Collecting the Amazing Trilobites of Penn Dixie Fossil Park

It's trilobites, crinoids, brachiopods, and more on this episode of Rockhounding USA. We travel to the famous fossil beds of Penn Dixie Fossil Park, just south of Buffalo, New York.
Penn Dixie Fossil Park
Trilobites can be found all across the USA. Here is our video about a great little locality in northern Geogia: • Collecting Trilobites ...
Visit our blog:
rockhounding-tr...
For great Rockhounding gifts and clothing, visit our Rockhounding USA Store:
www.cafepress.c...

[@Downeastwaves]

Wow those are neat!

[@jasonrice8066]

It’s not limestone. It’s Shale. Also it’s not Phacops but Eldredgeops rana.

[@rockhoundingusa8207]

If I misspoke at a certain point, I apologize. There are three distinct areas, Windom Shale, Tichenor Limestone, and Wanakah Shale. Also, the old name - new name discussion about Phacops rana vs. Eldredgeops rana goes back many decades. I will concede readily that I am not an expert on those differences, and in much of the literature they are used interchangeably. Thanks for adding to the discussion.

[@jasonrice8066]

The majority of the trilobites yield from the W. shales Smoke Creek layer. What you were digging in was certainly shale. Eldredgeops is the preferred name in North America. Here's an article from one of the worlds most scholarly experts of trilobites (Gerry Kloc): www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/47202-phacops-vs-eldredgeops/

[@rockhoundingusa8207]

The shales at Penn Dixie tend to break into chunks rather than a typical shale, leading to the confusion. I would not say identical to the U-Dig area, but they may be more classified as a limestone-shale (I believe that is what U-Dig calls their sediment.). I am always glad to learn more.

[@jasonrice8066]

That's somewhat true but there's a much higher percentage of shale in the formations. It's mostly shale. Here's some more info: penndixie.org/our-geology/

[@TJfossil]

Pronunciation of Crinoid should be (CRY-NOID), rather than (CRIH-NOID)
Otherwise, a nice video. :) Thanks for posting it.

[@rockhoundingusa8207]

Though both are acceptable, CRYnoid is more common in the US. Growing up, I heard it both ways and for some reason I always gravitate to the short i.
I think that was the first way I heard it and it stuck. I will often use both the long i and short i in the same sentence...it drives me crazy.
Thanks for stopping by.
en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/crinoid

[@BrucesPhonograph]

@@rockhoundingusa8207 Ive always assumed when someone says a word differently then I do that they learned it by reading. That is always a good thing!I dont think it matters as long as you convey the correct meaning.
Dr.Bruce Stinchcomb

[@rockhoundingusa8207]

Thank you, Dr. Stinchcomb. You are quite correct, most of my geology and paleontology was self-taught through reading as a young person long before TH-cam would change the way we receive information. I don't even want to tell you about the way I originally pronounced Chalcedony. :)

[@HCCM]

Can you sell me some fossils?

[@rockhoundingusa8207]

I do not sell fossils, but there are great fossils for sale on eBay. What type are you looking for?