This is the “Fossil Friday” post #280.  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 Bluesky/Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

---

Mayomyzon pieckoensis is an extinct species of lamprey found only in the Mazon Creek fossil biota. It was described in “First Fossil Lamprey: A Record from the Pennsylvanian of Illinois” by David Bardack and Rainer Zangerl. That paper was published in the jornal Science in 1968. M. pieckoensis was named for Ted and Helen Piecko.  Helen Piecko and her son Ted have no less than 6 species of Mazon animals named for them, including Pieckonia helemae and  Octomedusa pieckorum.  The “May” in Mayomyzon refers to Stephen LaMay.  For more information, see Mazon Monday #284.

Recently, Ralph Jewell showed us a gorgeous Mayomyzon pieckoensis.  He’s always showing us drool-worthy fossils and for this one we just had to post it for Fossil Friday.  This specimen was collected from Pit 11.  Thanks for sharing, Ralph!