Rare Trilobite.................Quiz

[ohio]

Ok folks, I recently found this guy in the Ordovician of SW Ohio. He is pretty darn uncommon to say the least. Notice the free-standing spine. It took my buddy about ten hours to clean and expose all the detail. It is perched on a fossilized coral head where it likely sought cover. Kudos to anyone who can come up with its genus and species. I will check in periodically to see if anyone gets it right. Good luck out there in the field.

Chuck

[reef12]

well a shot.

ORDER PHACOPIDA, Suborder Phacopina, Superfamily Acastoidea, Family,Acastidae


If wrong oh well. 8)

[ohio]

Reef thanks for the reply. It is a Acidaspis cincinnatiensis.

Chuck

[Skelly607]

Dont know what it is,,,,but thats pretty high on my kewl scale!

[ohio]

Kelly it is a trilobite. An ancient arthropod. It is an invertebrate with an exoskeleton like a scorpion.

Chuck

[Mackaydon]

Ohio,
I have found many trilobites in Oxford,O. but never in that pristeen condition; congrats!!
Don........

[ohio]

Mackaydon, I have found a few around Oxford. I lived in Trenton, Ohio until I was 9. The ones that you will find in that area are often quite small and enrolled.

Chuck

[Harry Pristis]

That's an excellent bug, Chuck! And nice preparation -- did you do it yourself?

Here's one for you to identify for us:

[ohio]

Harry Pristis,

Isotelus mafritzae?? Head looks too narrow to be Isotelus latus.

Chuck

And no I DID NOT prepare that baby. My buddy is super talented and cleaned it for me but, it was not cheap! Thanks for the response.

[Harry Pristis]

That's a good guess - Isotelus mafritzae - but, I'm told that it has never been described formally. According to the putative author of that name, it seems that the name "mafritzae" and more commonly, "fritzae", has somehow slipped into use as a nomen nudum.

Since it is an undescribed species, I've decided to call it Isotelus harrypristisi.

You can read more about this situation here (scroll down to the comments):
http://www.thefossilforum.com/index....mage&img=10313

[ohio]

Harry, I am not sure what, in terms of morphology, would differentiate the two but, I shall take your word. Nice specimen in any case. If you ever get out my way I will take you out to try to collect a local Isotelus.......maximus or even a gigas. Thanks for the post.

Chuck

[Harry Pristis]

Harry, I am not sure what, in terms of morphology, would differentiate the two but, I shall take your word. Nice specimen in any case. If you ever get out my way I will take you out to try to collect a local Isotelus.......maximus or even a gigas. Thanks for the post.

Chuck

Well, thank you, Chuck! I would love to find a whomping-big trilobite!

I may not have written clearly enough . . . my bug is the same trilobite that is commonly known as Isotelus mafritzae (though I bought it as I. fritzae). I simply meant to suggest that Isotelus mafritzae (=I. fritzae) is a nomen nudum; therefore, it is available to be called something else.

[ohio]

Harry, Gotcha! Ha, Ha! Thanks.

You do seem to have a pretty diverse collection of rocks. Are all the pics you post of your personal collection? Impressive either way.

I am going to collect tomorrow all day. Should have some nice bugs...........I hope.

chuck

[Harry Pristis]

Harry, Gotcha! Ha, Ha! Thanks.
You do seem to have a pretty diverse collection of rocks. Are all the pics you post of your personal collection? Impressive either way.
I am going to collect tomorrow all day. Should have some nice bugs...........I hope.
chuck

Thank you for the compliment, Chuck. They are all in my collection. It is a diverse collection - I like 'em all! But, mostly, I have vertebrate fossils.

Good luck with your bug-hunting!

[mamabear]

Oh my goodness!!! I would have a heart attack if I found something like that!! What a specimen. I was trying to ID some of my stuff this morn & was amazed at what little differences can make up a different sub. so I picked up my rodale book of fossils & now I just have more pix to be confused with! good luck Id'ing.

[ohio]

Mamabear, it certainly did not look that way when I found it. Just 3 segment tips were showing and ten hours of preperation work exposed the bug.

Harry, yes you certainly do have a super diverse collection. I really only have american trilobites and crinoids that I have dug myself. Thanks for the post.

Chuck

[mamabear]

does your friend use one of the air pen thingys? don't know what they are called just know I would love to have one! did you have any idea what it was when you found it? I wonder how many nice pieces I have overlooked not knowing what to look for.

[ohio]

My friend uses several tools. An air powered scribe, chisel, and pic. He also uses an air abrader which is basically a sand blaster on a smaller scale. I have three friends with prep labs willing to let me clean fossils at their places but, it is not easy and super tedious.

Chuck

[Shortstack]

Mamabear:
You can find air erasers and mini air grinders at Harbor Freight Tools' on line store as well as one of their local stores (if one is in your area). If you get their air eraser, be sure and get the specialized blast media from them, also. It is much finer than the "normal" blast stuff. Also, check with Eastwood Tools as another source for these items.

[moundbuilder]

Ok folks, I recently found this guy in the Ordovician of SW Ohio. He is pretty darn uncommon to say the least. Notice the free-standing spine. It took my buddy about ten hours to clean and expose all the detail. It is perched on a fossilized coral head where it likely sought cover. Kudos to anyone who can come up with its genus and species. I will check in periodically to see if anyone gets it right. Good luck out there in the field.

Chuck

Great shots of a super bug Mr. Charlie!