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Hello Paleonet! You may remember me from a couple of years back. I'm an avocational (well, amateur) that was posting about a mystery microfossil (or mini-macro) that raised some interest as a possible microvertebrate element from the Upper Ordovician of Northern Kentucky. The fossil was found in astounding abundance from one of the "Cyclora Fossil Hash" layers of the Arnheim Formation. See http://home.cinci.rr.com/billheim/mystery2.htm for details. Well, it's been while. I had concluded a probable diagnosis of pelecypod hinge dentations. What makes this find interesting, however, is that the secondary phosphatization preserved the external features of each tooth in exquisite detail. The material from where this fossil comes is loaded with minifossil steinkerns that preserve otherwise unseen detail. For example, ossicles, from the Cyclocystoid Zygocycloides, are preserved by the thousands, with wonderful 3-D stereom, that can be exposed with a weak acid. Quite a lot of ground work had been laid to understanding this "mystery microfossil", with first, an investigation that ruled out microvertebrates by Ivan Sansom and Dawn Peterson. Then an invertebrate survey with enormous help from Roger Cuffey (because bryozoan was a strong candidate). Echinoderm material remained a strong possibility for a long time, with pros and cons tossed about by Colin Sumrall and others. I think I have a decent explanation as to why stereom-like structures are intermittently inside these mystery elements. Based on thin sections by Ivan and Dawn, evidently, the specimens are filled with calcified, amorphous debris and externally coated with the light colored phosphatic substance. Dawn detected tubular structures inside the specimens. (possibly stereom of crinoid and cyclocystoid debris.) Based on the strong similarities of our multi-element forms of the mystery fossil (see http://home.cinci.rr.com/billheim/mystery5.htm) to the common Cincinnatian clam Lyrodesma dentations (see http://xfossils.com/lyro1.htm), the stereom and debris was probably jammed between the hinge teeth and phosphates formed along the teeth surfaces, locking the debris inside the remaining fossil. I had stopped working on the mystery fossil for a couple of years due to a new computer job that took lots of my time. I've now resurrected my project and am presenting my "findings" to a group of my peers at the February Dry Dredgers meeting at the Univ of Cincinnati. Where I stand now is that I'd like get busy working with a clam specialist to verify my findings and begin properly describing this strange item for publication in an appropriate professional journal. Now - - can anyone among Paleonet recommend or volunteer to partner up with me on the verification and formalization of this project? Thanks so much for everyone's help in the past years. I hope to do justice to the work each of you have already contributed. Best Wishes, Bill Heimbrock 1621 Westwood Ave Cincinnati, OH 45214 USA (513) 921-2335 email: billheim@cinci.rr.com Web Home: http://xfossils.com Mystery Fossil Information: http://home.cinci.rr.com/billheim/mystery2.htm ill (-:))))))))::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::
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