Introduction

The Alden Pyrite bed is a layer of claystone in the Middle Devonian Ledyard Shale Formation that contains pyrite replaced fossils and occasional fragile, but well preserved complete trilobites -- Phacops Rana and Greenops Boothi

The Site(s)

Location

• The best known outcrops are on Spring Creek in Alden, NY between Crittenden Road and US20.
• (Other outcrops in Alden?)
• At an old clay pit on the West side of Bethany Center Road North of US20 in East Bethany,NY located about 1.8km N of US20 just South of where the DE&L RR tracks used to cross the road.
• Elevenmile Creek
• Avery Creek
• Murder Creek
• Cazenovia Creek
• Jaycox Run

Latitude-Longitude

Directions to the site

Maps

Rules and Access

Private Property. May or may not be posted. Behave appropriately.

Related Localities

Paleontology

• brachiopods
  • Lingula
  • Mucrospirifer
  • Devonochonetes
• bryozoa
• corals
• crinoids,
• bivalves
• trilobites
  • Phacops rana
  • Greenops boothi
• cephalopods
  • Tornoceras (ammonite)

Geology

Formations (youngest first)

All formations cited below are subdivisions of the Hamilton Group. They are of Middle Devonian age.

• Moscow Shale (Up to 120 meters of fossiiferus Middle Devonian Shale)
• Tichenor Limestone/Pyrite (Limestones and pyritic beds)
• Ludlowville Shale (Up to 80 meters of Middle Devonian gray shales)
  • Ledyard Shale (Gray shales at the base of the Ludlowville Shale)
    • Alden Pyrite (A bed of pyrite nodules in gray Ledyard Shale mudstone (Middle Devonian))
• Centerfield Limestone (Fossiliferous Middle Devonian limestone)
• Skaneateles Shale (Gray to black fossiliferous middle Devonian shale with minor limestone)

Other Stuff

• "Alden","Erie","NY","3.6-5.4 km E of Spring Creek,In creek bed","Devonian"_{"Crinoids,trilobites,corals","NY0142"},"42.9000,-78.4922_MCU","|",
• "Alden","Erie","NY","4.4km SSW","Devonian","Genesee","Styliola","NY1391"_{"http://archive.org/stream/typefossilmiscel371forn/typefossilmiscel371forn_djvu.txt","42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","Along Spring Creek N of US20 and E of Crittendon Road. Fossils in pyrite nodules in creek bed. Fragile trilobites in 40cm bed in banks of creek","Devonian,Middle","Ledyard","pyritized fossils-trilobites-Phacops,Greenops;cephalopods","NY0143","Note:the pyrie fossils need to be protected from air as bacteria will decompose them over time","http://www.jstor.org/pss/1305307","42.9000,-78.4922_MCU","|",
• "Alden","Erie","NY","Amsdel Creek","Devonian","Ledyard","Plants-Lepidodendron,Reimannia,Triloboxylon,Xenocladia,Dadoxylon","NY1238"_{"Paleodb.org-21167","42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","In Hamilton age Leicester Pyrite-Ledyard shale between the Water Works East of Crittenden Road and Route 20. Fossils in Pyrite Nodules. Trilobites - Greenops and Phacops in the shale","Devonian","Ledyard","?","NY0146"_{,"42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","In Spring Creek between Alden,Crittenden road in","Devonian","Ledyard Shale","trilobites,Pyritized brachiopods,gastropods,bivalves,cephalopods","NY0147"_{,"42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","In exposures on Spring Creek-Stein","Devonian Middle","Tully pyrite","plants-Iridopteris,Aneurophyton,Xenocladia","NY1034"_{"paleodb.org-14246","42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","Spring Creek Locality (= Alden, NY) Stein 1982","Devonian,Middle","Ledyard Shale","plants-Reimannia,Triloboxylon,Xenocladia,Dadoxylon,Lepidodendron","NY1121"_{"paleodb.org-21167","42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","Stein -- Spring Brook -- Ledyard Shale (18m below Tully Pyrite)","Devonian Middle","Ledyard Shale","plants-Dadoxylon,Reimannia,Aneurophyton","NY0904"_{"paleodb.org-14214","42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","Stein -- Spring Creek","Devonian Middle","Tully Pyrite","plants-Iridopteris,Aneurophyton,Xenocladia","NY0905"_{"paleodb.org-14246","42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","W on Four Rod Rd upstream of the bridge on Cayuga Creek","Devonian","Hamilton","diverse fossils","NY0148"_{,"42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","area exposures","Devonian","Hamilton","?","NY0149"_{,"42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY"_{"Devonian","Moscow Shale","Trilobites Greenops","NY0141"},"42.9000,-78.4922_MCU","|",
• "Alden and Darien","Erie","NY"_{"Devonian","Hamilton","?","NY0150""|"},
• "Blossom Road","Erie","NY","400m S of Junction with Clinton St (NY354)","Devonian","Ludlowville","brachiopods,others","NY0684""|",,,
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","300m W of Bullis Rd,Stolle Rd junction. Beneath Bullis Rd bridge and in adjacent creek -42d50.32mN,78d36.02mW","Devonian","Moscow","brachiopods,others","NY0695"_{,"42.8708,-78.7875}MCU","|",,,
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","At Blossom Road-42d51.40mN,78d41.52mW","Devonian","Ludlowville","brachiopods,others","NY0683"_{,"42.8708,-78.7875}MCU","|",,,
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","Brett Location 7A in gray fissile Ledyard shale","Devonian","Ludlowville","brachiopods,Bryozoa,trilobites-Phacops,Greenops-Ostracoda,Tentaculites,gastropods,bivalves,cephalopods-","NY0159"_{,"42.8708,-78.7875}MCU","|",,,
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","Brett Location 7B in gray mudstones","Devonian","Moscow|Ludlowville","brachiopods,Bivalves","NY0768"_{"paleodb.org-9366","42.8708,-78.7875}MCU","|",,,
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","E bank of stream and at waterfall S of bridge on Blossom Rd 400m S of junction of Blossom Road and Clinton St (NY354)","Devonian","Ludlowville","-","NY1013"_{"https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ap:10:0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:ucin991395088","42.8708,-78.7875}MCU","|","425124N784131WA",,
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","Exposed partial section through Wanakah Shale member of the Ludlowville formation. Lat lon is Wingspear Rd bridge over Buffalo Creek in Elma, NY. Actual site could be anywhere.","Devonian,Middle","Ludlowville","invertebrates-brachiopods,corals,trilobites,others","NY2050"_{"http://webcentral.uc.edu/eProf/media/attachment/eprofmediafile_674.pdf","42.8455,-78.6770","|"},
• "Buffalo Creek","Erie","NY","stream and waterfall exposures beneath and E or Bullis Road Bridge 300m W of Stolle Rd","Devonian","Ludlowville","-","NY1022"_{"https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ap:10:0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:ucin991395088","42.8708,-78.7875}MCU","|","425019N783601WA",,
• "Cazenovia Creek","Erie","NY","Brett Location 6 in mudstones","Devonian","Moscow|Ludlowville","brachiopods,bryozoa,bivalves","NY0161"_{,"42.8611,-78.8269}MCU","|",,,
• "Cazenovia Creek","Erie","NY","Exposed partial section through Wanakah Shale member of the Ludlowville formation. Lat Lon is the US20 bridge over the creek, but the actual site could be several km away in either direction","Devonian,Middle","Ludlowville","invertebrates-brachiopods,corals,trilobites,others","NY2049"_{"http://webcentral.uc.edu/eProf/media/attachment/eprofmediafile_674.pdf","42.815929,-78.697128}GA3","|",,,
• "Elma","Erie","NY",".3-.4 km N of Bullis Rd bridge in limestone","Devonian","Ludlowville|Moscow","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0171"_{,"42.1533,-74.3422}MCU","|",,,
• "Elma","Erie","NY","Buffalo Creek and tributaries in Elma,NY - Cazenovia Creek"_{,"?","NY0172"},"42.1533,-74.3422_MCU","|",
• "Elma","Erie","NY","in banks of Little Buffalo Creek","Devonian","Hamilton","?","NY0173"_{,"42.1533,-74.3422}MCU","|",,,
• "Erie","Erie","NY","At culvert at intersection of N Davis Rd and Conley Rd (originally said Alden, NY)","Devonian"_"?","NY0144","42.8058,-78.6780_GA0","|",
• "Murder Creek","Erie","NY","Exposed partial section through Wanakah Shale member of the Ludlowville formation. Lat Lon is in an area with no visible relief. At a guess, the actual site is several km S near or S of the junction of NY93 (Maple Rd) and Rapids Road in Akron.","Devonian,Middle","Ludlowville","invertebrates-brachiopods,corals,trilobites,others","NY2052"_{"http://webcentral.uc.edu/eProf/media/attachment/eprofmediafile_674.pdf","43.0814,-78.5181}GA2","|",,,
• "Rush Creek","Erie","NY","Exposed partial section through Wanakah Shale member of the Ludlowville formation. Lat Lon is a small gully about 1km SW of the junction of Big Tree Road and Bay view Road. May or may not be near actual site","Devonian,Middle","Ludlowville","invertebrates-brachiopods,corals,trilobites,others","NY2048"_{"http://webcentral.uc.edu/eProf/media/attachment/eprofmediafile_674.pdf","42.7653,-78.8432}GA3","|",,,
• "Spring Brook","Erie","NY","1 km W on Cazenovia Creek","Devonian","Moscow","Ostracoda","NY0190"_{,"43.0703,-76.5600}MCU","|",,,
• "Spring Brook","Erie","NY","In1.5 km S in NW flowing tributary to Cazenovia Creek","Devonian","Sonyea","?","NY0191"_{,"43.0703,-76.5600}MCU","|",,,
• "Spring Brook","Erie","NY","near Northrop Road","Devonian","Moscow Shale","?","NY0192"_{,"43.0703,-76.5600}MCU","|",,,
• "Spring Brook","Erie","NY","near Northrup Road on Cazenovia Creek","Devonian","Wanakah (NY)","Brachiopods-Ambocoelia,Athyris","NY0726"_{,"43.0703,-76.5600}MCU","|",,,
• "Spring Brook?","Erie","NY","below Road culvert intersection at North Davis Road and Conley Road","Devonian","Sonyea","?","NY0193""|",,,
• "Springbrook","Erie","NY","at Cazenovia Creek between US20 bridge and Northrop Road","Devonian","Ludlowville","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0195"_{,"42.9336,-76.7958}MCU","|",,,
• "Springbrook","Erie","NY""Trilobites,Greenops","NY0194"_{,"42.9336,-76.7958}MCU","|",,,
• "WKBW Radio Towers","Erie","NY","Brett Location 3 in mudstones","Devonian","Moscow|Ludlowville","brachiopods,Bivalves","NY0196""|",,,
• "Alden","Erie","NY","Cayuga Creek at Alden New York,upstream from the bridge on Four Rod Road. Four Rod Road crosses US20 West of Alden Center","Devonian"_"?","NY0145","42.9000,-78.4922_MCU","|",
• "Alden","Genesee","NY","At US20 bridge over Spring Creek","Devonian","Ledyard Shale","Trilobites,diverse pyritized fossils","NY0209"_{,"42.9000,-78.4922}MCU","|",,,
• "Bethany Center","Genesee","NY","Brett Location 15 in gray Ledyard mudstones","Devonian","Ludlowville","brachiopods, Bivalves","NY0210"_{,"42.9039,-78.1336}SCU","|",,,
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","3.2km NW in field on NW corner of Sumner and Simons Roads","Devonian"_{"invertebrates-cephalopods","NY1553"},"42.9019,-78.3506_MCU","|",
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","3.2km NW in field on NW corner of Sumner and Simons Roads","Devonian"_{"invertebrates-cephalopods","NY1554"},"42.9019,-78.3506_MCU","|",
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","3.2km W in small stream at Milldam and for 1.6km below Slate Rd","Devonian","Hamilton","fossils(abundant)","NY1370"_{"An American Geological Railway Guide p135","42.9019,-78.3506}MCU","|",,,
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","At US20 bridge over Creek at entrance to Darien Lakes State Park. Collecting forbidden within the park","Devonian"_{"Trilobites,others","NY0211"},"42.9019,-78.3506_MCU","|",
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","In area streams","Devonian","Hamilton","fossils(abundant)","NY1369"_{"An American Geological Railway Guide p135","42.9019,-78.3506}MCU","|",,,
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","In bed of Murder Creek S of Sharrick Rd","Devonian","Wanakah (NY)","fossils-corals,trilobites","NY0728"_{,"42.9019,-78.3506}MCU","|",,,
• "Darien","Genesee","NY","In cut and stream bed on Walker Rd (Genesee county Road No 5) 3.6km NW of Alexander and 5.2km NE of Darien","Devonian"_{"invertebrates-cephalopods","NY1552"},"42.9019,-78.3506_MCU","|",
• "Darien Center","Genesee","NY","1.6km N of US20 on Eleven Mile Creek","Devonian","Ludlowville","invertebrates-corals","NY0721"_{,"42.9011,-78.3889}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","1.1km E at White's Creek","Devonian"_{"good fossils","NY1549"},"42.9314,-78.1017_SCU","|",
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","1.6km N of DEL RR track cut on Francis Rd N of US20","Devonian","Centerfield Limestone?","good fossils","NY1548"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","1km S of old tracks of DEL","Devonian"_{"invertebrates-cephalopods","NY1556"},"42.9314,-78.1017_SCU","|",
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","Hamilton shales RR Cut at Francis Road Overpass,East Bethany,Genesee County,NY. Several formations exposed. Also in several road and Railroad cuts within a kilometer or three","Devonian"_{"?","NY0214","The railroad tracks were removed around 1990"}"42.9314,-78.1017_SCU","|",
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","In barrow pit on W side of Transit Rd 100m S of old tracks of DEL-Pyrite replaced fossils","Devonian","Ledyard Shale","brachiopods,nautiloids trilobites","NY1547"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","In cut of DLW RR on Francis Rd N of US20 in thin exposure of Limestone and in underlying grey shales","Devonian","Centerfield Limestone","Brachiopods-Mucrospirifer, Athyris,others;Corals-Heliophyllum,Favosites;trilobites-fragments-Phacops-Greenops","NY1544"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","In low cut of DLW RR 800m E of Francis Rd N of US20","Devonian","Centerfield Limestone?","good fossils","NY1545"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","In low cut of DLW RR at Transit Rd N of US20","Devonian","Centerfield Limestone?","good fossils","NY1546"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY","In stream N of DLW RR track cut on Francis Rd N of US20","Devonian","Centerfield Limestone?","good fossils","NY1550"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY"_{"Devonian Middle","Hamilton Shale","invertebrates-corals","NY0213"},"42.9314,-78.1017_SCU","|",
• "East Bethany","Genesee","NY""Bryozoa Hederella","NY0212"_{,"42.9314,-78.1017}SCU","|",,,
• "Eleven Mile Creek","Genesee","NY","Brett Location 11 in shales and mudstones","Devonian","Hamilton","brachiopods,diverse bivalves,cephalopods","NY0215""|",,,
• "Elevenmile Creek","Genesee","NY","Exposed partial section through Wanakah Shale member of the Ludlowville formation. Lat lon is the US20 bridge over Elevenmile Creek. Site could be kilometers distant","Devonian,Middle","Ludlowville","invertebrates-brachiopods,corals,trilobites,others","NY2051"_{"http://webcentral.uc.edu/eProf/media/attachment/eprofmediafile_674.pdf","42.9008,-78.4231,GA3","|"},
• "Francis Road","Genesee","NY","Brett Location 14 in gray Ledyard and Wanakah mudstones","Devonian","Ludlowville","diverse Brachiopods, diverse Bivalves","NY0216""|",,,
• "Jaycox Run","Genesee","NY","Limerick Road Bed. Four localities in Calcareous shale--diverse fossils. Possibly the same four localities as the Hills Gulch Bed?","Devonian","Ludlowville","Corals,Brachiopods,Bryozoa,trilobites-Phacops;Tentaculites,gastropods,bivalves,crinoids-fragments","NY0217""|",,,
• "Greens Landing","Genesee|Erie","NY","Greens Landing Coral Bed. Four localities in Calcareous shale--diverse fossils. Possibly the same four localities as the Hills Gulch Bed?","Devonian","Ludlowville","Corals,Brachiopods,Bryozoa,trilobites-Proetida,Phacops;Tentaculites,gastropods,bivalves,crinoids-fragments","NY0228"_{,"42.8306,-77.2589}SCU","|",,,
• "Hills Gulch","Genesee|Erie","NY","Four localities in Limestone--diverse fossils","Devonian","Ludlowville","Corals,Brachiopods,Bryozoa,trilobites-Proetida,Phacops;Tentaculites,gastropods,bivalves,crinoids-fragments","NY0229""|",,,

References

• USING MARINE FOSSILS TO UNLOCK THE MIDDLE DEVONIAN, PALEOENVIRONMENTS OF WESTERN NEW YORK This links to another link that is broken as of March 2012 but looks likely to be fixed someday
• GEOLEX
• The Sedimentary Record Vol1 No3 December 2003
• http://jafafahots.tumblr.com/post/526946333/aldenpyrite

Copyright, Licensing, and such

Copyright 2010 Donald Kenney (Donald.Kenney@GMail.com). Unless otherwise stated, permission is hereby granted to use any materials on these pages under the Creative Commons License V2.5 see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/.

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