David Clark
@clarkeocrinus.bsky.social
I'd rather be crinoid hunting.
Invertebrate enthusiast, Paleo artist, Fossil prep, President of Friends of the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology
Invertebrate enthusiast, Paleo artist, Fossil prep, President of Friends of the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology
Oh baby....Yooouuuu!
You got what I need.
But you say he's just a friend.
You got what I need.
But you say he's just a friend.
November 24, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Oh baby....Yooouuuu!
You got what I need.
But you say he's just a friend.
You got what I need.
But you say he's just a friend.
I have a nice prep room that I've built up over the past 20 years. I use abrasive powder and an air scribe to remove the surrounding matrix.
It's expensive to get a dust collector, air compressor, blast cabinet, and other tools, but it's the best way to prepare fossils.
It's expensive to get a dust collector, air compressor, blast cabinet, and other tools, but it's the best way to prepare fossils.
November 23, 2025 at 2:55 AM
I have a nice prep room that I've built up over the past 20 years. I use abrasive powder and an air scribe to remove the surrounding matrix.
It's expensive to get a dust collector, air compressor, blast cabinet, and other tools, but it's the best way to prepare fossils.
It's expensive to get a dust collector, air compressor, blast cabinet, and other tools, but it's the best way to prepare fossils.
Here's a couple different views of the specimen.
Does this help?
Does this help?
November 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Here's a couple different views of the specimen.
Does this help?
Does this help?
Ah. Nope. That's the crinoid stem. Platycrinites have oval shaped columnals (discs that make up the stem) so it has a cork screw type shape.
Here's another Platycrinites with the stem stretched out.
Here's another Platycrinites with the stem stretched out.
November 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Ah. Nope. That's the crinoid stem. Platycrinites have oval shaped columnals (discs that make up the stem) so it has a cork screw type shape.
Here's another Platycrinites with the stem stretched out.
Here's another Platycrinites with the stem stretched out.
Hunsruck slate is known for pyrite replacement. The fossils can be x-rayed to show soft tissue details.
A close up of this specimen shows the delicate arms and long anal tube to expel waste.
#FossilFriday
A close up of this specimen shows the delicate arms and long anal tube to expel waste.
#FossilFriday
November 21, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Hunsruck slate is known for pyrite replacement. The fossils can be x-rayed to show soft tissue details.
A close up of this specimen shows the delicate arms and long anal tube to expel waste.
#FossilFriday
A close up of this specimen shows the delicate arms and long anal tube to expel waste.
#FossilFriday
Another plate with multiple crinoids, this one is Parisangulocrinus sp. from the lower Devonian Hunsruck slate near Bundenbach, Germany. This plate has 16 crinoids.
#FossilFriday
#FossilFriday
November 21, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Another plate with multiple crinoids, this one is Parisangulocrinus sp. from the lower Devonian Hunsruck slate near Bundenbach, Germany. This plate has 16 crinoids.
#FossilFriday
#FossilFriday
November 21, 2025 at 9:08 PM
A really nice example of Clematocrinus retiarius from the Silurian Wren's Nest of the UK. The little branches on the stem are called cirri.
#FossilFriday
#FossilFriday
November 21, 2025 at 9:08 PM
A really nice example of Clematocrinus retiarius from the Silurian Wren's Nest of the UK. The little branches on the stem are called cirri.
#FossilFriday
#FossilFriday
Platycrinites bozmanensis crinoid from the remote Mississippian Lodgepole Fm. of Montana. This specimen also has a Platycerid snail attached to the calyx (bottom left).
These snails were coprophages and would eat expelled waste from the crinoid.
#FossilFriday
These snails were coprophages and would eat expelled waste from the crinoid.
#FossilFriday
November 21, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Platycrinites bozmanensis crinoid from the remote Mississippian Lodgepole Fm. of Montana. This specimen also has a Platycerid snail attached to the calyx (bottom left).
These snails were coprophages and would eat expelled waste from the crinoid.
#FossilFriday
These snails were coprophages and would eat expelled waste from the crinoid.
#FossilFriday
Spent some time in my prep room for some fossil therapy.
This is an Isotelus roller I found at Flat Run quarry near Mt. Orab, Ohio. I exposed most of the body and the genal (cheek) spine.
I can feel my back loosen up and stress melt away.
This is an Isotelus roller I found at Flat Run quarry near Mt. Orab, Ohio. I exposed most of the body and the genal (cheek) spine.
I can feel my back loosen up and stress melt away.
November 20, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Spent some time in my prep room for some fossil therapy.
This is an Isotelus roller I found at Flat Run quarry near Mt. Orab, Ohio. I exposed most of the body and the genal (cheek) spine.
I can feel my back loosen up and stress melt away.
This is an Isotelus roller I found at Flat Run quarry near Mt. Orab, Ohio. I exposed most of the body and the genal (cheek) spine.
I can feel my back loosen up and stress melt away.
I started taking both of my kids fossil collecting when they were about 3 years old. We go on a few trips every year and they both have a nice collection.
November 19, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I started taking both of my kids fossil collecting when they were about 3 years old. We go on a few trips every year and they both have a nice collection.
I always feel like someone is watching me....
November 19, 2025 at 8:22 PM
I always feel like someone is watching me....
This was my son's first complete trilobite - a goldbug!
This is a Triarthrus eatoni from the famous Ordovician Beecher's Bed of New York. This site preserves soft tissues like legs, gills and antennae with pyrite or fool's gold.
#TrilobiteTuesday
This is a Triarthrus eatoni from the famous Ordovician Beecher's Bed of New York. This site preserves soft tissues like legs, gills and antennae with pyrite or fool's gold.
#TrilobiteTuesday
November 19, 2025 at 1:24 AM
This was my son's first complete trilobite - a goldbug!
This is a Triarthrus eatoni from the famous Ordovician Beecher's Bed of New York. This site preserves soft tissues like legs, gills and antennae with pyrite or fool's gold.
#TrilobiteTuesday
This is a Triarthrus eatoni from the famous Ordovician Beecher's Bed of New York. This site preserves soft tissues like legs, gills and antennae with pyrite or fool's gold.
#TrilobiteTuesday
Whiskey Pete's excited.
November 16, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Whiskey Pete's excited.
Quote with your art with horns, apparently?
November 15, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Quote with your art with horns, apparently?
My lithops (rock plants) are flowering!
They are a succulent plant and need very little water. They have two lobe leafs that split when they grow. The bottom right plant is in the process of splitting.
They are a succulent plant and need very little water. They have two lobe leafs that split when they grow. The bottom right plant is in the process of splitting.
November 15, 2025 at 9:54 PM
My lithops (rock plants) are flowering!
They are a succulent plant and need very little water. They have two lobe leafs that split when they grow. The bottom right plant is in the process of splitting.
They are a succulent plant and need very little water. They have two lobe leafs that split when they grow. The bottom right plant is in the process of splitting.
I took my kids to Flat Run quarry and my daughter found her first complete trilobite - a small prone Isotelus!
I also found a nice roller. I'm still prepping both of them.
I also found a nice roller. I'm still prepping both of them.
November 15, 2025 at 2:05 AM
I took my kids to Flat Run quarry and my daughter found her first complete trilobite - a small prone Isotelus!
I also found a nice roller. I'm still prepping both of them.
I also found a nice roller. I'm still prepping both of them.
How about a monster trilobite for #FossilFriday?
This is an Isotelus maximus from the late Ordovician near Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Friends of UMMP purchased this specimen and it is on display @ummnh.bsky.social
This is an Isotelus maximus from the late Ordovician near Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Friends of UMMP purchased this specimen and it is on display @ummnh.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 11:01 PM
How about a monster trilobite for #FossilFriday?
This is an Isotelus maximus from the late Ordovician near Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Friends of UMMP purchased this specimen and it is on display @ummnh.bsky.social
This is an Isotelus maximus from the late Ordovician near Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Friends of UMMP purchased this specimen and it is on display @ummnh.bsky.social
This is a late Cretaceous echinoid, Hardournia mortonis, from the Peedee Fm. near Holden Beach, NC. The mouth structure is preserved with 5 beak-like teeth called Aristotle's lantern.
#FossilFriday
#FossilFriday
November 14, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This is a late Cretaceous echinoid, Hardournia mortonis, from the Peedee Fm. near Holden Beach, NC. The mouth structure is preserved with 5 beak-like teeth called Aristotle's lantern.
#FossilFriday
#FossilFriday
This is a flexible crinoid, Euonychocrinus simplex, from the Pennsylvanian Bond Fm. near Pontiac, Illinois.
I know it looks like an alien face sucker, but it's related to starfish and sand dollars.
#FossilFriday
I know it looks like an alien face sucker, but it's related to starfish and sand dollars.
#FossilFriday
November 14, 2025 at 4:31 PM
This is a flexible crinoid, Euonychocrinus simplex, from the Pennsylvanian Bond Fm. near Pontiac, Illinois.
I know it looks like an alien face sucker, but it's related to starfish and sand dollars.
#FossilFriday
I know it looks like an alien face sucker, but it's related to starfish and sand dollars.
#FossilFriday
Not all the specimens in my collection are "pretty." This is a hash plate of crinoid pieces with a partial calyx that has started to disarticulate.
Echinoderms rapidly fall apart after death.
Complete crinoids tend to be animals that were buried alive.
#FossilFriday
Echinoderms rapidly fall apart after death.
Complete crinoids tend to be animals that were buried alive.
#FossilFriday
November 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Not all the specimens in my collection are "pretty." This is a hash plate of crinoid pieces with a partial calyx that has started to disarticulate.
Echinoderms rapidly fall apart after death.
Complete crinoids tend to be animals that were buried alive.
#FossilFriday
Echinoderms rapidly fall apart after death.
Complete crinoids tend to be animals that were buried alive.
#FossilFriday
It was cloudy here last night, but there's still some color in the sky tonight.
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 AM
It was cloudy here last night, but there's still some color in the sky tonight.
They caved to this.
November 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM
They caved to this.
I've spent the past 2 months building a robot with my son and his team. We meet at least 3 days a week and it's great to spend quality time with him.
Our first competition was this weekend and we were the overall winners, won the prestigious Inspire award and qualified for States.
Still in shock.
Our first competition was this weekend and we were the overall winners, won the prestigious Inspire award and qualified for States.
Still in shock.
November 9, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I've spent the past 2 months building a robot with my son and his team. We meet at least 3 days a week and it's great to spend quality time with him.
Our first competition was this weekend and we were the overall winners, won the prestigious Inspire award and qualified for States.
Still in shock.
Our first competition was this weekend and we were the overall winners, won the prestigious Inspire award and qualified for States.
Still in shock.