4 June 2010
Straight nautiloid fossil
Posted by Callan Bentley
It seems I forgot to show this fossil when I found it in February of last year with my MSSE advisor John Graves. We were out in the Needmore Formation of the Fort Valley then. The Needmore is a formation I visited again yesterday with some colleagues in other outcrops further to the west.
In shade (penny for scale):
In sideways-angled sunlight (thumb for scale):
I’ll debrief yesterday’s field trip when I get some more time… for now, let me just toss this little fellow out there for your enjoyment.
If anyone can I.D. it based on these two images, please leave your assessment in the comments section.
Callan Bentley is Associate Professor of Geology at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. For his work on this blog, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers recognized him with the James Shea Award. He has also won the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia, and the Biggs Award for Excellence in Geoscience Teaching from the Geoscience Education Division of the Geological Society of America. In previous years, Callan served as a contributing editor at EARTH magazine, President of the Geological Society of Washington and President the Geo2YC division of NAGT.
Have seen quite a few of these in Devonian rocks of New York, mostly Hamilton Group. Not sure of the species or the exact matching rocks down your way..I’ll look around.
Yeah — it’s Devonian, all right!
That’s a lovely fossil, Callan! I just got a new knitting pattern for a nautiloid yesterday. I’ll send you a photo when I’m done.
Can’t wait to see it!
I would say it’s a Michelinoceras based on the smooth walls. It’s a very common fossil in Devonian rocks and I find them all the time in the local Mahantango rocks of PA (although the Needmore is older).