The 40th annual MAPS Fossil Expo was held April 6-8 in Iowa City, Iowa. This is the world’s largest fossils-only show. Many vendors had material for sale, there were several nice displays, and quality presenters spoke on a variety of topics from extinction to trilobites.
Going into each Expo, I hope to acquire a few nice fossils for the collection. And the show this year did not disappoint: there were many specimens that drew me in, though I somehow resisted buying all of them. Below are pictures of some newbies now in the collection.
Figure 1. Cryptogoleus chapmani, edrioasteroid, Ordovician, Verulam Formation, Gamebridge, Ontario. Specimen is 1 inch in diameter. Prepared by Joe Koniecki.
Figure 2. Isorophusella incondita, edrioasteroid, Ordovician, Bobcaygeon Formation, Brechin, Ontario. Specimen is 1 3/16 inches in diameter. Prepared by Joe Koniecki.
Figure 3. Phacops sp., trilobite, Middle Devonian, Alnif, Morocco. Specimen is 1.5 inches long. Prepared by Hassane M’Hamdi.
Figure 4. Phacops sp., trilobite, Middle Devonian, Jorf, Morocco. Specimen is 1 5/8 inches across. Prepared by Khalid Oumouhou.
Figure 5. Phacops sp., trilobite, Middle Devonian, Alnif, Morocco. Specimen is 1 3/8 inches tall. Prepared by Hassane M’Hamdi.
Figure 6. Drotops armatus, trilobite, Middle Devonian, Erfoud, Morocco. Specimen is 2.5 inches in diameter. Prepared by Hassane M’Hamdi.
So, a very successful show. If you would like to learn more about MAPS (Mid-America Paleontology Society) and the show, go to their web site at www.midamericapaleo.org. And mark you calendar for the Expo in 2019 (March 29-31)!
Don Bissett
A long-time member of the Dry Dredgers, I’ve been collecting fossils ever since moving to Cincinnati in 1975 to work at P&G. I was introduced to fossil collecting by Bruce Gibson, another Dry Dredger and co-worker at P&G. Shortly after that, I met Dredger Dan Cooper. Both of them taught me a lot about the hobby. Ever since, I’ve been hooked on fossils.
My primary focus is collecting trilobites and echinoderms, though I often find myself accumulating a much wider assortment of fossils. Beyond the collecting hobby, I’ve also had the opportunity to work with professional paleontologists – extremely rewarding experiences. Some of those have been described in Dry Dredger Bulletin articles, MAPS (Mid-American Paleontology Society) articles, and technical publications. I plan to share more about collecting and professional interactions in my blog posts.
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