Phosphatic Concretions Of The Pennsylvanian Muncie Creek Shale

[Xiphactinus]

The best of the best isn't in my collection. A fellow KC collector found this section of scales:

5519-Muncie-scale-section-1.jpg

5522-Muncie-scale-section-2.jpg

This is from an illustration in a local guidebook, but I've seen it in person. The concretion is about two inches wide,

Whoa!

[Missourian]

Here is a more modest section of fish scales in my collection. These are similar to acanthodian scales shown in a local guide:

 

 

 

 

[Missourian]

Shell iridescence:

 

 

 

 

The larger shell fragment is 13 mm long.

[Missourian]

Although I started a thread on the 'chicken bones' here: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/37202-pennsylvanian-fish-bone/ , they belong here as well.

 

Here they are again....

 

Bone #1:

 

 

Bone #2:

 

 

 

Bone #3:

 

 

 

 

 

Bone #4:

 

 

[Missourian]

Here is another type of recurring bone. I call them 'saddles':

 

 

These are parts and counterparts. The one on the bottom is mixed in with fish regurgitation. Here is a close-up:

 

 

The 'saddle' and the surrounding scales may have come from the same type of fish.

[Roz]

Your saddles sure look like a fish cleithrum to me.. I have found quite a few of them..

What do you think?

[Missourian]

On 5/15/2013 at 7:11 AM, Roz said:

Your saddles sure look like a fish cleithrum to me.. I have found quite a few of them..

What do you think?

 

They certainly could be.

 

Certain larger bones that I'd found could be as well:

 

 

I'll get some better pics.

[Terry Dactyll]

Amazing.... The regurgitate looks like it contains gular plates....

[Missourian]

On 5/15/2013 at 0:04 PM, Missourian said:

They certainly could be.

Certain larger bones that I'd found could be as well:

19-Muncie-Creek-nodules.jpg

I'll get some better pics.

 

As promised, the big bones a little closer:

 

[Missourian]

'Flies' also appear repeatedly:

 

 

Some are attached to.... stuff:

 

 

A 'fly' close up:

 

 

As you may have guessed, these aren't flies. They sort of look like shrimp telsons, but not quite. If anything, they resemble the front end 'appendages' of the upper Carboniferous shrimp Pseudogalatea ornatissima from Scotland:

 

 

Another possibility is that they are part of some fish.

[Missourian]

Although the 'flies' may be just pieces of crustaceans, more complete specimens do turn up from time to time. This little guy is 7 mm from arched back to tips:

 

 

This is an image that I'd posted in my micro thread. I'll take photos of some more specimens in the near future.

[Missourian]

Ok, here's another crustacean:

 

 

I knew this specimen was special, but it turned out to be absolutely mind-blowing under the microscope. There's so much going on, I'll have to take some time with this one. For now, here are a couple 'babies' next to 'Mama' :

 

[JohnJ]

Ok, here's another crustacean:

6017-Muncie-crustaceans.jpg

I knew this specimen was special, but it turned out to be absolutely mind-blowing under the microscope. There's so much going on, I'll have to take some time with this one. For now, here are a couple 'babies' next to 'Mama' :

5982-Muncie-crustacean-babies.jpg

There is also a lot going on in this thread. Spectacular finds.

[Missourian]

A few more pics of the shrimp 'family'....

 

Mosaic of two images (counterpart):

 

 

This may be a phyllocarid, but I can't yet tell for sure. The tail is curled below the carapace. A 'baby' can be seen just to the right.

 

Close-up of the carapace and legs (counterpart):

 

[Missourian]

Carapace and legs again (part):

 

 

Another photo of the two 'babies' (part):

 

 

I can't believe how clear the legs are on these little guys.

[Plantguy]

Dang Missourian, you have all kinds of fascinating well preserved things in those concretions! Mighty nice material! Congrats! Regards, Chris

[Missourian]

On 5/19/2013 at 10:02 PM, Plantguy said:

Dang Missourian, you have all kinds of fascinating well preserved things in those concretions! Mighty nice material! Congrats! Regards, Chris

 

Thanks. Those baby shrimp took me completely by surprise a couple day ago. I've had them for many years and didn't know it.

[Missourian]

A few more crustaceans....

 

Phyllocarid telson. The trident-like form is unmistakable:

 

 

Edit: I just noticed little serrations in one of the tail spikes here that are the same as details in a specimen posted above at http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/25758-phosphatic-concretions-of-the-pennsylvanian-muncie-creek-shale/?p=411033 . This confirms it as a phyllocarid telson. So I guess they can be 'mistakable'....

 

Carapace. Is this phyllocarid, thylacocephala, or something else?:

 

 

Tail section:

 

 

It is unfortunate that the tips were missing from the concretion. Better luck next time....

 

Better luck indeed. This one is complete:

 

[Missourian]

A goniatite from my micro thread....

 

Prouddenites sp.:

 

 

 

[Missourian]

Cartilage detail....

 

 

 

[Missourian]

An oddity. This could be a conularid, mollusk, or something else....

 

 

[Terry Dactyll]

Its got the patina you sometimes see on carb shark teeth under that surface layer....if it were a shell this would represent the inside cast and I would expect it to be smooth....Strange anyhow....

[Missourian]

Shark fin:

 

 

[Missourian]

Another shark fin:

 

 

Under the microscope, there appears to be some fabric-like stuff covering the skeletal elements:

 

[Missourian]

Zooming in reveals a myriad of barbs:

 

 

These are dermal denticles, which are basically sharp scales that give shark skin a sandpaper-like quality:

 

 

The lower end of the fin is broken off, revealing the internal structure of the skeletal elements: