Mazon Creek, Illinois

Bivalvia

"Worms"

Xiphosura

Crustacea

Hexapoda

Myriapoda

Echinodermata

Incertae Sedis

Another example of spectacular fossil preservation occurs south of Chicago, Illinois in an area named for a local river: Mazon Creek. Fossils can be found in ironstone concretions in the exposures along the creek and in spoil pits from coal mining operations. Not only are articulated skeletons preserved, but soft-bodied organisms are fossilized as well. In 1864, Yale's James Dana was the first to describe any of the plants or animals from Mazon Creek.

Aviculopecten mazonensis Worthen, YPM 14455

undet. Annelida, YPM 36982

Xiphosura

	Bellinurus danae (Meek & Worthen), YPM 34736
	Euproops danae (Meek & Worthen), YPM 50641

Crustacea

	Acanthotelson stimpsoni Meek & Worthen, YPM 19692
	Acanthotelson stimpsoni Meek & Worthen, YPM 19906
	Anthracaris gracilis Meek & Worthen, YPM 19979
	Palaeocaris typus Meek & Worthen, YPM 19729

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Hexapoda

	Archoblattina beecheri (Sellards), YPM 8412
	Asyncritus reticulatus Handlirsch, YPM 44
	Narkema taeniatum Handlirsch, YPM 40
	Syntonoptera schucherti Handlirsch, YPM 19
	Spaniodera angusta Handlirsch, YPM 30

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Myriapoda

Euphoberiida

Acantherpestes major Meek & Worthen, YPM 9916

Arthropleurida

Arthropleura armata Jordan & Meyer, YPM 36259

Holthuroidea

	Achistrum sp., YPM 35123
	undet. Hirudinea, YPM 35126

	Mazon Creek Problematica, YPM 34121
	Mazon Creek Problematica, YPM 34122
	Tullimonstrum gregarium Richardson, YPM 10057
	Tullimonstrum gregarium Richardson, YPM 10058

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