Trilobite collecting in Colorado Rockies - Ordivician (Manitou Dolomite)

Trilobite collecting in Colorado Rockies - Ordivician (Manitou Dolomite) - 2/1/2003
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Trilobite hunting in formation believed to be Ordovician and known as Manitou Dolomite. (A slice of time pushed up by the Rockies.)

Quarry images

Quarry images

Quarry images - note snow in foreground.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.

Quarry images. Note very thick beds. Need heavy duty hammers and chisels to split this hard material.

An image which is stranger than it looks. The pinkish blocks in the foreground are Ordivician, much older than the Rocky Mountains they are sitting on. This slice from ancient time rode up with the uplift of the mountains in more recent times.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003. Note trace fossil trail behind bug.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.

Shells and burrow (? questionable because diameter is changing)

Likely cystoid plate.

burrow (?)
$Top: burrow?\nRight: Unidentified brachiopod$

Top: burrow?
Right: Unidentified brachiopod

Unidentified brachiopod

Unidentified brachiopod

Large slab showing trilobite pieces (center, above right of dime), unidentified brachiopods, trace fossils.

Poorly preserved trilobite (above dime). Like just shell which was lost when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton. Also some unknown inverts.

Bottom of slabs commonly have this "popcorn" structure believed to be is caused by evaporation/rehydration of salts, possibly algal activity too.

Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 21, Fig 1. Cranidium. Probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton).

Cystoid stalk (note tapering and segments which would have added flexibility)

Cystoid stalk (note tapering and segments which would have added flexibility)

Cystoid stalk (note tapering and segments which would have added flexibility)

Appears to be pygidium, or tail section of trilobite. Probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton).

Tail section of trilobite probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton). Also, unidentified brachiopods

Appears to be pygidium, or tail section of trilobite. Probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton).

Unidentified brachiopod

Burrow?

Trilobite hunting in formation believed to be Ordovician and known as Manitou Dolomite. (A slice of time pushed up by the Rockies.)	Quarry images	Quarry images	Quarry images - note snow in foreground.
Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.	Quarry images. Note very thick beds. Need heavy duty hammers and chisels to split this hard material.	An image which is stranger than it looks. The pinkish blocks in the foreground are Ordivician, much older than the Rocky Mountains they are sitting on. This slice from ancient time rode up with the uplift of the mountains in more recent times.	Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003. Note trace fossil trail behind bug.
Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.	Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.	Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.	Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 22, Fig 9. Needs prep work. Pygidium still buried with cranidia mostly revealed. Images of the best trilobite found on 2/1/2003.
Shells and burrow (? questionable because diameter is changing)	Likely cystoid plate.	burrow (?)	$Top: burrow?\nRight: Unidentified brachiopod$ Top: burrow? Right: Unidentified brachiopod
Unidentified brachiopod	Unidentified brachiopod	Large slab showing trilobite pieces (center, above right of dime), unidentified brachiopods, trace fossils.	Poorly preserved trilobite (above dime). Like just shell which was lost when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton. Also some unknown inverts.
Bottom of slabs commonly have this "popcorn" structure believed to be is caused by evaporation/rehydration of salts, possibly algal activity too.	Possibly Leiostegium (Manitouella) ulrichi n. subgen. See Berg & Ross (1959), Plate 21, Fig 1. Cranidium. Probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton).	Cystoid stalk (note tapering and segments which would have added flexibility)	Cystoid stalk (note tapering and segments which would have added flexibility)
Cystoid stalk (note tapering and segments which would have added flexibility)	Appears to be pygidium, or tail section of trilobite. Probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton).	Tail section of trilobite probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton). Also, unidentified brachiopods
Appears to be pygidium, or tail section of trilobite. Probably lost during molt (when trilobite sheds its exoskeleton).	Unidentified brachiopod	Burrow?