This is the "Fossil Friday" post #96. 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!
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We have another Mazon Creek insect this week. This one is a Megascoptera nymph. Recall Megascoptera is an extinct order of insects. Last week in Fossil Friday #95, we had an adult Diaphanopterodea sp., which belongs to that same order. This gorgeous specimen comes from ESCONI member Ralph Jewell. You might remember him from his generous donations at Braceville field trips. As usual, Ralph has a interesting story around this fossil. It was given to him by his fossil mentor Walter Lietz. The fossil was found in Pit 11 way back in August of 1987. Then, there's an connection to a Mazon Creek researcher from years ago. Thanks for the contribution, Ralph!
By the way, Ralph posted this fossil and its story to the FossilForum, if you aren't a member, get over there and join as there is a wealth of fossil knowledge on that forum.... oh, and it's a free account! Take it away, Ralph...
Tonight I was looking thru a few fossils and came across this piece that I had received from my fossil mentor Walter Lietz. This was a concretion that he had found and split open in August of 1987, from Pit 11..
Walter knowing it was something, he put it off to the side and 2 months later (10-87), he gave it to a friend of his, Paleoentomologist Dr. Jarmilla Kukalova’-Peck from Carleton University, Ontario.
Besides studying insects, she was also known to draw the pieces that she was studying.
Dr. Peck returned the fossil to Walter on 3-31-88, along with a nice drawing, identifying it as a Megascoptera nymph.
Below are pics of the fossil and a copy of the drawing.
I wanted to post this to show amateur fossil collectors can work with professionals.
