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Early last month I made a post regarding a specimen that I had recovered from the Newark Supergroup that I had thought could be a possible trace fossil. After discussing the find on the forum and contacting some experts on Newark material, it was determined that the specimen was in fact not a fossil. However, this find greatly increased my interest in the fossil content of the Culpeper Basin. Today I decided to visit one of my favorite streams with the intent of fishing - but I could not help checking out some exposed rocks, knowing well that the stream would cut through Newark strata. As a point of reference, I have included a map of the component formations of the Culpeper Basin that occur in northern Virginia. The red circle is approximately where the specimen in question was found, so it could have come from either the Bull Run Formation or the Manassas Sandstone. Weems, R. E., Culp, M. J., & Wings, O. (2007). Evidence for Prosauropod Dinosaur Gastroliths in the Bull Run Formation (Upper Triassic, Norian) of Virginia. Ichnos, 14(3-4), pp. 271-295. https://doi.org/10.1080/10420940601050030. When checking out the rocks I was simply hoping to learn something about the exposed strata that might indicate the formation present. However, I came across the intriguing specimen pictured below. I have not heard of any fossils coming from this particular area, so I am not sure whether the fossil is what it appears to be or whether it is something entirely different. A view of the entire specimen with the suspected carbonized plant material at the top end. I apologize for the poor picture quality. If better photographs are needed for identification, I would be more than happy to provide some in natural light. A closer image of what may be fossilized plant material. I believe that plant material has been recovered from the Bull Run Formation (where this specimen likely originated) so it could very well be a plant imprint. I know nothing of botanical terminology, but the horizontal lines across the specimen appear to be consistent with what might be expected from carbonized plant remains. It should also be noted that the specimen was found as a loose clast, though it was found among an abundance of very similar material. Hopefully this last photograph provides the necessary detail to properly evaluate the specimen. Again, if more photographs are needed be sure to let me know. Thanks in advance to everyone who comments on this post . @cck @EMP @Fossildude19

The Sarcopterygian fish (also called lobed-fined fish) are an ancient group of fish that emerged in the Late Silurian 425 Million Years ago and gave rise to the direct ancestors of the first land vertebrates, the amphibians during the Late Devonian. Today represented by the still living Coelacanths and Lungfish, These fish were incredibly common and diverse during the late Paleozoic. But the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event 252 Million Years ago nearly decimated the group. But thankfully some of the Sacopterygii survived and all living Sarcopterygians and trace their origins to these few hardy survivors. Here's a list of all currently known Sacropterygian fish genera and families that survived the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event. If I forget any examples, please let me know and I'll add the examples to the list promptly. Sarcopterygii Dipnoi (Lungfish) Gnathorhiza (Dipnoid) (Carboniferous-Early Triassic, 318.1-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=90709 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278743788_Environmental_significance_of_lungfish_burrows_Gnathorhiza_within_Lower_Permian_Wolfcampian_paleosols_of_the_US_midcontinent https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291808594_The_westernmost_occurrence_of_Gnathorhiza_in_the_Triassic_with_a_discussion_of_the_stratigraphic_and_palaeogeographic_distribution_of_the_genus Ceratodontiformes https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284186167_The_first_find_of_Permian_ceratodontids_Dipnoi_Osteichthyes_in_Russia Coelacanthiformes (Coelacanth fish) Coelacanthus (Coelacanthid) (Carboniferous-Early Triassic, 314.6-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=34911 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226724498_Erratum_to_A_coelacanthid-rich_site_at_Hasbergen_NW_Germany_taphonomy_and_palaeoenvironment_of_a_first_systematic_excavation_in_the_Kupferschiefer_Upper_Permian_Lopingian https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265184906_Coelacanths_from_the_Middle_Triassic_Luoping_Biota_Yunnan_South_China_with_the_earliest_evidence_of_ovoviviparity I hope you all find this list helpful!!!

The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event of 252 Million Years ago was one of Earth’s largest mass extinction events, wiping out around 75% of all terrestrial genera and 95% of all oceanic genera. Cephalopods (represented at the time mostly by ammonites and the still extant Nautilidae) were especially hit hard, with around 97% of all ammonite genera becoming extinct by the start of the Triassic. But those genera that survived the event formed the basis for a major radiation in cephalopod diversity. Ammonites (particularly those of the order Ceratitida) experienced an era of rapid diversification during the Triassic. Cephalopods continued to diversify in the later stages of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. Here’s a list of all currently known cephalopod genera and families that survived the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event. If I forgot any examples, please let me know and I’ll add the examples to the list promptly. Ammonoidea Prolecanitida Episageceras (Prolecanitid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 254.0-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13964 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00653.x Ceratitida Xenodiscus (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 268.0-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=14458 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00653.x https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.0907992106 Otoceras (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=14276 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00653.x https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/476/1/wignallpb2.pdf Ophiceras (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 254.0-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=14272 https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/handle/1808/3896 https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/136979/1/1-s2.0-S1871174X17300434-main-1.pdf Tompophiceras (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=14429 https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app58/app20110054.pdf Anderssoniceratidae http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=86838 Prionolobus (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=82362 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277925393_First_occurrence_of_temnospondyls_from_the_Permian_and_Triassic_of_Turkey_Paleoenvironmental_and_paleobiogeographic_implications https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/136979/1/1-s2.0-S1871174X17300434-main-1.pdf Paratirolites (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 254.0-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=14312 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272149073_Importance_of_Carbon_Isotopic_Data_of_the_Permian-Triassic_Boundary_Layers_in_the_Verkhoyansk_Region_for_the_Global_Correlation_of_the_Basal_Triassic_Layer https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00653.x Hypophiceras (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=82367 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272149073_Importance_of_Carbon_Isotopic_Data_of_the_Permian-Triassic_Boundary_Layers_in_the_Verkhoyansk_Region_for_the_Global_Correlation_of_the_Basal_Triassic_Layer https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361222295_Biotic_Response_to_Rapid_Environmental_Changes_During_the_Permian-Triassic_Mass_Extinction Metophiceras (Ceratite) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=93264 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00653.x https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921818118301322 Orthocerida https://sjpp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s13358-019-00188-2 Belemnoidea Xiphoteuthididae http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=265569 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pala.12070 Nautilida Liroceratidae Paranautilus (Liroceratid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 259-205 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13256 https://www.cnidaria.nat.uni-erlangen.de/tersane/tersane-papers/Korn&Gliwa_2019_The morphospace of Late Permian coiled nautiloids.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327721272_Aly_MF_2001_Middle_Triassic_Cephalopods_from_the_Musandam_Peninsula_Northern_Oman_Mountains_United_Arab_Emirates_Geo_Soc_Egypt_45_1B_463-479 Tainoceratidae Aulametacoceras (Tainoceratid) (Middle Permian-Early Triassic, 272-242 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13151 https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1207/report.pdf Germanonautilus (Tainoceratid) (Late Permian-Late Triassic, 254-201 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13201 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/39311692.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327721272_Aly_MF_2001_Middle_Triassic_Cephalopods_from_the_Musandam_Peninsula_Northern_Oman_Mountains_United_Arab_Emirates_Geo_Soc_Egypt_45_1B_463-479 Holconautilus (Tainoceratid) (Late Permian-Late Triassic, 265-232 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13216 https://www.cnidaria.nat.uni-erlangen.de/tersane/tersane-papers/Korn&Gliwa_2019_The morphospace of Late Permian coiled nautiloids.pdf https://sjpp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13358-022-00263-1 Pleuronautilus (Tainoceratid) (Late Carboniferous-Late Triassic, 298-205 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13270 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/39311692.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336065301_A_Changhsingian_late_Permian_nautiloid_assemblage_from_Gujiao_South_China Tainionautilus (Tainoceratid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 254.0-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13314 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336065301_A_Changhsingian_late_Permian_nautiloid_assemblage_from_Gujiao_South_China https://www.pim.uzh.ch/apps/cms/_downloads/bruehwiler_2012_ammonoids_salt_range.pdf Grypoceratidae https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1207/report.pdf Syringonautilidae Syringonautilus (Syringonautilid) (Late Permian-Late Triassic, 254-232 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=13311 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/39311692.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292364105_Triassic_ammonoid_succession_in_South_Primorye_1_Lower_Olenekian_Hedenstroemia_bosphorensis_and_Anasibirites_nevolini_Zones I hope you all find this helpful?

The Permian-Triassic Extinction event of 252 Million Years (caused by massive volcanic eruptions in what is now Siberia) was one of the biggest mass extinctions in Earth's history (killing 75% of all land genera and 95% of all marine genera). The event marked the end of the Paleozoic and the beginning of the Mesozoic. Famous survivors of the extinction event include the Dicynodont Lystrosaurus, the Therocephalians Moschorhinus, Tetracynodon, Promoschorhynchus, the Archosaur Proterosuchus, and the Cynodont Thrinaxodon. One group of terrestrial survivors of the extinction event sometimes overlooked are the Amphibians, the original tetrapods. One resilient group not only survived the extinction event but experienced a rapid period of diversification during the Triassic. These were the truly iconic and mostly salamander like Temnospondyls (Temnospondyli). This group lasted from the Carboniferous until the Early Cretaceous period (330-120 Million Years ago). It’s also likely that they are the direct ancestors of today’s Lissamphibia (the most common group of Amphibians alive today). Here’s a list of all currently known amphibian genera and families that survived the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event. If I forget any examples, please let me know and I'll add the examples to the list promptly. Temnospondyli Rhinesuchidae Broomistega (Rhinesuchid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic. 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=266422 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/39674584.pdf Micropholidae Micropholis (Micropholid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37033 https://www.sbpbrasil.org/revista/edicoes/10_3/pineiro.pdf https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-vertebrate-paleontology/volume-41/issue-1/02724634.2021.1904251/First-Record-of-the-Amphibamiform-Micropholis-stowi-from-the-Lower/10.1080/02724634.2021.1904251.short Capitosauria Lydekkerina (Capitosaurid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=267018 http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=255237 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228494637_The_South_African_stereospondyl_Lydekkerina_huxleyi_Tetrapoda_Temnospondyli_from_the_Lower_Triassic_of_Australia https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317225232_The_Rhinesuchidae_and_early_history_of_the_Stereospondyli_Amphibia_Temnospondyli_at_the_end_of_the_Palaeozoic https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240535618_Cranial_anatomy_of_the_Early_Triassic_stereospondyl_Lydekkerina_huxleyi_Tetrapoda_Temnospondyli_and_the_taxonomy_of_South_African_lydekkerinids Rhytidosteidae http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37110 https://www.sbpbrasil.org/revista/edicoes/10_3/pineiro.pdf Tupilakosauridae https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232672896_Slaugenhopia_texensis_Amphibia_Temnospondyli_from_the_Permian_of_Texas_is_a_primitive_tupilakosaurid I hope you all found this helpful?

Hi, I found this tooth- like fossil in a piece of bone bed in Aust, by the Severn Bridge in Bristol UK. I think it is an Icthyosaur tooth but I would like an expert opinion as I am a complete amateur. When I first found it I thought it was a bit of bone and stored it away in my shed. When I rediscovered it last week, it was crumbling badly so I did apply a bit of super glue to it to stabilise it and that's why it's a bit shiny. I know that's probably a bad thing to do but otherwise it would have disintegrated. Please could someone also advise what I should have done to stabilise it for future reference. Thank you,

Hello, I'm currently looking to purchase reptile material and found this Keichousaurus fossil from the Guizhou Province of China. It is being offered on a popular auction site. It is supposedly Triassic. Is this fossil genuine? Restored? Thanks for the help.

The Permian-Trassic Extinction event of 252 Million Years (caused by massive volcanic eruptions in what is now Siberia) was one of the biggest mass extinctions in Earth's history (killing 75% of all land genera and 95% of all marine genera). The event marked the end of the Paleozoic the and beginning of the Mesozoic. Famous survivors of the extinction event include the Dicynodont Lystrosaurus, the Therocephalians Moschorhinus, Tetracynodon, Promoschorhynchus, the Archosaur Proterosuchus, the Amphibian Broomistega, and the Cynodont Thrinaxodon. But in the decimated realm of the Oceans, one resilient group of fish beat the odds and survived the extinction event...the Chondrichthyans!!! Both Ancient groups of Chondricthyans and the Ancestors of today's Sharks and Rays survived the Great Dying. The Chondricthyans's survival served a crucial role in establishing balance to the nearly destroyed Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, a role they still proudly and effectively play to the present day. In celebration of this group and to encourage greater respect, protection, and conservation these animals deserve, here's a list of all the currently known Chondricthyan genuses and families that survived the Permian-Trassic Extinction Event. If I forget any examples, please let me know and I'll the examples to the list promptly. Eugeneodontids Caseodus (Eugeneodontid) (Carboniferous-Early Triassic, 306.95-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=34451 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249552180_New_eugeneodontid_sharks_from_the_Lower_Triassic_Sulphur_Mountain_Formation_of_Western_Canada Fadenia (Eugeneodontid) (Carboniferous-Early Triassic, 314.6-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=34456 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249552180_New_eugeneodontid_sharks_from_the_Lower_Triassic_Sulphur_Mountain_Formation_of_Western_Canada Ctenacanthiformes https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms3669 https://www.sbpbrasil.org/revista/edicoes/8_2/8(2)mutter.pdf https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2018.1539971?journalCode=ghbi20 Listracanthidae Listracanthus (Listracanthid) (Carboniferous-Early Triassic, 326.4-247.2 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=151730 https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app51/app51-271.pdf Falcatidae https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2018.1539971?journalCode=ghbi20 Hybodontiformes Lissodus (Hybodontid) (Early Carboniferous-Late Cretaceous, 345.3-66 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=34501 https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/34500507/423991.pdf Omanoselache (Hybodontid) (Late Permian-Late Triassic, 268.0-221.5 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=262009 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01199.x https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/tesis?codigo=298243 http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=34498 https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/5/537/files/2019/07/2013ESR.pdf https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/34500507/423991.pdf Xenacanthiformes Pleuracanthus (Xenacanthid) (Carboniferous-Middle Triassic, 314.6-235.0 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=209484 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/149235994.pdf Triodus (Xenacanthid) (Carboniferous-Late Triassic, 318.1-212.1 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=105053 https://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/guidebooks/downloads/56/56_p0319_p0334.pdf Neoselachii Synechodus (Neoselachian) (Permian-Eocene, 296-41.3 Million Years ago) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=34673 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228487527_Early_Permian_chondrichthyans_of_the_Middle_and_South_Urals https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/96918/Synn-veMoSaugen_MasterThesis.pdf?sequence=1 I hope you all find this list helpful!!!

Went fossil hunting in the cumnock formation of North Carolina and as I was rinsing some of my dirty fossils one of them caught my eye. The curved shape is what threw me off and reminded me of a tooth. I double checked on here and saw another person that had something that looked similar to this and was a tooth. But just be sure, wanted to see what you guys think. Your input is appreciated! (Bottom picture is the confirmed Phytosaur tooth)

Hi everyone, I'm a first time fossil hunter and I went up to Turimetta head north of Sydney with a friend to try our luck. We found a few things splitting shale, and I was wondering what exactly they were - I understand that they're all probably plant material, if they are fossils, but wasn't sure exactly what type of plant they were from. Hopefully someone can help. Thank you in advance!

Hello all- Time to announce the 27th annual Tate Field Conference! Happening here in Casper, Wyoming on June 2-4. I would love to see some Forum members show up. Here is the info.... (We are going fully live, no online presentations or attendees). We hope you'll join us for the 27th Annual Tate Conference, "The Triassic: Gateway to the Mesozoic," June 2nd - 4th at the Tate Geological Museum. The conference features a day of speakers (Saturday June 3) and two days of field trips (June 2 and 4). Saturday evening includes a dinner and guest keynote speaker, Hans Sues of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. He will be speaking on new and exciting finds from the Triassic of Germany. We also have great field trips planned: Friday June 2… 33-Mile Road This trip will take us to the Triassic deposits on 33-Mile Road northwest of Casper in the area of the Red Wall. A site was found here in on July 7 1977, which led to the discovery of the type specimen of Heptasuchus. Crews from the University of Wisconsin (and others) have been exploring this area more recently. Aaron Kufner of UW Madison will lead the portion of this trip to a site the UW teams found and have been collecting nearby. We may do some surface collecting at the Heptasuchus site (officially called the Clarke Locality) as well. This trip is on BLM land, and done with permission of the BLM. Personal collecting of vertebrate fossils is not allowed on BLM land, so all fossils (including fragments) collected will be collected for the University of Wisconsin collections. This is also a sage grouse lekking and nesting area. If we run into sage grouse nests, we are to keep our distance and report the nest. Sunday June 4… Little Red Creek This trip will be an exploration of the Alcova Limestone. The Alcova Limestone was possibly deposited in a lagoonal situation and has produced one taxon of fossil vertebrate, the sauropterygian, Corosaurus alcovensis. Remains of this animal are only found in Natrona County, southwest of Casper (so far). We will be exploring a new area that presumably has not been explored for Corosaurus bones, or at least not since the 1980’s. The bones occur in resistant limestone best found on talus slopes, so this trip will incur some more difficult walking on steep slopes. This trip is on BLM land, and done with permission of the BLM. Personal collecting of vertebrate fossils is not allowed on BLM land, so all fossils (including fragments) collected will be collected for the Tate Museum collections under permit number PA10-WY -191. You can learn more about the talks and register online (or download a registration form) here https://www.caspercollege.edu/tate.../events/conference/

I managed another trip to Aust and as I had a better idea what I was looking for managed to get a few bits of bone bed to sift through back home - one of whch was this nicely preserved piece of what I presume is reptile bone (approx 6cm long?) My guess is a partial rib (although it is completely flat, with no visible curvature), in which case given size and location most probably Pachystropheus, but I'd love to get any more thoughts.

Oldest 'fish-lizard' fossils ever found suggests these sea monsters survived the 'Great Dying' By Harry Baker, LIveScience, March 18, 2023 The fossilized remains of an ichthyosaur dating back to shortly after the Permian mass extinction suggest that the ancient sea monsters emerged before the catastrophic event Oldest sea reptile from Age of Dinosaurs found on Arctic island Uppsla University, March 13, 2023 The paper is: Kear, B.P., Engelschiøn, V.S., Hammer, Ø., Roberts, A.J. & Hurum, J.H., 2023: Earliest Triassic ichthyosaur fossils push back oceanic reptile origins. Current Biology 33(5), R1-R2 Yours, Paul H.

I've been bothered for quite some time about determining the age of petrified wood. The area I collect from has wood with no growth rings indicating a climate with little to no change during the year. At the same time, I find other pieces in the same area With many growth rings indicating seasonal weather changes. This area is the in shinarump portion of the triassic. So, what I am thinking, wood grew in the shinarump, was covered by volcanic eruptions (chinle) and petrified. The Volcanics (chinle) eroded away and more trees grew later on the exposed shinarump and in turn, were petrified by more volcanic eruptions. These volcanics have now eroded away exposing wood with and without growth rings. Sound plausible? Note; The San Francisco peaks near Flagstaff have been erupting off and on for the last 6 million years and could be covering the whole SW from time to time. If this theory holds up, this might mean the petrified wood in Petrified National park might not be triassic age? And if not, how would you determine the correct age? Another random thought-- The wood I find is all in the shinarump which is below the chinle. The wood in Petrified Nat Park seems to be lying on top of the chinle indicating it probably grew on a formation above the chinle. I say this because the chinle in this area (southern Utah) doesn't support any plant life. Think of the painted desert! No forest there! Another thought--- there are stumps in situ here on the shinarump! Thoughts?

Some finds from the Triassic basin of Durham, NC. Not sure if they're anything, but thought I'd bring them home, just in case. Would love to hear what you guys think they are

The Triassic period (252-201 Million Years ago), the era when the first dinosaurs evolved, isn't exactly known for large dinosaurs (except for the first large sauropods from the Latest Triassic). The largest terrestrial creatures at the time were a few dicynodonts such as Lisowicia and other archosaurs like the rauisuchidae (like Postasuchus). Only a few known large theropod dinosaurs from the Triassic are currently known including Gojirasaurus (Coelophysoid - New Mexico US, Western North America) (Late Triassic (210-201.3 Million Years ago)), growing up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) in length. But it may have competition. For one example, There is a Herrerasaurus specimen (PVSJ 53) that apparently grew up to 6 meters (20 feet) in length. There is also an unnamed Herrerasaurid (UFSM 11330) from the Santa Maria Formation (Late Triassic (233.23 Million Years ago)) from the southern most state of Brazil. Image credit: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349926161_Taxonomic_and_phylogenetic_reassessment_of_a_large-bodied_dinosaur_from_the_earliest_dinosaur-bearing_beds_Carnian_Upper_Triassic_from_southern_Brazil Maurício S. Garcia, Rodrigo T. Müller, Flávio A. Pretto, Átila A. S. Da-Rosa & Sérgio Dias-Da-Silva (2021) Taxonomic and phylogenetic reassessment of a large-bodied dinosaur from the earliest dinosaur-bearing beds (Carnian, Upper Triassic) from southern Brazil, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 19:1, 1-37, DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2021.1873433 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349926161_Taxonomic_and_phylogenetic_reassessment_of_a_large-bodied_dinosaur_from_the_earliest_dinosaur-bearing_beds_Carnian_Upper_Triassic_from_southern_Brazil Recently described only in 2021, the Herrerasaurid apperently reached lengths between 4.5-5 meters (14-16 feet) in length. I truly believe this species could grow up to 5.5 meters (18 feet). There is probably more other theropod dinosaur species from the Triassic, but I do think these two species could be good contenders for being the Largest Theropod Dinosaurs from the Triassic period. What do you guys think?

Hello, I just bought a nice Keich at Tucson for a good deal, but I am curious, how much is composited or restored? If it is completely fake I will be taking it back as I have the contact information of the dealer. I know surely part of it is painted, which I don't mind for display purposes and I was happy with the price, but I am hoping at least the majority is real. I put an alcohol wipe over part of it and some paint came off on the left arm beside the white stripe, but throughout the center there was no paint. They told me there were a few repairs, but I am hoping that is all that it is... Teeth and left arm are the areas I am suspect of. On the back, there are two raised slabs that they said were to keep the cracks together.