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Virtual Tour of Maine's Fossils

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Virtual Tour of Maine's Fossils Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Virtual Tour of Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 1 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Introduction The following tour provides an introduction to some of the fossils found in Maine’s bedrock. There is a rich diversity of life preserved in Maine’s rocks. While most of the deposits are marine, there are some terrestrial deposits, including the world famous Trout Valley Formation from which the State Fossil, Pertica quadrifaria (a plant) comes. Maine’s bedrock fossil record is contained in rocks from the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian Periods – a span of time from 545 million years ago to 360 million years ago. Contents Introduction 2 Ostracods 32 Bivalves (clams) 3 Plants 33 Brachiopods 10 Trace Fossils 39 Corals 23 Trilobites 42 Gastropods (snails) 26 Minor Fossil Groups 46 Graptolites 31 Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 2 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) John John B. Poisson by Maine Geological Survey Photo Bivalve: Eurymyella shaleri. Silurian, Eastport Formation, USNM 58432, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 3 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Photo Bivalve: Modiolopsis leightoni var quadrata. Silurian, Leighton Formation, USNM 58975, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 4 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) Bivalve: Modiolopsis leightoni var quadrata. Silurian, Leighton Formation, USNM 58975, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 5 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Photo Bivalve: Nuculites corrugatus. Silurian, Leighton Formation, USNM 58976, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 6 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Photo Bivalve: Palaeoneilo (ditchia) manensis. Devonian, Chapman Sandstone, USNM 59777, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 7 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Bivalve: Palaeosolen chapmani. Devonian, Chapman Sandstone, USNM 59830, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 8 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Bivalves (clams) John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Bivalve: Ptychopteria (Actinopteria) bella. Silurian, Leighton Formation, USNM 58964, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 9 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Acrospirifer atlanticus. Devonian, Tomhegan Formation, USNM 125866r, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 10 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Amphistrophia (Amphistrophiella) sp. Silurian/Devonian, Fish River Lake Formation(?), USNM 220866, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 11 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: "Camarotoechia" leightoni. Silurian, Leighton Formation, USNM 58962, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 12 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Dolerorthis sp. Ordovician, Winterville Formation, USNM 159953, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 13 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods Brachiopod: Hipparionyx unguiformis. Devonian, Chapman Sandstone, USNM 59703, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 14 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Howellella cobscooki. Silurian, Edmunds Formation, USNM 61452, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 15 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Leptaena "rhomboidalis“. Devonian, Beck Pond Limestone, USNM 126141b, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 16 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Leptostrophia cf. L. magnifica. Devonian, Tarratine Formation, USNM 126123, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 17 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Paralenorthis robustus. Ordovician, Shin Brook Formation, USNM 143669, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 18 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Resserella sp. Silurian/Devonian, Hobbstown Formation, USNM 126139, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 19 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods Maine Geological Survey Photo by John Poisson B. John by Photo Brachiopod: "Schuchertella" becraftensis. Devonian, Seboomook Group, USNM 125866r, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 20 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods Maine Geological Survey Poisson B. John by Photo Brachiopod: Sphaerirhychia? sp. Silurian, Hardwood Mountain Formation, USNM 127385a, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 21 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Brachiopods John John B. Poisson by Maine Geological Survey Photo Brachiopod: Valcourea sp. Ordovician, Kennebec Formation, USNM 125750, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 22 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Corals John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Coral: Cystihalysites sp. cf. C. amplitubulata. Silurian, Hardwood Mountain Formation, USNM 139450, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 23 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Corals John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Photo Coral: Favositids. Silurian, Hardwood Mountain Formation, MGS specimen, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 24 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Corals John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Coral: Grewinkia pluchella. Ordovician, Winterville Formation, USNM 159953, scale - gold bar = 6 mm. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 25 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Gastropods (snails) Gastropod: Holopea sp. Devonian, Chapman Sandstone, NYSM 9228, scale - penny. John Poisson B. John by by Maine Geological Survey Photo Photo Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 26 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Gastropods (snails) , 1964 Neuman Gastropod: Leseurilla? sp. Ordovician, Shin Brook Formation, USNM 143697, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 27 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Gastropods (snails) Gastropod: Loxonema cf. L. welleriana. Devonian, Tarratine Formation, USNM 16309, scale - ruler. , 1966 Yochelson and Boucot Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 28 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Gastropods (snails) , 1966 Yochelson and Boucot Gastropod: Platyceras (Platyostoma) ventricosum. Devonian, Tarratine Formation, USNM 16309, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 29 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Gastropods , Yochelson and Boucot 1966 Gastropod: Stenoloron cf. S. plena. Devonian, Tomhegan Formation, USNM 16309, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 30 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Graptolites Maine Geological Survey Poisson B. John by Photo Graptolite: Monograptus sp. Silurian, New Sweden Formation, Bowdoin College collection, scale - ruler. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry 31 Maine’s Fossils Maine Geological Survey Ostracods Maine Geological Survey Photo by John Poisson B. John by Photo Ostracod: Beyrichian ostracods. Devonian, Chapman Sandstone, NYSM 9228. Maine Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture,
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