72 replies to this topic

[Xiphactinus]

Auspex, on 29 October 2009 - 02:19 PM, said:

<goosebumps>

Auspex - think these could be Hesperornis?

[JohnJ]

jax, on 29 October 2009 - 01:15 PM, said:

I got a reply back from Polcyn at SMU, and all he put was, "When can you come in?" Then 1 hour later he emails back "Make sure you mark that exact spot you found them!"

You think they are intrested?

He didnt say what he thought they were, but after seeing his response im thinking that these are something pretty important!

I am going to try and get up to see them next week, so stay tuned!

Awesome! Man, don't let that stuff wash away...do whatever you need to do...hire Barry or whatever...

[jax]

JohnJ, on 29 October 2009 - 03:56 PM, said:

Awesome! Man, don't let that stuff wash away...do whatever you need to do...hire Barry or whatever...

Thats the thing, some may have washed away.... I have to do a "dig the entire washout area up" The other thing I was thinking was, would they want me digging it up myself, or wait for them to help (they being the museum).

I am going to stop by that area again today to look one more time. I forgot my shovel and bucket, so no digging today.

[JohnJ]

Justin, you can't take too many photos of the site and the exact spot. Probably a good idea to do that before any more digging. Study the runoff patterns in the mud adjacent to THE spot, and focus on the areas that would catch anything washing out. Preserved strata would be my next target. Phone calls to Polcyn can't hurt; he can give you more advice. You may already know this stuff, but it doesn't hurt to review. Congrats.

[silverphoenix]

Use orange marking flags from home depot. Those little plastic flags are a lifesaver for plotting out where you found the verts and they can give you an idea of where any others washed to if they're in a cluster. You're going about it the right way

[Auspex]

Xiphactinus, on 29 October 2009 - 02:34 PM, said:

Auspex - think these could be Hesperornis?

I'd already be there if I did! I think they're "lizzard".

[CreekCrawler]

JohnJ, on 29 October 2009 - 03:56 PM, said:

Awesome! Man, don't let that stuff wash away...do whatever you need to do...hire Barry or whatever...

Sure he could hire me...Will work for Ptychodus! But I must say in this sitiuation that I would be more than willing to help with the stipulation that it would be as a volunteer working alongside a ProPal. It seems that this find might help the Propal's understand a little known and documented species of a basal Mosasaur.If that's what it turns out to be. So, I'm in as long as Jax and the SMU Propal's will have me. Jax asked me if I would join him when he approaches the guys at SMU....That's a "No Brainer" of an answer..... Lets do it!!!!!!!

[Auspex]

This could be a great opportunity to build some Pro-Am relationships!

[tracer]

coolnesses abound! it's weird how we're all getting all excited and wiggly hundreds of miles away. gassin' the cars, gettin' ready in case the balloon goes up (it's not silver, though, never silver).

jax, um, do you mind if i tell people i know you even though we haven't officially really met or anything?

[Seldom]

jax, um, do you mind if i tell people i know you even though we haven't officially really met or anything?

I am not going to ask I am already tell everyone " Yea I know Jax the famous Texas dino hunter "

[jax]

tracer, on 29 October 2009 - 08:03 PM, said:

jax, um, do you mind if i tell people i know you even though we haven't officially really met or anything?

Line up people!! What do you have to offer me??

I might be heading to SMU on Tuesday. So wish me luck. Im pretty excited. Its been one of my goals to find a Mosasaur skull, and this one might just have one. Not the size I was thinking of, but a bit more rare!

[Auspex]

jax, on 29 October 2009 - 09:44 PM, said:

...Its been one of my goals to find a Mosasaur skull, and this one might just have one. Not the size I was thinking of, but a bit more rare!

"Mouseasaurus justinii"


<Yeah, Justin and me, we go waaay back; I remember when he was just findin' those dinky little pearls...>

[bowkill]

Justin, Those are cool! I have never seen mosasaur verts that small!! I hope you find the rest of that critter, but I will tell you that I have found small groups of mosasaur tail verts in the chalk a couple of times, it seems that the ones out here were prone to lose their tails, or maybe the tails didn't have much nutritional value, so their verts are found more often. But then again all the complete mosasaur skeletons also have tails!! You know everyone on here is hoping to see the rest of your reptile!

Ramo

Edited by bowkill, 30 October 2009 - 12:14 AM.

[Oh-Man]

Yeah - I like tha!!!
JAXASAURUS!!!

Tony Eaton, on 29 October 2009 - 01:24 AM, said:

I guess others recommend contact the "experts" so I won't harp on that. Looking at Finsley's "A Field Guide to Fossils of Texas", I suppose it could also be Coniasaurus. If you have this book, look at page 102.

I'd take a ridiculous amount of pictures of the site as you dig + the general area, and take GPS coordinates. Consider hauling out the clay around it and sift through that later. Maybe you have found something new, a Jaxasaurus LOL?

[Oh-Man]

jax, on 29 October 2009 - 09:44 PM, said:

Line up people!! What do you have to offer me??

I might be heading to SMU on Tuesday. So wish me luck. Im pretty excited. Its been one of my goals to find a Mosasaur skull, and this one might just have one. Not the size I was thinking of, but a bit more rare!

I work for ptychodus, toooooo....

[LanceH]

jax, on 29 October 2009 - 09:44 PM, said:

Line up people!! What do you have to offer me??

I might be heading to SMU on Tuesday. So wish me luck. Im pretty excited. Its been one of my goals to find a Mosasaur skull, and this one might just have one. Not the size I was thinking of, but a bit more rare!

Hmmm, can I tag along?? They owe me a visit to the SMU paleo lab since I donated the pterosaur.

Plus I can get pictures.

Edited by LanceHall, 30 October 2009 - 06:22 PM.

[jax]

LanceHall, on 30 October 2009 - 06:22 PM, said:

Hmmm, can I tag along?? They owe me a visit to the SMU paleo lab since I donated the pterosaur.

Plus I can get pictures.

I dont mind if you come. But it will most likely go around 1-3 in the afternoon. Thats if my work schdule doesnt change.

[jax]

So I went to SMU today and showed Mike these verts. It took him a while, but he said that they looked Fishy to him. BUT, he also mentioned that he had never seen anything like these before. So Maybe I got something new here?? But not Mosasaur...

He confirmed that several of my reptile teeth were Russellosaurus, and two were Plesiosaur.

I mentioned to him if this were a something new, that they could name it after me , and he said thats how it works

[tracer]

prolly if i'd found it, and it was new, they'd just name it "noneoftheaboveosaurus"

[JohnJ]

So, what did he do with your verts...take photos?