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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 5, 2012 5:51:31 GMT -5
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Post by Joe Botting on Mar 5, 2012 9:22:06 GMT -5
Hey there Peter... this is some pretty good resolution in these - well done indeed. That first specimen definitely seems to be the best, and I think I can see quite a number of spicules in it now, which is excellent. No need to post them all here, though - I'll see them on Photobucket when I get to that stage. ;D Today I was sorting through hetang protomonaxonids, trying to work out how many species I can get out of them - looks like eleven from one site, and several more from another. It's a slow process... but probably not as slow as uploading all these images.
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 5, 2012 11:24:45 GMT -5
Thanks Joe. I will post messages here when I up date the photobucket... will look at the other sponges on new configuration ... the 40mm Hexanon lens is even better than the 50mm Hexanon lens..... so the best pics to date are taken with the the 40 mm Hexanon. Lens... the optics configuration is listed on photobucket.... there is about 600 photos to date.... I agree specimen #1 is still the best..... the fossil has developed a crack which I stabilize with super glue.... the crack opened up when I immersed the fossil in water. PL
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 6, 2012 11:59:37 GMT -5
Imaged the Red Sponge I call this specimen 6 will be posting in within 12 hr from now on photo bucket and one or 2 shots here.....
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 6, 2012 21:50:08 GMT -5
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Post by Joe Botting on Mar 6, 2012 22:38:12 GMT -5
Shame about the crack opening, but of course that is a hazard with these weathered mudstones. I think it's to do with the growth of clays at the expense of a more coherent cement, but I'm not really sure.
That 'red sponge' doesn't look nearly as interesting for spicules. It's an odd thing, but intense red colouration in the Fezouata is normally associated with soft tissue. It often appears that the conditions that encourage soft tissue preservation resulted in rapid dissolution of biominerals. Not all that surprising, perhaps, but interesting.
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 7, 2012 12:57:03 GMT -5
Seems like the best spicules come from yellow , then purple then red sponges. The red sponge spicules were very hard to see probably as you mention due to "rapid dissolution of biominerals"....
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 7, 2012 22:24:04 GMT -5
Latest advancement on resolution... a device called a z axis translation stage capable of micrometer movement has been adapted into a lab jack used to support the specimen.... much more improve focus capabilities.... imaging specimen #5 Yellow sponge.... will post tomorrow night....
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 9, 2012 5:38:36 GMT -5
Specimen #5b Yellow sponge Configuration same as previous 40mm Hexanon lens.
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 9, 2012 5:45:26 GMT -5
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 9, 2012 5:56:29 GMT -5
Specimen #5 Yellow sponge
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 9, 2012 15:21:37 GMT -5
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Post by Joe Botting on Mar 10, 2012 10:26:37 GMT -5
Yup, I'd say that looks pretty hexactinal. Neat trick with the mounting... I guess the main problem will be shake from the shutter now.
Thanks for the link - I was talking to Mary Droser about this stuff a few months back, and it's really interesting material. I know one specialist on the Mistaken Point says that he thinks they're bacterial filaments rather than rigid structures, but I'm not sure. They do look like something, but it really doesn't look like a choiid to me. It just couldn't function as a sopnge without many more 'spicules', I don't think, and it doesn't really make any sense in evolutionary terms either... but whatever it is, it's interesting.
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 10, 2012 22:55:40 GMT -5
Just upload Specimen #1 Yellow Sponge in Photo Bucket with new Z axis Translational Device that has micron movement capabilities. Speciment #1
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Post by pleecan (Peter Lee) on Mar 11, 2012 12:29:44 GMT -5
Uploaded Specimen #4 into photobucket...
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