Spinatrypa rockfordensis brachiopod from Rockford, Iowa

Spinatrypa is a species I didn't know existed in the Devonian until I found my first specimens in the Windom Shale at the Penn Dixie center in Blasdell, NY.  Maybe the Mahantango formation was too muddy for them to survive. The specimens below come from the Lime Creek Formation (U. Devonian) near Rockford, Iowa.

Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

A second specimen... Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve (note the partial spine preserved in the attached matrix)

Posterior

Profile

A sampling of several specimens in various growth stages.

My friend Nathan recently posted a series of pictures of Brachiopods that he found in Rockford, Iowa and were IDed by an expert. He shows two different species of Spinatrypa: S. planosulcata and S. rockfordensis. I believe that the specimens I have could all be classified at S. rockfordensis.

The above specimens came from the Cerro Gordo member of the Lime Creek Formation, which is Upper Devonian (Fransian) in age. Thanks to Nathan for some of the specimens. Others I have picked up in auctions on E-bay.

Euglyphella ostracod from the Silica Shale

There are five different species of Euglyphella ostracod found in the Silica Shale. Below is one I found in my sample from Sylvania, Ohio.

I referred to "Ostracods of the Middle Devonian Silica Formation" to see if I could figure out which one the above specimen was. It's not particularly clean and is still embedded in the matrix so that hides some of the detail. On plate 76 (pg. 355) is a comparison of all five species. After reviewing the plate I think this most closely resembles Euglyphella sigmoidalis (although there could be an arguement that it's E. projecta). I collected this from eroded residue of the Silica Shale (Devonian, Givetian stage) near Sylvania, Ohio.

Ulrichia ostracod from the Silica Shale

Another Ostracod from the Silica Shale sample from Sylvania, OH that I've found is Ulrichia.

A review of the book "Ostracods of the Middle Devonian Silica Formation" there are several different Ulrichia species. I think this most closely resembles Ulrichia spinifera based on plate 43 (pg. 270).  I collected this from eroded residue of the Silica Shale (Devonian, Givetian stage) near Sylvania, Ohio.

Arcyzona ostracod from the Silica Shale

Jumping over to the Silica shale here is a Arcyzona ostracod that I found in the Silica Shale.

Looking through the book "Ostracods of the Middle Devonian Silica Formation" there are several different Arcyzona species. I think this most closely resembles Arcyzona homlosagenota based on plate 8 (pg. 199). The other species of Arcyzona all seem to have linked ridges ornamenting their surfaces while A. homlosagenota has a "honeycomb" like surface decoration. I collected this from eroded residue of the Silica Shale (Devonian, Givetian stage) near Sylvania, Ohio.

References: "Ostracods of the Middle Devonian Silica Formation" by Kesling, R. V.; Chilman, R. B, 1978, FUMMP Papers on Paleontology No. 18

Octonaria ostracod from the Centerfield Mbr.

Continuing my search through the screened remains of the Centerfield member of the Ludlowville formation (Devonian, Givetian stage), I came across a couple of specimens of Octonaria. This is a typical specimen that I took a photo of with my rigged up Canon S3 IS camera.

Looking through the book "Ostracods of the Middle Devonian Silica Formation" there are a couple of different Octonaria species. I think this most closely resembles Octonaria quadricosta based on plate 87 (pg. 358). It could be O. crescentiformis but I don't think that the furrows in the surface of the shell are curved enough.

References: "Ostracods of the Middle Devonian Silica Formation" by Kesling, R. V.; Chilman, R. B, 1978, FUMMP Papers on Paleontology No. 18