Lower Devonian Fossil

Tristates Group
Esopus Formation
Orange County, New York

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Description: Segmented fossil. Possibly a crinoid stem, but more squared-off.
Also, the segments at each end seem different, longer than those in the center.
I tried to remove the matrix and fossil but couldn't do it without damaging
the fossil further. A 4 lb sledge was literally bouncing off this extremely dense
sandstone. The fossil remains on site in a 100 lb + rock.

Tom Buckley

Brent Ashcraft and Frank Holteroff put me on the right track by suggesting that it
may be a straight nautiloid. I went back to Kindle & Eidman, 1955 and sure enough,
they mention two cephalopods....Orthoceras? luxum and Cyroteceras? eugenium as
having been found at the site. I then went to Shimer & Shrock, 1977 and found that
Orthoceras had been reassigned to Michelinoceras and that Michelinoceras clarkesvillenuse
looked to be pretty close to my specimen.

Tom Buckley

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