The back portion of my property is made up of flat rock that is deeply cracked and from my research it appears it was a seabed from the ordovician period some 400-500 million years ago. We are at the northern most line of where the fossils occur in this area, as you go north from here towards Bancroft Ontario the fossils disappear as the water was too acidic due to volcanic activity. Here are some pictures of the of the creatures that were exposed after the glaciers scraped away the surface. The first group of pictures I believe are cephalopods, the largest one [ in the first 2 pics.] is 3-4 feet long.
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Fossil's in my back yard
Collapse
X
-
Wow Those are awesome. Not everyone can say they have that out back.TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post
Comment
-
Well you are correct in that the first pics are indeed a species of cephalopod.
I am not that familiar with the truly ancient materials (Devonian,Ordovician) but I can tell that there are no crinoids in these pics.
These are more likely to be Bryzoans, a species closely related to corals.
The last ones are more likely to be geologic.
I am more of a Cretaceous collector than anything.
If you are so inclined to do so, there is a web site devoted to fossils and there are some there who specialize in the Devonian material.
You may wish to persue this avenue if you want to know more about these backyard specimens.
The Fossil Forum is my go to. There you have the eye of pros and amatures such as myself that offer their collective knowledge to the world.
Here on Arrowheads.com our expertise is channeled in artefacts of the indigenous peoples.
Yes there is a fossil link here and yes we do what we can, but sometimes it is just a WAG.
Have a good night.
Jess B.It is a "Rock" when it's on the ground.
It is a "Specimen" when picked up and taken home.
Jessy B.
Circa:1982
- Likes 2
Comment
-
Fantastic. Those are indeed cephalopods of a type known as orthocone nautiloids. Jesse is correct about the absence of crinoids… the structures in the second group of pictures are fan bryozoans which are colonial animals that grow in plant-like forms.
I’m not sure about the third group, but I suspect those are stromatolites, exhibiting seasonal growth bands from films and mats of microbes (usually cyanobacteria) growing in warm shallow water.
I assume you are somewhere in the vicinity of Kingston, in which case the fossil-bearing rocks in your area will, as you say, be mid-Ordovician and mainly represented by the Gull River Formation and the Verulam Formation.I keep six honest serving-men (they taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.
- Likes 1
Comment
-
Originally posted by painshill View PostFantastic. Those are indeed cephalopods of a type known as orthocone nautiloids. Jesse is correct about the absence of crinoids… the structures in the second group of pictures are fan bryozoans which are colonial animals that grow in plant-like forms.
I’m not sure about the third group, but I suspect those are stromatolites, exhibiting seasonal growth bands from films and mats of microbes (usually cyanobacteria) growing in warm shallow water.
I assume you are somewhere in the vicinity of Kingston, in which case the fossil-bearing rocks in your area will, as you say, be mid-Ordovician and mainly represented by the Gull River Formation and the Verulam Formation.
Thanks Roger, I have been having so many brain fart episodes lately.
JessyIt is a "Rock" when it's on the ground.
It is a "Specimen" when picked up and taken home.
Jessy B.
Circa:1982
Comment
Comment