GMS Field Trip

GMS Field Trip
Middle to Late Cambrian Fossils in Alabama
Saturday, January 6, 2018

Though there was some concern that a bitter cold snap would take a nasty bite out of our intended fossil frolicking, the January field trip proceeded as planned. Ultimately, the weather was fine, even somewhat pleasant. At the first location, Charles Carter led members to a location loaded with limestone chunks covered with unidentified indentations. We are still not sure of the origins of the markings, so the quest for answers will go on. The trip continued in some shale, where Middle to Late Cambrian trilobites have been sleeping peacefully for around 485 to 509 million years. Many of our little arthropod friends were carefully nudged from their beds and will now have new homes in members’ collections. Jason Leatherwood and trilobite expert Bill Montante found some spectacular trilobites in concretions, too! After a quick lunch, the group headed to the last site for the day. We searched gravel and found several brooksellas, sometimes called “star cobbles”. They may be a type of sponge, although many still consider them problematica, i.e. a fossil or possible fossil whose classification has not been determined. There were lots of curious concretions there as well. I think everyone went home with several prizes after a fun day of collecting. Many thanks to Dr. Bob Madden for pioneering this area, and Charles Carter for arranging this multi-location trip!

Lori Carter
On behalf of Charles Carter, GMS Field Trip Chair
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