Fossil Hunting Trip

It finally cooled off enough I could get out and look for some fossils. Found this Forresteria alluaudi in a large concretion. The first pic shows it as found in the concretion, the phragmocone was filled with calcite that had started to crumble so I had to soak it with super-glue. The second pic shows the fossil after preparation. You can see the last chamber and the last suture. The third pic is just a view showing the side that was exposed.
 

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Some other fossils from the same concretion. Alot of Baculites mariasensis in the first pic. A bivalve (Inoceramus) in the second. And a view showing the concretion atop the teepee butte that formed around it.
 

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Forresteria alluaudi is an index fossil for the Middle Coniacian (Late Cretaceous) F. alluaudi Zone, aka Scaphites preventricosus Zone, about 88.5mya. In Europe it may be refered to the Peroniceras tridorsatum Zone.
This is another one of those "Polymorphic" forms having about 10 different genera, sub-genera and species as synonyms. The fossil shown was first described as Barroisiceras (Forresteria) forresteri, it is the more robust and strongly ornamented form, Barroisiceras (Alstadnites) sevierense was described as a medial form, and Barroisiceras (Harleites) castellense was descibed as the compressed, feebly ornamented form. It keeps me wondering why the Cardiocerids and Hoplitids are not lumped together into a single taxon, are there just more specimens to study or more studiers to the specimens, are the lumpers and splitters lumping and splitting :cool2:
 
Lusitanoceras granosum found last weekend, no need for any prep work on this one, just a quick brush up. From the Brigantian faunal stage (Late Mississippian/Early Carboniferous) about 328mya. One of the largest goniatites I have ever found :smile:

The second pic is a large crushed one, I dont know if it will last as it is crumbling and just seems to dissolve when I apply vinac. :hmm:

The third pic is a close-up of the shell of the first fossil. The lirae seem to have been abraided slightly but the growth lines are well preserved. And there are those small pits again, could they be sponge attachment scars?
 

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I really don't know what to say other than what stunning finds Kevin.

Are those possible 'sponge attachment scars' on both sides or just on one? I'm just trying to imagine the empty shell lying on the seafloor, I suppose if the shell was colonised, growth would largely be on the upper surface.
 
There's nowt worse than a boring sponge - you go down the pub for a quiet drink and then along comes this sponge 'did I ever tell you about the time I was sitting on a reef blah blah blah' it starts and you know your stuck there for the rest of the night having to listen to it drone on. :lol:

Sorry. :roll:
 
Stunning Kevin. Were these just lying on the surface like that, or did you have to dig for them?

Look forward to seeing Spartacus's rocky balls too.
 
Phil,

The first one was partially exposed so I just had to pull it out of the ground (in 2 pieces). The other one was picked up in several pieces and repositioned for the camera. I collected as many parts as I could find but don't know if the inner whorls were even preserved.


And about Keefs rocky balls....:silenced:
 

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