This is the "Fossil Friday" post #71. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to [email protected]. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!
-----------------------------------------------------
For many collectors, spiders represent the pinnacle of Mazon Creek fossils. Well, we have something very special for Fossil Friday this week. Recently, I received an email from a Mazon Creek collector named James Alann. He sent a story and some photos of an absolutely amazing specimen. The animal is Arthrolycosa danielsi, which is a spider. This one looks three dimensional in a crouching posture. Jim brought this to a paleontology meeting a few years ago and I'll never forget the reaction it created. Everyone was stunned by its beauty! Thank you for this eye popping contribution, Jim! It it truly one of a kind!
Here's the story in his words.
The story behind this fossil is as follows: I found the nodule around 18 years ago (+,-) on a pre-dawn fossil hunting mission at my top secret spot. Due to the insanity that has transpired at this particular site in recent years, I can give no further information. The location should be fairly obvious.
In any event, while going through my buckets, I nearly tossed this aside as a ruined nodule that did not pop open properly. Thankfully, just before the toss, I gave it a final rinse and took a closer look with my magnifier. There was just a divot on the top of the nodule showing what of what appeared to be a bit of thorax and the very start of some legs coming off the body. I then reached out to Bob Masek, a very well-known local fossil preparator, and asked if he could spend a couple hours digging to see if there was anything worthwhile in there. I then began to receive a series of email “progression photos” as he skillfully prepped out 2 full legs, then 4 legs, 6, etc. until he revealed this fantastic 8 legged spider. What is really interesting is that the spider thorax sits lower in the nodule and the legs are preserved higher to give the spider a really fantastic 3D crouching position. Not a large specimen, but quite nice nonetheless. I just thought I’d share with the esconi community.
Don't drool on your phone or keyboard... This first photo is what it looked like when Jim first found it in his bucket.
Here are the progression photos.
Final prep photo
For size comparison.
