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Trace Fossils
Trace fossils are not actual fossils, rather what is left from the creature or fossil being there. Think of dinosaur foot prints or tracks from wild animals, or the rub marks on trees from bucks rubbing the velvet off their horns. Worm Burrows Cephalopod Imprint Bivalve (Clam) Trace Where they connected themselves to … Continue reading
Remnant Formations from Caves
When you are fossil hunting, you will ocassionally come across remnants of formations from caves. Here are some… Very smooth to the touch. For a complete explanation of how flowstone is formed, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowstone How do we know this is a stalactite (facing down) remnant and not a stalagmite (facing up)? Because the … Continue reading
Trilobite Hash Plate Labeled
Tap image to make larger. This is an exceptionally clear photo. If you go to “View” and then “Zoom”, you can study it at 2-400% enlarged. Hash Plate Platteville Formation, Mifflin member Middle Ordovician Southwest Wisconsin Dimensions roughly: 6in long, 3.5in wide, 1.5in thick Weight: estimated 2lbs The orginal post on thefossilforum.com … Continue reading
Possible New Species of Cephalopod!
Caleb Scheer of Midwestpaleo.com contacted a cephalopod expert in Iowa about the cephalopod that Old Dead Things, Jim Schmiedt, found on our hunt together, and Bob Benter and I collected. Caleb will be prepping it. This is what Caleb had to say when I asked him what the expert said, “He won’t say until he sees the specimen prepped…. … Continue reading
Conulariid – A Fairly Rare Find!
Both halves found in the rock. Ordovician. Galena Formation. Fillmore County, Minnesota. Robson, S.P., & Young, G.A. (2013) Late Ordovician Conulariids from Manitoba, Canada. Journal of Paleontology 87(5):775-785 Piranha from thefossilforum.com provided not only the ID, but the drawn pic and reference. 🙂 This was an unexpected and fascinating find because I found … Continue reading
So, You Think You Found A Trilobite
Since I am not an expert, but still would like to know what I found, I am learning to use other people’s websites – I feel no need to reinvent the wheel. 😀 Cleaning When cleaning your find, DO NOT hit it with acid, vinegar, toilet cleaner, lime away, etc. Same with crinoids, it will … Continue reading
Flexicalymene Trilobites
We seem to have a lot of these little guys around here in southeast Minnesota. 🙂 So I thought I would do a post on them for me, and you. Two things you want to remember with trilobites; 1. They are gregarious, so if you find one you will probably find more. 2. … Continue reading
Flexicalymene Trilobites
I found this guy in a small mudrock that I collected yesterday. From what I understand, this is a common trilobite found throughout North America. I found this a while back, different spot. This I found in yet a different spot! We find primarily parts of trilobites because of the molting process. … Continue reading
Bumastus sp. Trilobite
I found this pygidium of a Bumastus sp. trilobite recently in the Prosser member of the Galena Formation in SE Minnesota. I’m hoping that when I prep it out that the whole trilobite will be there. 😀 It should look like this:
