Ichno-Adventure

[Bullsnake]

By the KGS geological map by counties, this cut ranges from the Kansas City group-Iola formation up through the Wyandotte fm., to the Lansing group-Vilas shale and Stanton limestone formations.

I'm 0-3 on identifying formations so far, so maybe Missourian would be so kind as to lend his expertise.

Anyway, to the topic. I did a horizontal search of the area approximately depicted by the arrows in picture 6. It's a HUGE cut, so more trips at different levels are in order.

The layer is almost entirely trace fossils and ripples in a shaly sandstone. I'm guessing this is the Vilas shale.

1 2 3 4

5 6

First up, what are apparently ripples.

A large slab below and to the left of the backpack

Note the trackways running through

[Bullsnake]

I brought home a few pieces,of course.

This is what the bottom of all the slabs look like, but usually alot busier than this sample

This piece is really interesting, as it appears to be a splatter. The depression is app. 1.25 inches inside the splatter.

Also, note the little piece above and to the left is a cruziana!

And this piece with curious little scratch marks in it.

Thank you for looking!

Steve

[Missourian]

I like the interference ripples.

That could be Vilas. Was there any sign of dark or black shale between the two limestones on the top?

[Bullsnake]

I like the interference ripples.

That could be Vilas. Was there any sign of dark or black shale between the two limestones on the top?

I didn't do the up and down thing. Just stayed on a horizontal course this time, but like I said, it's such a large cut it warrants more trips to investigate the different layers. I'll check it out soon, and report.

Thanks Mo man.

[ghost1066]

The last pic with the scratches looks like what I find here all of the time. Your piece looks a little weathered but I always considered them burrows/trails of some small critter that didn't infill. Some type of worm maybe? I find them pretty much every trip.

I found a pic on another thread that looks like your ripple formation in the making. Take a llok through the pics and you will see a very similar formation that is being formed and why. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php/topic/27824-west-central-texas-pennsylvanian-trip/

Edited February 27, 2012 by ghost1066

[Bullsnake]

Thank you ghost! I kind of skimmed over that thread last night and the comparison didn't stick ( it was late and I was tired). Now I see there's food on there. I don't have spaghetti, so I'm gonna go make a PB&J!

Thanks also for the input on the scratches. In my mind I've been trying really hard to make them amphibian tracks. Oh well!

[Missourian]

Sometimes, acanthodian fish dragged their spiny fins across the sand and left similar marks. These can be discerned as a pair of markings that 'follow' each other.

I've heard 'rumors' that amphibian tracks have been found many years ago at or near Brush Creek, so anything's possible with the rocks around here.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Missourian