on that. I dont know but I have other stems with bryozoan, crinoid holdfast, and tentaculites looking tubeworms on them. I always thought that they all lived together but I would have to ask my friend at RMSC to be sure. I have specimens with tubeworms on many sides so they prob needed to be upright in the water for that to happen, right? Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Encrusting fauna is just so dang interesting! "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...
Archimedes Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 What period are they from?? Devonian Spirorbus is common in the paleozoic throughout the US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 What period are they from?? Devonian Spirorbus is common in the paleozoic throughout the US Yea they are Devonian but I was told that they were misID for years as Spirorbus and now all pre-Cretaceous Spirorbus are known as Microconchids. They are no longer grouped with polychaete annelids but are with bryozoan and brachiopods. Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 ...They are no longer grouped with polychaete annelids but are with bryozoan and brachiopods. Well now, that's interesting; pretty big change, taxonomically! "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...
Archimedes Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Yea they are Devonian but I was told that they were misID for years as Spirorbus and now all pre-Cretaceous Spirorbus are known as Microconchids. They are no longer grouped with polychaete annelids but are with bryozoan and brachiopods. I finally had some time to look into Microconchids and these changes in Spirobus are very good to know, thanks. Although they are not an annelid any more it is interesting to note they refered to them as "tubeworms" still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 I finally had some time to look into Microconchids and these changes in Spirobus are very good to know, thanks. Although they are not an annelid any more it is interesting to note they refered to them as "tubeworms" still. I thought the same thing but what do you call a UEO (Unidentified Encrusting Organism)?lol Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Interesting find. I know very little about Microconchids, at least toxonomically, but I do know that I often find modern Spirorbus worms on seaweed, especially the kelps, which are, of course, flexible. Bryozoans are also common on some seaweed. I never thought of crinoids as a substrate for encrusting organisms, but it certainly seems possible. All the interactions among these critters makes them even more interesting. Of course it is possible that these microconchids settled on the crinoids after they were already fossilized, but I think they could have settled on the live animals as well. Mike Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goroshkom Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) A question from non-specialist: is Spirorbis and Spirorbus the same thing, or there exist some difference? Modern worms, which I know as Spirorbis, are so small, that some flexibility of substrate, it seems, doesn't matter. Edited November 14, 2011 by Zubastik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 I never gave these animals another thought until recently. I'm a big game hunter (trilobites, ammonites, etc.) and tiny encrusting critters never caught my attention. I revisited an old site I know of in September and there were crinoid stems and pieces of hard shale lying on the surface and cleaned by nature. It wasn't until I got home and cleaned my finds and sat down behind a microscope that I realized that I found something cool. At first I was like "nice, little tubeworms" and there were other things like bryozoans, crinoid holdfast, tiny corals, armored worms, and ostracods. You can get lost looking at these things under a microscope and you can see them on my FB page - Miglietta Museum of Natural History - under photos labeled Devonian seafloor slabs. Im not sure if this link will work but if it does, zoom in and you will see what I mean. Thanks https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miglietta-Museum-of-Natural-History/151291358295312#!/media/set/?set=a.162636863827428.38226.151291358295312&type=3 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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