Spines in Brachiopods rarely survive in the local rocks. While I believe I have found a few already separated, I rarely see one actually embedded on the shell. I found the 1mm long spine on this Brachiopod specimen I brought back this evening after freeing it from float limestone withinRead More →
Finding a possible Petalodus tooth is one of the gateway fossils that lead to my love of fossil hunting. My first find was a bust, but finally I have found the real thing. This piece came from the huge shelf rocks that outcropped inches from the creek bed locally. WeRead More →
Shansiella was first described by Yin in 1932. It can be identified as such by viewing it’s bands and a distinctive selenizone on the aperture opening. There are large numbers of Gastropod samples to be found in Limestone and shale, but I rarely do I find ones that are asRead More →
Most cephalopod specimens I find are small to medium in size. They range from 3-5 inches in diameter. This one was much larger. Found as a huge slab of limestone in the middle of Guffy Run, recent storms brought this rock to rest in the center of the stream. ItRead More →
Ever since I figured out what they were, Allopinna godleskya have been a personal favorite of mine. In examining the remaining shell material in these fossils, I have seen the prismatic layer on the shell hinge in at least two specimens. The specimens below show the detail. The layer inRead More →
This was one of my favorite specimens when I pulled it out of the huge chunk of limestone we were working on. You can clearly see the Metacoceras steinkern and there is a thickness of shell material on the inside of the half circle. In the middle portion there isRead More →
Catalog Number: CG-0012 My first Wilkingia find was in soft eroded matrix. I found this specimen while exploring a new locale. A 6 foot by 2 1/2 foot by 7 inch thick slab of limestone that was only 6 inches from the stream bed. With help, I slowly removed soilRead More →
While I have many sources of limestone locally, this specimen of Fenestella was one of my first finds in a new location. A limestone ridge cropped above the stream across the valley floor to the other side. So, while I’ve likely encountered many bryozoans in limestone, this is the firstRead More →
Update: Mooreoceras is no longer considered a valid genus. Kröger and Mapes (2005) compared more than 1,000 specimens and found that its type species, M. normale, cannot be separated from Pseudorthoceras knoxense. Specimens I once called Mooreoceras are now catalogued as P. knoxense. More on the Pseudorthoceras page. I amRead More →
This specimen came from eroded limestone. It was very light and fragile. The sections averaged about 2.5mm in width. Identification currently is unknown, however it does appear to be a straight shelled species. Eroded Limestone Most of the limestone exposed to the outside environment has an eroded edge. I amRead More →