James edward hughes
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Essays
    • Science >
      • Science Essays
      • Underwater World >
        • Essays
      • The Lithopaedion's Lair
    • History >
      • History Essays
    • Travel >
      • Holidays and Trips
      • Fossil Hunting
    • Book Reviews
    • Music >
      • Music Essays
      • CD Reviews
      • Concert Reviews
  • About Me
  • Contact

Warren, Folkestone

4/17/2010

0 Comments

 
PictureFolkestone Beach
I've been a bit lazy with respect to this upload, as it is about two weeks overdue... However, it's here now. The items below are the best specimens found on my fossil hunt at Folkestone, on the south coast of England. I'm not 100% sure if I've got all the names right, so if you spot something wrong, please tell me :)

PictureEuhoplites truncatus
The first example, pictured left, is a specimen of Euhoplites truncatus. Euhoplites is an extinct genus of cephalopod of the Ammonite sub-class. The fossils generaly date from the Middle Albian stage of the Cretaceous Period. This one was found on the surface of the shale, where there is an abundant supply of these fossils. It is a pyritised specimen.

The reason for the existence of the bumps on the side of the shell are, as yet, unknown, but may have existed to act as a slowing-down facter to stop them from going too fast in the water. E. truncatus was a small Ammonite, but there may have been differences in size depending on age and gender. Scientists have yet to confirm this.

PictureUhligella
I'm not sure what this one is to be precise, but I think, from the vein-like markings on surface, that this might be a specimen of Uhligella, which is a rare Genus of Ammonite. They too date from the Middle Albian stage of the Cretaceous period, but very little seems to be known about them. It's a shame the specimen is broken, because the quality of the crenellations are very good.

R Casey states, in the Geological Magazine, that:

"Uhligella is one of the links between the Hoplitidae and their smooth Desmoceratid ancestors, and occurs typically in the Albian of the Mediterranean Province. Two new species of Uhligella found in the Middle Albian of Folkestone provide the first record of the genus in England."

PictureNeohibolites minimus
This one looks very much like pictures of Neohibolites minimus, also dating from the Middle Albian. It is a medium sized belemnite, caracterised by a pointy tip, a bulging section aft of the tip, and a tapering rostral end.

The Belemnites were are related to Ammonites, but also to the modern day Squid, Octopus and Nautilus. The Genus is now extinct. Their fossils are to be found in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks, though this one was found poking nicely out of the clay :) It is normally only the guard which fossilises, however sometimes the Phragmacone, or buoyancy aid, can be found as well, though this is very rare.

The guard, at the opposite endof the head, is made of calcite. The end nearest to the head had a round opening called the alveolus. The other end tapers to a point, as can be seen in the specimen to the left.

PicturePyritised wood
A nice example of Pyritised Wood, found laying in the shale. It has almost iron-like colourings, and is rather heavier than you would expect.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Fossil Hunting

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    April 2010
    March 2010

    Categories

    All
    Barite Crystals
    Euhoplites Truncatus
    Folkestone
    Neohibolites Minimus
    Pyritised Wood
    Septarian Nodule
    Sheppey
    Uhligella
    Warden Point
    Warren

    RSS Feed

MOST VIEWED POSTS

QUEEN CATHERINE DE MEDICI
Picture
The "Maggot from Italy's Tomb?" The "Black Widow" of St Bartholomew? Or one of the finest examples of power politics and survival ever seen? Well, I would have to say yes to all of the above, and more! Catherine was one of the most complex characters in a time of massive internal strife in France, with enemies both within (Guise, D'Albret) and abroad (Philip II of Spain).

MARK OLIPHANT
Picture
Born in Kent Town, Adelaide, Australia, Mark Oliphant was a Physicist, who received the prestigious Hughes Medal (other recipients include Alexander Graham Bell, Enrico Fermi, Stephen Hawking, and Andre Geim). He was also a life-long vegetarian after seeing a pig slaughtered at a farm as a child.

HAYDN'S CELLO CONCERTO IN C MAJOR
Picture
The third movement of Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major is one of my favourite pieces of music. It is a truly joyous piece, and one which I find uplifting. The first performance I heard was by 13-year-old Han-na Chang, who took my breath away with her skill, musicianship and dynamism.

ETTORE MAJORANA & THE MAJORANA FERMION
Picture
New research from Dutch scientists has revitalised the search for the elusive  Majorana Fermion. The Majorana Fermion was first predicted about 75 years  ago by Italian scientist Ettore Majorana, one of the Via Paspernera Boys - a group of scientists named after the street where their lab was located.

LIQUID CRYSTALLINE WATER
Picture
Water. Without it, we would not exist. Covering nearly 71% of the world’s surface, it is one of the key building blocks of life on Earth. We think we know all about it, how it works, and what it does. But Gerald Pollack, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, is sure we don’t!

FRANCO FAGIOLI: COUNTERTENOR ASSOLUTO
Picture
Franco Fagioli is an Argentinian Countertenor "who seems to redefine the capabilities of the countertenor voice." He has won great acclaim for his performance in the role of Arbace in the recent all-male production of Vinci's Artaserse, and will soon be releasing an album celebrating the star castrato Caffarelli.

© James Edward Hughes 2013
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Essays
    • Science >
      • Science Essays
      • Underwater World >
        • Essays
      • The Lithopaedion's Lair
    • History >
      • History Essays
    • Travel >
      • Holidays and Trips
      • Fossil Hunting
    • Book Reviews
    • Music >
      • Music Essays
      • CD Reviews
      • Concert Reviews
  • About Me
  • Contact