I certainly do like fossils. In fact, more than a few years ago often Judy and I were out hunting them around Wise County. Today’s post however is about the fossils at my brother’s in El Paso area. So part of them were found on their five acres. And the others on top the hill on the fifty thousand acre ranch next door. This area is in the Hueco Formation.
Crinoids embedded in the limestone! So my brother’s place and the ranch next door are in the Hueco Formation which is of the Pennsylvanian Period. It began 318 million to 299 millions ago. The publication put out by the USGS Bulletin 1298 is an excellent source for the area. And its free! Also packed with a lot of information is Roadside Geology of Texas by Darwin Spearing.
This brachiopod fossil was only about 10mm across.
A coral fossil!
Next, multiple fossils embedded in a large rock included crinoids, maybe coral, and the bean-shaped one maybe a fusulinid (related to modern amoebas)!
The rock had an interesting uplift.
The above rocks were from the five acres. And the following were found on the hill top in the distance. Presumably, this rock formed from the mud drying. Elephant skin? LOL
In the Hueco Formation, major components are limestone, chert, shale, and siltstone. Cool how this rock formed.
A gastropod!
Another gastropod.!
Here’s another!
A very neat coral!
Could this be an impression of brachiopod? In this same area, there are supposed to be leafy algae fossils. Certainly, I will be on the lookout for them on my next visit.
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
8 Comments
I want to go there. Those corals are super. What a wonderful find.
I have a lot of the Falcon series for the western states. They give very specific places to go to find fossils. Some of places, however are no longer accessible. We had great fun following their directions and planning trips around them. Have you been to hunt for trilobites and fossil fish out West?
I want to go there. Those corals are super. What a wonderful find.
Yep, love the fossils and rocks!
Wow, what great fossils! I like the Roadside Geology book series too. They’ve come in very handy during our Western wanderings.
I have a lot of the Falcon series for the western states. They give very specific places to go to find fossils. Some of places, however are no longer accessible. We had great fun following their directions and planning trips around them. Have you been to hunt for trilobites and fossil fish out West?
No, not specifically for fossil hunts. That sounds like a great vacation idea though!
We had loads of fun. Only problem was not to overload the truck with rocks and fossils we found 😉
Most important, dont carry rocks that are so heavy you hurt your back.
Good advice!