This is the “Fossil Friday” post #229.  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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A beautifully preserved Tullymonstrum gregarium is our Fossil Friday for this week. T. gregarium was designated as the the State Fossil of Illinois in 1989.  It’s named for Francis Tully, an amateur collector who found his first specimen during the summer of 1955.  He brought a few specimens to the Field Museum to show Eugene Richardson, Jr., who didn’t know what it was.  Richardson referred to it as “Mr. Tully’s Monster”.  The name stuck, and when Richardson formally described the animal in 1966, he named it Tullymonstrum gregarium.

This stunning fossil was recently acquired by ESCONI member Jeremy Zimmerman.  It has some interesting 3-dimensional preservation.   Thanks for sharing, Jeremy!