Beecher's Trilobite Bed
Beecher's Trilobite Bed | |
---|---|
Ma | |
Triarthrus eatoni. These trilobites are preserved with pyrite, allowing for the presence of soft body parts. | |
Type | Bed |
Unit of | Frankfort Formation |
Area | Small quarry only |
Thickness | 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) |
Lithology | |
Primary | Shale |
Location | |
Coordinates | 43°15.2′N 75°24.5′W / 43.2533°N 75.4083°W |
Region | Oneida Co., New York |
Country | United States |
Extent | Very limited |
Type section | |
Named for | Charles Emerson Beecher |
Beecher's Trilobite Bed is a
History of research
Originally discovered in 1892 by William S. Valiant, the site was thoroughly excavated from 1893 to 1895 by Charles Emerson Beecher (after whom the location is named) of Yale University, after which time the location was thought to be exhausted of fossils and excavations ceased.[9] Beecher published three papers describing a trilobite larval form,[10] trilobite limbs[11] and trilobite ventral anatomy[12] from material collected from the site he established. Beecher died unexpectedly in 1904; much material, as well as details of the location, was lost.[13] Research was subsequently limited to study of material collected during the original excavations that had been distributed to various institutions.[13][14][15]
Amateur fossil collectors Tom E. Whiteley (also responsible for rediscovering the
Sedimentology, environment of deposition and preservation
The original Beecher's Trilobite Bed is found within a thick succession of fine grained turbidite beds, the fossiliferous bed is about 40 mm thick lying on a scoured mudstone surface with remnants of burrows.[14] Well preserved fossil remains are found 7–10 mm above the base parallel to the bedding plane, strongly aligned by the current, with as many facing up as down.[6][12][14] Chemically, the bed contains high iron coupled with low organic carbon and low organic sulfur.[6]
Fauna
The trilobite Triarthrus eatoni comprises 85% of the organisms sampled at the locality, other taxa include graptolites, branching algae, brachiopods and problematica (incertae sedis).[20] The trilobites Cryptolithus bellulus (Ulrich), Cornuproetus beecheri (Ruedeman), Primaspis crosotus (Locke) are also recorded.[2]
See also
- Beecher's Trilobite type preservation, the preservational pathway responsible
References
- ^ Martha Buck's senior thesis on the Beecher's Trilobite Bed Archived 2008-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Photos (and more) of trilobites from Beecher's Trilobite Bed from Yale Peabody Museum Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
- PMID 21680421.
- ]
- ^ X-ray images and 3D GIFs of preserved trilobite appendages by Amherst College Archived 2008-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ .
- ISBN 978-0-226-74641-8. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2011-07-14.
see page 41
- ^ Farrell, Úna C.; Briggs, Derek E. G. (2008). "Pyritized olenid trilobite faunas of upstate NY: palaeoecology and taphonomy (abstract)" (PDF). Palaeontological Association Programme with Abstracts. 52: 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-15.
- ^ Etter, Walter (2002). "Beecher's Trilobite Bed: Ordovician Pyritization for the Other Half of the Trilobite". In David J. Bottjer; Walter Etter; James W. Hagadorn; Carol M. Tang (eds.). Exceptional Fossil Preservation: A Unique View on the Evolution of Marine Life. Columbia University Press, NY. pp. 131–142.
- S2CID 131502904.
- S2CID 130872645.
- ^ .
- ^ a b Raymond, Percy E. (1920). "The Appendages, Anatomy and Relationships of Trilobites". The Memoirs of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences. 7.
- ^ a b c Cisne, John L. (1973). "Beecher's Trilobite Bed revisited; ecology of an Ordovician deepwater fauna". Postilla. 160: 1–25.
- ^ Cisne, John L. (1981). "Triarthrus Eatoni (Trilobita): Anatomy of its exoskeletal, skeletomuscular, and digestive systems". Palaeontographica Americana. 9: 1–142.
- S2CID 130851276.
- ^ a b c Farrell, Una (2008). "Revisiting Beecher's Trilobite Beds" (PDF). Yale Environmental News. 13 (1): 9.
- ^ Forum talk regarding quarry access. Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Yale Peabody (Briggs Laboratory) research projects. Archived 2008-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ James W. Hagadorn; Martha M. Buck (2004). "Digital Paleobiology and Taphonomy of an Ordovician lagerstätte: Beecher's Trilobite Bed". Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 36 (5): 383.
External links
- Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University (official website)
- Yale Environmental News article with site pictures, see page 9