This is “Fossil Friday” post #124.  Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website.  We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com.  Please include a short description or story.  Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

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Saturday, August 27th and Sunday August 28th were the annual I&M Canal Corridor’s Fossil Trip .  This event benefits the I&M Canal Corridor and helps support its upkeep.  Mazon Creek fossils from the Kodat (nee Benson) farm are the target for this field trip.  The Kodat farm was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.  There is a report with photos of the event over on the Fossil Forum.

There were many fossils and even more concretions found on both days.  Probably, the most memorable find was by Gary Riegler, who has encouraged his son Ben’s interest in paleontology over his decades of collecting.  Gary found a stunningly, huge, lungfish scale.  Despite being found open, it has great detail and measures 2.5 inches wide!  Here is Ben’s description.

He found it already split, but it is only slightly river-worn. When he showed it to me I could hardly believe it and I assured him that if he showed it to anyone else with a some familiarity with Mazon Creek fossils that they would be gobsmacked. I’m happy to say I was not wrong- I wish I would have recorded all of the superlatives that sprung from people’s mouths the rest of the evening when they saw it. 

Gobsmacked!?!  How about amazed, shocked, flabbergasted, astonished, and just plain dumbfounded!  Thanks for sharing this gorgeous fossil, Gary!  It must have come from a truly enormous lungfish!