Dear All: The Fossils look very much like the tubes of what are now =
called Ficopomatus enigmaticus that cluster on pilings and other hard =
surfaces in the turning basin in the Petaluma River, in Petaluma, =
California. The locals there called them "corals" because their =
clusters of calcarious tubes are reminiscent of coral.
In Vertebrate Embryology a Laboratory Manual by Richard M. Eakin, =
University of California Press 1947, 1971, pp. 44-49, "Fertilization and =
Cleavage in a Tube Worm," is a description of how these worms make =
excellent material for students to directly observe fertilization and =
cleavage, without having to resort to computers. (Wow, direct =
observation of the real world!!!)
These worms, then known as Mercierella enigmatica, could be ordered from =
Dahl Biological Supply =
(http://www.wysk.com/index/california/berkeley/4ynjxlq/dahl-biological-sup=
ply-inc/profile) or collected from the boats and floats in the brackish =
water at the foot of University Street in Berkeley and kept in seawater =
in the Life Sciences Building.
Students at Sonoma State University and I made similar collections from =
the Petaluma river. This species is known for its wide range of =
salinity tolerance. We were able to verify that at Sonoma State.
My first thought is to question the age of these fossils in this =
reservoir that like Berkeley is in the "East Bay." How "in" the East =
Bay is it or was it?
Best wishes, Colin Hermans
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D
=20
On Sep 19, 2014, at 3:34 AM, "Harry Hove, ten" =
<harry.tenhove from naturalis.nl> wrote:
> Dear Larry,
>=20
> There might be a few more candidate names for the tube cluster as =
shown on
> the photograph than suggested by Alexei (but he has a lot more =
experience
> with fossils than I have). Hydroides is not the only genus that can be =
mass
> forming like this, see ten Hove & van den Hurk 1993) but it is hardly
> possible to see details on the photograph. Any chance to send me a =
piece of
> the stuff? Alexei will be visiting me in Naturalis next month, so =
maybe we
> could have a short look together.
>=20
> gr.
>=20
> Harry ten Hove
>=20
>=20
> Op donderdag 18 september 2014 heeft Lovell, Larry <LLovell from lacsd.org> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','LLovell from lacsd.org');>> het volgende
> geschreven:
>=20
>> Hello wormers,
>>=20
>> Any thoughts on the makers of these fossils in the photos? =
Serpulidae is
>> highly likely, but anything more specific to suggest? Scroll down =
for
>> specific info on the collecting locality and timeframe. We have =
Salmacina
>> tribranchiata colonies locally, that are much smaller in size.
>>=20
>> Cheers,
>>=20
>> Larry
>>=20
>> Larry Lovell, President
>> Southern California Association of Marine Invertebrate Taxonomists
>> Visit our website: www.scamit.org<http://www.scamit.org/>
>> (310) 830-2400 X-5613 (work)
>> (760) 803-1608 (mobile)
>>=20
>> =93What=92s the use in their having names,=94 the Gnat said, =93if =
they won=92t
>> answer to them?=94
>>=20
>> =93No use to them,=94 said Alice: =93but it=92s useful to the people =
who name
>> them, I suppose.=94
>>=20
>>=20
>> - Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> From: General_Topics [mailto:
>>general_topics-bounces from discussion.list.scamit.org] On Behalf Of =
Enright,
>> Wendy
>> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 11:22 AM
>> To: general_topics from discussion.list.scamit.org>> Cc: cpowell from usgs.gov>> Subject: [General_Topics] FW: worm tubes
>>=20
>> Hello All!
>>=20
>> I received this interesting photo today. Can anyone provide some
>> information? Both worms and paleontology are outside of my expertise!
>>=20
>> Thanks so much!
>> Wendy
>>=20
>> From: Powell, Charles [mailto:cpowell from usgs.gov]
>> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 11:03 AM
>> To: Enright, Wendy; james walker
>> Subject: worm tubes
>>=20
>> Hi Wendy,
>>=20
>> I was wondering if you or someone down there could help me. It has =
to do
>> with worms not mollusks and the only people I know working with worms =
are
>> there and at LACM.
>>=20
>> I was out at Calaveras Reservoir in the east SF Bay area yesterday =
looking
>> at the fossil they've been collecting. One thing I was shown (by Jim
>> Walker the paleontologists out there) really interests me and Jim are =
the
>> domes of worm tubes (see attached). They run from about a quarter to =
half
>> meter across, the tubes in the lower portion seem to run =
perpendicular to
>> the outer layer. Also tubes in the outer layer have a rounded top. =
These
>> appear to be transported and laying on their side compared to =
bedding.
>> Have you ever seen or heard of anything like this? Its a new one on =
me and
>> I think it needs to be written up.
>>=20
>> These worms are in middle Miocene rocks assigned to the "Temblor"
>> Formation.
>>=20
>> Thanks for you help.
>>=20
>> Best,
>>=20
>> Chuck
>>=20
>> --
>> Charles L. Powell, II
>> U.S. Geological Survey, MS 975
>> 345 Middlefield Road
>> Menlo Park, CA 94025
>>=20
>> 1-650-329-4985
>>https://profile.usgs.gov/cpowell/>>=20
>=20
>=20
> --=20
>=20
> T 071-5687657, M
>=20
> Darwinweg 2 - 2333 CR Leiden
> E Harry.tenHove from naturalis.nl I , www.naturalis.nl
> _______________________________________________
> Annelida mailing list
> Post: Annelida from net.bio.net> Help/archive: http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/annelida> Resources: http://www.annelida.net
