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GMS Field Trip
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Crab!
GMS Field Trip
Late Cretaceous Fossil Location in Mississippi
Sunday, October 14, 2018
The last day of the epic trip was at a late Cretaceous fossil location in Mississippi. George Phillips, Paleontology Curator at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, had hoped to join us there, but offered to help identify fossils via email. North Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society members came to help us find and identify fossils too.
The fossils there are Upper Cretaceous and because they are in the Coon Creek formation, many retain the original material, even pearly nacre is still intact. There are many Exogyra oyster shells, as well as multiple species of crabs. The crabs appear to have died before they were fossilized, so their appendages are usually missing, but the hard carapaces have fossilized beautifully. Shark teeth from various species can be found as well, including Squalicorax. Even mosasaur and turtle fossils have been found there.
North Mississippi members found an unidentified bone, so we are eagerly awaiting more information. I think everybody found decapod fossils, mostly crabs, and Diana Poppelreuter found a couple of spiny lobster carapaces too. Diana found what looked like a baby aspirin that I remembered reading about but I never found one, so she generously gave it to me. Then, because she tuned my eyes, I finally found one too! George Phillips said they are solitary corals of the genus Micrabacia (aka ‘button’ corals). Diana and I also found some tiny coprolites, probably ghost shrimp. After cleaning some I noticed striations on some that I have never noticed before.
We had a great time there thanks to North Mississippi club members and we sincerely appreciate their help. Also, many thanks to the property owner for allowing us to collect there, and George Phillips for all of his assistance as well. Plus, Charles, for arranging this wonder fossil trip!
Lori Carter
On behalf of Charles Carter, GMS Field Trip Chair
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Click here for more information about the October 2018 epic trip
Photo by Lori Carter
Nancy, from the North Mississippi club, found a delicate ammonite fossil.
The pearly rainbow colors of the nacre are still visible because the original material is still there.
Nancy worked carefully to stabilize the fossil so she could extract it intact.
She even kept all of the loose pieces so they can be put back into place later.
Photo by Lori Carter
Mike Brugemann was absorbed in fossil hunting
Photo by Lori Carter
Al Klatt was also searching intently
Photos by Lori Carter
Diana found this cool shark's tooth!
Photos by Lori Carter
Crab fossil to human -- "Can you see me now?"
"How about now?"
"Here I am!!!"
Photo by Lori Carter
Mike and Jeffrey working together
Photo by Lori Carter
Terri Vines surveying the terrain
Photo by Sherry Kitts
View of the area
Photo by Sherry Kitts
Unidentified bone fossil
Photo by Sherry Kitts
Sherry's beautiful Exogyra shell
Photo by Sherry Kitts
Though the fossil on the left looks like a trilobite, it is more likely that it is a bivalve, though it remains unidentified so far.
The fossil on the right is a nice example of a crab carapace, possibly Dakoticancer australis
Photo by Lori carter
George Phillips identified these as tiny, solitary corals of the genus Micrabacia (aka ‘button’ corals)
They are about the size of baby aspirin and Diana gave me one before I found one myself
Photo by Lori Carter
Clod of coprolites, maybe ghost shrimp
Photo by Lori Carter
4 different sizes of crabs
Photos by Lori Carter
Top and bottom of biggest crab from above
Photos by Lori Carter
Top and bottom of second biggest crab from above
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