Backyard Trip

[Missourian]

Possible foraminifera (white squiggles) encrusted on a phosphatic concretion embedded in the base of the crinoidal bed:

 

 

Under the microscope:

 

 

This would seem to confirm that some of these concretions eroded from the underlying shale and sat exposed on the sea floor for extended periods of time.

[Missourian]

Construction continues at the site...

 

The Westerville Limestone was exposed as the road crew prepared the creek channel for a new bridge:

 

 

Since the Westerville in the vicinity isn't too generous fossil-wise, I didn't venture down into the muck.

 

Here is the same spot, looking south from the other side of the creek:

 

 

A month later, they had removed the old road and graded the slope:

 

[Missourian]

Further up the hill, shale and sandstone of the Chanute Formation are well-exposed:

 

 

A remnant of Liberty Memorial Shale, capped with soil, props up a remaining power pole:

 

 

Some Raytown Limestone supports another pole. Many slabs of Iola Formation limestone were strewn off to the left:

 

 

These slabs were eventually broken up into blocks:

 

 

This site is not pretty, but it has produced many more phosphatic concretions, especially after rain.

[Missourian]

The broken-up limestone blocks are always worth scrambling over...

 

This razor clam (Pteronites or Aviculopinna) may be in its original vertical living orientation in the sediment:

 

 

This block came from the upper Raytown Limestone.

 

A closer look:

 

 

When I showed this photo on my iPhone screen to my mom, joking that it was a ballpoint pin, she actually thought it was one.

[Missourian]

Phylloid algae in the Iola Formation....

 

The first is Paola Limestone. I'm not sure if these are red or green algae. The green alga Anchicodium has been tentatively identified in the Frisbie Limestone, which is a transgressive limestone similar to the Paola:

 

 

Next up is the Raytown Limestone. This came from the limestone layer just above the crinoidal bed. These have been identified as the red alga Archaeolithophyllum. There very well may be a mix of the two types here:

 

 

In this case, voids remained beneath the thalli as they were buried in sediment. Most of the voids filled with sparry calcite, leaving thick bands in place. Incidentally, this beautiful color pattern prompted early stone workers to dub the Raytown the 'calico ledge' or 'calico rock'.

 

The distinctive phylloid algae serve as handy stratigraphic markers, as both of these beds are widespread across the Kansas City metro.

[JimB88]

That would look good polished!

[Sjfriend]

On 12/5/2020 at 1:21 PM, Missourian said:

When I showed this photo on my iPhone screen to my mom, joking that it was a ballpoint pin, she actually thought it was one.

Great clam.

 

When I was a teen I found some bird tracks in dried mud from a local lake. I came running up to my mom to show her my "rare" fossil and she was very excited for me  (she showed my first fossil spot in Utah). Then while showing her I "accidentally" dropped it. Of course it shattered. She was so sad for me. After a minute of fake tears and her trying to console me I smiled and said "oh well, I'll just go get more as the lake shore is covered with them". It took weeks before I could sit after she tried to kick me into next month 

[Missourian]

On 12/6/2020 at 7:26 AM, JimB88 said:

That would look good polished!

 

I have long wanted a polished sphere of the calico rock.

 

On 12/6/2020 at 11:43 PM, Sjfriend said:

Great clam.

 

When I was a teen I found some bird tracks in dried mud from a local lake. I came running up to my mom to show her my "rare" fossil and she was very excited for me  (she showed my first fossil spot in Utah). Then while showing her I "accidentally" dropped it. Of course it shattered. She was so sad for me. After a minute of fake tears and her trying to console me I smiled and said "oh well, I'll just go get more as the lake shore is covered with them". It took weeks before I could sit after she tried to kick me into next month 

 

I'd be afraid I'd jinx myself if I did that.

[Sjfriend]

14 minutes ago, Missourian said:

 

I have long wanted a polished sphere of the calico rock.

 

 

I'd be afraid I'd jinx myself if I did that.

I have actually found real bird track fossils that are sitting in the University of Alaska Fairbanks Museum. I'm still not sure if my.mom ever completely forgave me my joke lol

[Missourian]

Another Muncie mystery....

 

The surfaces of a few Muncie Creek concretions bear some whitish streaks. I'd figured these were gashes suffered during the rough and tumble of road construction. However, the markings on this one seemed to be too 'criss-cross-y' to be due to abrasion:

 

 

These are on all sides of the concretion:

 

 

Under the microscope, I could see that the white stuff is actually mineral encrustation of some kind, probably calcium carbonate:

 

 

Are these biogenic? Their regular form in places seem to indicate that. Plus, there are some tiny fossils embedded within it in places:

 

 

 

These appear to be the molds or interior surfaces of shells or tests. What are they? They could be foraminifera, possibly akin to Hyperamminoides sp. or Haplostiche sp. This is assuming the encrustation formed in the marine environment. The fact that the concretion is encrusted on all sides is interesting. This indicates to me that it formed while the concretion was buried within the sediment. For some reason, only a few concretions bear these features.

[Fossildude19]

Looks similar to modern root etching that I have seen. 

[Missourian]

5 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

Looks similar to modern root etching that I have seen. 

 

That is quite possible. They do seem out of place, whatever they are.

[Missourian]

Road construction continues....

 

A lot of Chanute Shale was removed to grade the road bed:

 

 

 

An abundance of shale was ready for examination:

 

 

Plant material covered many of the chunks:

 

 

These included Cordaites and a few fern pinnules:

 

 

In no time flat, this material was pulverized and graded into the road bed and adjacent slope. Fortunately, Muncie Creek concretions can still be found.

[Missourian]

Speaking of Muncie Creek concretions, I have collected several thousand over the course of the past year:

 

 

I seem to have more patience than in my youth. Back in the day, I would have hammered through them as soon as I got out of the car. Well, maybe a little too much patience now.... (Apologies to anyone who was hoping to see the goods last summer. )

[deutscheben]

Wow, what a treasure trove! I look forward to seeing what you find.

[PFOOLEY]

On 12/19/2011 at 3:46 AM, Missourian said:

Since my local excursions have been turning up empty fossil-wise, I will tide you over with some specimens from the Winterset Limestone found around the Kansas City metro....

 

...Cephalopods can be found in the oolitic beds. Here is Metacoceras:

 

 

Liroceras:

 

 

Stenodomatoceras:

 

...

 

I was just cruising your thread and stopped to stare at these for a bit...  ...good grief, they are pretty spectacular!

 

Is this...

 

 

..."you"?

 

[Missourian]

4 hours ago, PFOOLEY said:

Is this...

 

 

..."you"?

 

 

"Yes"

[Missourian]

I finally got to cracking open some of the Muncie concretions...

 

Shark fin:

 

 

Another fin:

 

 

Two bones of a kind:

 

 

Not sure about this one. There are some faint 'segments':

 

[connorp]

Really neat stuff!

[Missourian]

This is a strange one...

 

What appears to be a lump of sand:

 

 

Is actually a cluster of well-sorted microfossils:

 

 

Many of these appear to be ostracods. Others may be bits of fish bone (edit: and possibly forams):

 

 

The 'lump' has a sharp boundary, but the microfossils appear to continue to the other side. This boundary may be a diagenetic effect:

 

 

And on one side of the lump, there is what appears to be a bundle of fibers:

 

 

For what it's worth, this is the first time I've seen this texture in these concretions. It's possible this is part of a sponge. It's association with the lump is probably not a coincidence.

[Missourian]

Branching sponge. This is the first I've found in the Muncie Creek:

 

 

Composite image:

 

 

Spicule detail:

 

 

Several foraminifera are present:

 

 

This is also the first time I've seen forams in these concretions. These are Hyperamminoides sp., Haplostiche sp., or something else. These closely resemble shells/tests found on the outside of a concretion shown in a post above (see: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/25424-backyard-trip/&do=findComment&comment=1252589 )

 

Edit: It is possible the 'spicular structure' could actually be shark cartilage cellular structure with some mineral overgrowth. As far as the overall form goes, I'm unaware of any shark skeletal element that would be similar.

[Missourian]

When opening concretions, don't toss out the 'duds' just yet...

 

In the middle of the irregular mass in the center, there is what appears to be portions of a crustacean:

 

 

I believe this includes a portion of the tail and four legs:

 

[stats]

Could be a coprolite.   We find scales and bits from plants and animals in Mazon Creek coprolites.

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

[Missourian]

Fish skeletal element

Muncie Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian

'The Backyard', Clay County, Missouri

 

I finally opened this concretion that had been sitting in my car for a few months:

 

 

I found it at the bottom of this cut bank in the big creek:

 

 

Most likely, the concretion rolled down from the eroding Iola Formation above. The Iola also provided the large limestone slabs.

 

Also see:

 

https://www.thefossilforum.com/topic/25424-backyard-trip/?do=findComment&comment=1184336

[Missourian]

This exposure of Bonner Springs shale was relatively fresh when I visited it in 2011:

 

 

(See: https://www.thefossilforum.com/topic/25424-backyard-trip/?do=findComment&comment=282417 )
 

The same spot 12 years later: