Mazon Creek
2nd May 2008

The Late Carboniferous fauna and flora of the Mazon Creek area of Illinois, USA are slightly younger (Westphalian D) and, in part, more marine-influenced than those of the English Pennine Basin (illustrated elsewhere in these pages). The Mazon Creek assemblages are exceptional in that they contain the fossilized record of truly soft-bodied forms such as worms, jellyfish, hydroids and lampreys, in addition to beautifully preserved arthropods, molluscs and vertebrates (Nitecki 1979, Shabica & Hayes 1997).

Many more Mazon Creek fossils can be seen in the crustaceans, xiphosurans, worms and chordates galleries.

<-- Index | Showing 1-24 of 24 pictures | Index -->
Anthracomedusa turnbulli. 85 mm exceptionally complete cubomedusan. Chowder Flats.
Anthracomedusa turnbulli. 85 mm exceptionally complete cubomedusan. Chowder Flats.
 Anthracomedusa turnbulli, a large complete individual, drawing.
Anthracomedusa turnbulli, a large complete individual, drawing.
 Octomedusa pieckorum, 15 mm complete in 25 mm concretion, mouth visible. Francis Creek Shale, Desmoinesian, Pennsylvanian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois.
Octomedusa pieckorum, 15 mm complete in 25 mm concretion, mouth visible. Francis Creek Shale, Desmoinesian, Pennsylvanian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois.
Reticulomedusa greeni, 35 mm excellent, part and counterpart. Francis Creek Shale, Desmoinesian, Pennsylvanian, Upper Carboniferous. Chowder Flats, Morris, Illinois, USA.
Reticulomedusa greeni, 35 mm excellent, part and counterpart. Francis Creek Shale, Desmoinesian, Pennsylvanian, Upper Carboniferous. Chowder Flats, Morris, Illinois, USA.
Drevotella proteana Fine 55 mm hydrozoan in concretion.
Drevotella proteana Fine 55 mm hydrozoan in concretion.
Etacystis communis, 40 mm excellent. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois.
Etacystis communis, 40 mm excellent. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois.
Escumasia roryi Fine 60 mm, Mazon Creek, part and counterpart. Probable tunicate.
Escumasia roryi Fine 60 mm, Mazon Creek, part and counterpart. Probable tunicate.
 A Tullymonstrum gregarium, 8 cm complete. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. 8 cm excellent in concretion. Complete proboscis and tail preserved. One eye bar visible. Probable a heteropod.
A Tullymonstrum gregarium, 8 cm complete. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. 8 cm excellent in concretion. Complete proboscis and tail preserved. One eye bar visible. Probable a heteropod.
Tullymonstrum gregarium. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. Excellent complete in 11 cm concretion. Complete proboscis and tail preserved. Probable heteropod.
Tullymonstrum gregarium. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. Excellent complete in 11 cm concretion. Complete proboscis and tail preserved. Probable heteropod.
 Tullymonstrum gregarium. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. Excellent complete in 11 cm concretion. Complete proboscis and tail preserved. Probable heteropod.
Tullymonstrum gregarium. Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Upper Carboniferous. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. Excellent complete in 11 cm concretion. Complete proboscis and tail preserved. Probable heteropod.
 Complete articulated 8 mm bivalve (?Myalinella) at end of 35 mm burrow, Mazon Creek.
Complete articulated 8 mm bivalve (?Myalinella) at end of 35 mm burrow, Mazon Creek.
 169. Myalinella meeki, 12 mm. Mazon Creek.
169. Myalinella meeki, 12 mm. Mazon Creek.
Dunbarella sp. 14 mm. Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
Dunbarella sp. 14 mm. Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
 Strobeus, 7 mm gastropod on 65 mm Essexella. Mazon Creek.
Strobeus, 7 mm gastropod on 65 mm Essexella. Mazon Creek.
 Glaphurochiton concinnus (Richardson). Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian, Desmoinesian. Pit 11, Braidwood, Illinois. 20 mm complete chiton.
Glaphurochiton concinnus (Richardson). Francis Creek Shale, Pennsylvanian, Desmoinesian. Pit 11, Braidwood, Illinois. 20 mm complete chiton.
 Lingula sp, 7 mm specimen, Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
Lingula sp, 7 mm specimen, Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
A complete specimen of the rare eurypterid Adelophthalmus mazonensis 60 mm long with Annularia leaf whorl, from Mazon Creek. This specimen has an exceptionally long telson.
A complete specimen of the rare eurypterid Adelophthalmus mazonensis 60 mm long with Annularia leaf whorl, from Mazon Creek. This specimen has an exceptionally long telson.
 Drawing of the Adelophthalmus specimen.
Drawing of the Adelophthalmus specimen.
 25 mm archaeognathan apterygote insect from Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
25 mm archaeognathan apterygote insect from Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
 A large neopteran (Order Protorthoptera) insect, 5 cm long.
A large neopteran (Order Protorthoptera) insect, 5 cm long.
25 mm winged neopteran insect from Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
25 mm winged neopteran insect from Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
 15 mm blattodean nymph, Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
15 mm blattodean nymph, Pit 11, Mazon Creek.
 A terrestrial myriapod, Euphoberia tracta, Approximately 90 mm around the curve, from Mazon Creek.
A terrestrial myriapod, Euphoberia tracta, Approximately 90 mm around the curve, from Mazon Creek.
 Latzelia primordialis 27 mm complete centipede, Mazon Creek.
Latzelia primordialis 27 mm complete centipede, Mazon Creek.
© 1998-2009 - All copyrights rest with the Author
[ PDF contact sheet | Index ]