Monday, May 24, 2010

More Pleurodictyum

My previous post concerning Pleurodictyum was composed primarily of text I'd written a few months ago. Since then I've found another example of the genus that looks like the beginnings of a paper wasp nest.





This was found in the Centerfield formation near East Bethany, NY during a recent trip. The fact that the genus colonizes shells or has a calcareous foundation seems to be indicative. Also, colonies are typically small and thus are probably not reef forming. Another important bit of info is that this specimen was found in limestone indicating a much cleaner water column in terms of sediment load. Since the specimens I've found previously have been in shale or mudstone it is obvious that the genus is wide ranging in it's habitat tolerance.

Also I found a few more pictures of other Pleurodictyum fossils

From the Falls of the Ohio web site: http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/PleurodictyumPix.html

From the Friends of the UMMP picture archive: http://strata.geology.wisc.edu/mibasin/showfull.php?id=1068

3 comments:

  1. Hi Dave, its great to see you writing of your finds. I stopped by the Falls on Saturday, but unfortunately, the river was too high to get onto the fossil beds. Though, in one of the spoils pile(Waldron Shale), I found a pygidium. The piles were mostly picked over and there wasn't much to find, so I placed the partial where some kid could find it, easily.

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  2. Hey Tim, Glad you found the site. It was Mike who inspired me to write a blog and it gives me a chance to talk more in depth about what I find and am studying. I hope to get to your area this fall now as I won't have time before then. Maybe I'll time it to hit Lake Cumberland and the Mississippian crinoid layers.

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  3. I have hunted the shores of the lake, but it was years ago. If you are into minerals, some formations are loaded with geodes-some of which contain acicular celestite xls that form a box like matrix... very pretty.

    The Ft. Payne and Borden Fms are known to produce some nice crinoids, and I have wanted to make down to the lake for a while. But, I usually spend any free time working the outcrops around here.

    Let me know the next time you are in the area.

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