Photos and words by Bill Heimbrock
Unlike the last time we visited this site in April 2015, when it rained a slow shower the whole time making us miserable, this time it was nice weather and we were all happy. We found lots of great fossils too. Some have said that since this site has been around for generations, it is too picked-over. This is clearly not true. Most of the fossils are tiny because this is the Kope Formation, so it cannot be picked over. The site has been famous for decades for crinoid calyxes (crowns), and it is still producing good quantities as our visit this day proves.
We gathered in a nearby parking lot and then caravanned to the
site. Here are our pictures.
Fossils Found That Day
Crinoids Win the Game
Cincinnaticrinus varibrachialus
A crinoid lens was found. In this case, it appears to have
come from basically a pile of crinoid stems. (next 3 pics)
Trilobites Win Second Place
The spiney trilobite: Primaspis crosotus
Flexicalymene granulosa
Cryptolithus bellulus (the lace-collar trilobite)
Here's an interesting trilobite trace fossil that looks like
it was made by a Cryptolithus sp..
Isotelus sp. (fragments)
Here's a nice trace fossil of what is probably Isotelus sp..
Nautiloid Cephalopods Get Third Place Prize
Well, maybe they should get first place since we found so many beautiful specimens.
Worm Tubes and Tentaculites
This first specimen is probably Tentaculites.
These next 3 photos are of Cornulitids (worm tubes). The first one shows that two Cornulites were attached to one crinoid stem. The third specimen does have some evidence that it had attached to a crinoid stem which is now gone.
Bryozoan Colonies
Brachiopods
Sowerbyella sp.
Cincinnetina multisecta
Rafinesquina squamula
Graptolites
Gastropods (snails)
Pelecypods (clams)
Ichnofossils (Trace Fossils)
That's all for this trip. Join us in April for the 75th Anniversary field trip.
Previous Trips to This Northern Kentucky Kope Site
2015
2012
2010
2009
2006
2004
2002
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