Caleb Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 (edited) All I can say is that it's a sponge... I've looked through "Sponges of the Ordovician Maquoketa Formation in Minnesota and Iowa" Rigby and Bayer, 1971 and can't seem to find a match there. The Maquoketa is similar in age to some of the formations in the Cincinnati area if that helps at all. Sponge Maquoketa Formation, Elgin member Upper Ordovician, Richmondian Northeast Iowa Size: 2.1cm long 1.7cm wide across bottom. Edited October 8, 2013 by Caleb Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 That is unique! I would have taken it for a bryozoan. The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 does look like a sponge, don't know what one though. Nice! "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 (edited) Hey caleb. It might listed here http://paleodb.org/?a=basicCollectionSearch&collection_no=120505 the reference for the collection is J. K. Rigby and T. N. Bayer. 1971. Sponges of the Ordovician Maquoketa Formation in Minnesota and Iowa. Journal of Paleontology 45(4):608-627 I likely have access to the pdf if you want it. Also take a look here https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=r2ljVr5gzhm9RM&tbnid=PGoDQGwqswThBM:&ved=0CAEQjxw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkirj.ee%2Fpublic%2FEstonian_Journal_of_Earth_Sciences%2F2009%2Fissue_1%2Fearth-2009-1-24-37.pdf&ei=m-dWUrLGMdKy4AP1m4GABQ&bvm=bv.53760139,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNERWxjpQEXtlc4zMKuqR7Mu2Fty-A&ust=1381513492959740 Edited October 10, 2013 by squalicorax My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 I recently got the PDF and it certainly helped me nail down some of the other sponges I've collected out of the Maquoketa, but I can't picture a good match. Aulocopella seems to be the closest, but the shape and number of nodes are throwing me off. Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I agree it looks nothing like any of the sponges figured in the Rigby paper. Searching for a similar Paleozoic genus in the Treatise and found Caliculospongia recorded from the upper Ordovician of Kentucky. There is another Treatise figure showing it with a shallow cloacal depression at the top, so curious if a layer of matrix is somewhat obscuring that feature in your last photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evgeny Kotelevsky Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 All I can say is that it's a sponge... I've looked through "Sponges of the Ordovician Maquoketa Formation in Minnesota and Iowa" Rigby and Bayer, 1971 and can't seem to find a match there. The Maquoketa is similar in age to some of the formations in the Cincinnati area if that helps at all. Sponge Maquoketa Formation, Elgin member Upper Ordovician, Richmondian Northeast Iowa Size: 2.1cm long 1.7cm wide across bottom. img_011.jpg img_001.jpg img_002.jpg May be, it is only part of a sponge, so you can't understand clearly what sponge it is I recently got the PDF and it certainly helped me nail down some of the other sponges I've collected out of the Maquoketa, but I can't picture a good match. Aulocopella seems to be the closest, but the shape and number of nodes are throwing me off. Can you show other Ordovician sponges you've collected? ))) http://evgenykotelevsky.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evgeny Kotelevsky Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 In Russia, near St.Petersburg, there are several good spots with Ordovician sponges. Some photos of Ordovician sponges from St.Petersburg's spots, may be they will help you to identify your other sponges: 1. Carpospongia langei - http://www.ammonit.ru/foto/29567.htm 2. Caryospongia diadema - http://www.ammonit.ru/foto/29566.htm 3. Astylospongia praemorsa - http://www.ammonit.ru/foto/29570.htm and http://www.ammonit.ru/foto/29569.htm 4. Siphonia cylindrica - http://www.ammonit.ru/foto/29914.htm http://evgenykotelevsky.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 I agree it looks nothing like any of the sponges figured in the Rigby paper. Searching for a similar Paleozoic genus in the Treatise and found Caliculospongia recorded from the upper Ordovician of Kentucky. There is another Treatise figure showing it with a shallow cloacal depression at the top, so curious if a layer of matrix is somewhat obscuring that feature in your last photo? (img_002) Caliculospongia.jpg There is a depression on the top which is filled with matrix. The Elgin seems to correlate with the Waynesville and Liberty Formations in the Cincinnati region. May be, it is only part of a sponge, so you can't understand clearly what sponge it is Can you show other Ordovician sponges you've collected? ))) With the symmetry of the specimen I can't imagine it not being the complete sponge, though I certainly don't dismiss the idea as I'm not a sponge collector. There doesn't seem to be any obvious broken areas where the sponge appears to be from a larger structure. I will put an entry in the "Show us your Sponges" post showing other Maquoketa sponges I've collected. Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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