Recent Trips,Finds and Preps
Moroccan Preps
Two recent preps of Moroccan bugs that I have had in my pile for a couple of years.
A nice Leonaspis sp. There are a number of different species from Morocco and Oklahoma.
A large prone Drotops megalomanicus as purchased.
Mid prep, about 15 hours in.
Almost done, about 25 hours in. Needs repair on the ocipital ring. and top of the head.
Black Cat Mountain
Two days at Black Cat Mountain in April, 2023.
A nice Lockovella deckeri
An uncommon complete Cordania falcata.
A bunch of phacopids
Trilobite Display
A display of trilobites I put together for our local Rock Show, about 90% self prepared and about 60% self found
St Marys, Georgia
We did two days of diving here in July 2022.
My Biggest Meg
Biggest Shark Tooth! 6 3/8"! Found in the St Marys River July 18, 2022.
My first big Megalodon tooth
Found in the Cooper River on August 12, 2020.
A 3" Reedops cephalote from Foum Zguid, Morocco
Purchased in Tucson February 2020, prepped in August 2020.
A Cyphaspis from Morocco
Purchased in Tucson February 2020, prepped in July 2020.
A group of different species from Black Cat Mountain in Oklahoma
These all came from a flat of unprepared specimens that I bought it MAPS in 2019. Prepared during the lock down...
A triple plus a nautiloid from Foum Zguid
Purchased in Tucson February 2020, prepared in April.
Prep Practice, May and June 2017
These are all unprepared specimens I bought in Tucson in February 2017.
Before and After
Phacops sp. forteyi? from Oufaten
Phacops barrandeops from Foum Zguid
Hollardops from Oufaten
Phacops sp. Oufaten
Previous Prep of an Atchana specimen
This is one of the trilobites that I found on site at the Atchana Dicranurus couche in April 2016.
It was in two pieces and completely covered. The pygidium damage was existing.
Parelajursus sp.
Detail of the cephalon
More Prep Practice (Jan 22, 2017)
Continuing to prep the rocks I bought from Ancient Earth.
Here is another Cornuproteus. I am still having trouble with locating the genal spines.
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Here is another phacopid. The rock on this one was especially sticky.
Prep Practice
I purchased a flat of about 25 unprepped small Moroccan trilobites from a local dealer. I have spent many hours over the last month practicing
my preparation techniques using these specimens. Most of them are small Gerastos granulosus species but I have found a few others.
These are the first ten that I prepped. They went out as Christmas presents.
This is a Cornuproteus cornulatus. Unfortunately, I was unfamiliar with the length of the genal spines and probably damaged them during rough out.
These are Reedops species. They were pretty rough even before I started the prep. I experimented with repairing the larger one with FIMO clay.
This Gerastos was completed after I received a new Micro Jack 2 air scribe.
This is the before and after pics of the first double where I was able to preserve both specimens, both Gerastos.
Hunting in the Silica Shale at Paulding, Ohio
These are the prepped Eldridgeops from the Silica Shale that I found in August 2016
Ogygiocarella debuchii
From west Shropshire, UK
LLanvirn Series
Ordovician Period
Found on March 21, 2016, Prepared by Steve
Huntonia huntonensis
From the Theisen Quarry, near Clarita Oklahoma
Bois d'Arc Formation
Devonian Period
Found on May 27, 2015, Prepared by Leon Theisen
Paciphacops campbelli
From the Theisen Quarry, near Clarita Oklahoma
Bois d'Arc Formation
Devonian Period
Found on May 27, 2015, Prepared summer 2015.
Shark Tooth Hill
From the Ernst Quarries, near Bakersfield, CA
Round Mountain Siltbr> Miocene Period
Found on December 14, 2013.