December 2, 2006 - Mississippian Fossils, St. Clair Co, AL
A roadcut in St.
Clair County was a real
bonanza for BPS on this trip. A smaller crowd than usual came
along but found a very wide variety of fossils. Excitement
all
around as we spread out along the road cut. This is a
Mississippian age site where geologic uplift is obvious.
Several
varieties of coral,
including quite a few large horned coral, brachiopods and sponges
were found in the Ft. Payne chert and Tuscumbia
Limestone.
A lot of
trilobites were being found; Greg and others started breaking open some
well-weathered rocks, and almost every rock contained a treasure-trove
of
fossils: horn corals, sponges, trilobites, bryzoan, and some
as-yet-unidentified items. One of the most exciting
finds was the large straight cephalopod found by Bob (and naturally, we
all gravitated to the same collecting area to find THE REST OF IT, but
alas, no more, not even tiny pieces, were to be found). Leisa
and
Becky had been surveying a different area, and spotted some more shell,
coral and trilobite fossils in an area we had not collected
before. After a
late lunch at a local BBQ, some of the crew took off on a scouting
trip, while others made their way home.
(Photos courtesy Becky Guthrie and Vicki Lais)
--Edited by Vicki Lais
(Photos courtesy Becky Guthrie and Vicki Lais)
![BPS members ready to hunt fossils](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_group244.jpg)
![geologic uplift](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_layers249.jpg)
![fossil horned coral](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_coral566.jpg)
The most common fossil at this location is coral.
![crinoid fossil](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_crinoid311.jpg)
Crinoids are also found.
![splitting a rock to find fossils](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_greg270.jpg)
Greg shows Nathan how to crack the rocks to find the fossils inside.
![fossil bryozoan impression](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_bryozoan306a.jpg)
Nice bryozoan impression and actual fossil remains.
![Nathan with fossils](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_nathan271r.jpg)
Nathan has found fossil brachiopods. Click picture for closer view.
![fossil coral](/system/files/images/06_nov_bg_coral005.jpg)
An interesting piece of horned coral, laying loose in a hollow shaped like it. This specimen has obviously been weathering in this same location for many years.
![horned coral](/system/files/images/06_nov_bg_coral008.jpg)
Another view of the horned coral.
![Becky fossil brachiopods](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_shellsBecky265r.jpg)
Becky also has a nice slab of brachiopods.
![brachiopod fossils](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_shells262.jpg)
A closer look at Becky's slab.
![searching hillside for fossils](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_MelanieNathan312.jpg)
![fossil sponge](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_sponge290.jpg)
Nice sponge; at higher resolution, the pores are easily visible.
![fossil brachiopods](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_nathan274r.jpg)
More brachiopods.
![fossil trilobite](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_trilobite279.jpg)
And here's what we were hoping to find - trilobites!
![splitting rock for fossil trilobites](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_gregBecky303.jpg)
![fossil trilobite](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_trilobite293.jpg)
![fossil trilobite](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_trilobite299.jpg)
![fossil trilobite](/system/files/images/06_nov_bg_trilobite001.jpg)
![straight cephalopod fossil](/system/files/images/06_nov_vl_ceph257.jpg)
As nice as the trilobites are, this straight cephalopod was the find of the day!