Conodonts of the Mecca Quarry Shale

Conodonts were found to be abundant in the Middle Pennsylvanian, Mecca Quarry Shale, Parke County, Indiana. Nine forms were identified in this black fissile shale from a locality along Montgomery Creek near the town of Mecca. These elements are: Hindeodella parva, Idiognathodus delacatus, Gondolella sp. a, Ozarkodina delacatula, Lonchodina clarki, Ligonodina typa, Lonchodus simplex, Metalonchodina bidentata, and Neoprioniodus conjunctus. Ratios of elements to each other were determined and used to arrive at an idea of what conodont assemblages were present. At least three asemblages are presented; Scottognathus, Duboisella, and Illinella. These assemblages compare well with what is known to be present in other Pennsylvanian shales described by Collinson et al. (1972). No natural intact assemblages were found in the shale