Posted by Fossilcrazy on January 04, 1999 at 15:23:38:
In Reply to: Re: Eurypterid Chat; Where? posted by Dick Grier on January 01, 1999 at 14:28:45:
The Williamsville formation is named after the suburb
of Buffalo, New York USA. It is late Silurian in age
and is a thin layer of Dolostone. Scientists are not
certain of the salinity in this paleo environment. Views range from brackish to hypersaline. The deposit
appears to be of lagoonal,deltal and shallow waters.
My collection activities to date show the presence of
Eurypterus lacustris, Eurypterus remipes, Pterygotus
buffaloensus, Carcinosoma scorpionis, Dolichopterus
macrochirus and other Arthropods such as Bunaia. In
addition to these species other flora and fauna are
present in varying states of preservation. One remark-
able note is the chitin(skin) of the Eurypterids is
still present in many of the fossils. Considering that
they are over 400 million years old; one would not expect any organic carbon forms to be found. And oddly
enough the hard parts of Molluscs are color impressions
only, no casts, no calcite, no aragonite. Plants are
also color impressions with very little carbon in the films. Some trace fossils are found and psuedofossils
are halite or salt hoppers. Comments welcome.
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