UPDATE: This is not Strobeus, but Leptoptygma. Cleaning out the aperture makes this clear. April 2023. This tiny late Paleozoic gastropod is most likely identified as Strobeus brevis. Measuring somewhere between four and five millimeters, this snail would be challenging to spot if you were not looking for it. ThisRead More →
In writing the most recent research article, Aviculopinna, I set up an area to photograph specimens. While having this setup available, I went ahead and re-photographed the first seven specimens in the fossil catalog. Specimen CG-0001 John Harper identified this specimen as possibly being Orthotetes, a brachiopod. The preservation isRead More →
The gastropod Worthenia tabulata is a more popular species than some that I have written about. A quick search online reveals more pages than average compared to others. This genus of gastropod existed for 216 million years in the fossil record, surviving the Permian-Triassic extinction that many local genera diedRead More →
Update: This specimen was not a Bellerophon. It was a Pennoceras. The genus Bellerophon is chock full of different species. This particular specimen was found in the soft punky later over top of the limestone, right after I found a specimen of Pulchratia. I often find pieces of these, butRead More →
First described by Norwood and Pratten in 1855, Shansiella carbonaria is a very common fossil gastropod. The species existed from 306.95 to 295 million years ago. The genus Shansiella, first described by Yin in 1932, existed from 360.7 until 254 million years ago. Originally the species was named Pleurotomaria carbonaria.Read More →
Update: The focus genus for identification has changed to Naticopsis. Research is still pending in an effort to better understand this genus. The research below supports information about Mourlonia and will be preserved later. This is an exciting post, as it starts to describe what may become a new speciesRead More →
The Pine Creek Limestone is supposed to be somewhere in my local area, but perhaps it was not laid down as strata here. It’s likely in Parks Township, but I have yet to find it. The nearest place I currently know to find it is at an intersection of 422/28/66Read More →
The fossil Amphiscapha appears readily within shale locally. Buried at an angle different from the plane the shale sheared from, this specimen is a bit unique. Only the raised rim was visible initially. Using precision tweezers, I slowly used the sharp metal ends and a microscope to reveal the restRead More →
Amphiscapha is a commonly recovered genus of gastropod fossil in Parks Township. It often appears as a flat spiral within the shale. Two Meekospira accompanied this particular specimen. I used a pair of engineering tweezers to remove some matrix from the sides of the larger of the two Meekospira. BeingRead More →
This tiny gastropod is likely from the genus Glabrocingulum. First described by Thomas in 1940, Glabrocingulum has a geologic range of 353 to 205 million years ago. Being so small, it was difficult to identify via fossil plates alone. It has the raised edge with a bump pattern, but itRead More →