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Picture on the right is Wishbone Hill, a great place for plant fossils which you can drive to near Sutton , Alaska. Arrived in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska, USA. 38 degrees F at 6 am in the morning, (summer in Alaska). Kobuk with hard to see band of 7 Dall sheep rams on the top above the cliff face. The first of many fossils. I should have brought gaiters. Lots of exposed ammonites in the silt stone matrix. I left them as they were, looking for new to me fossils. Many concretions with fossils present in some. The right picture is of a very large clam, the biggest I have seen in all of my hikes! 9 1/2 miles and several thousand feet elevation gained for the days hike. Too many pictures to post all that I saw.
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Blog post: The terrible fossil record of sea otters
Boesse posted a topic in General Fossil Discussion
Hi all - in the hopes of attempting to reach a wider audience, and anyone who has collected possible sea otter fossils, I'm sharing the first two posts from my blog "The Coastal Paleontologist" in a short series on sea otter paleontology and evolution. The first one is mostly a bit on sea otter biology, and the second is the first one that really deals with the paleontology aspect. The third (and fourth?) posts will deal with what the limited fossil record can tell us about sea otter evolution. The sea otter fossil record is quite poor, and I'm hoping that some of you may have found some fossil specimens and might consider making them available for scientific study. Anyway, here's part 1: https://coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-terrible-fossil-record-of-sea.html And part 2: http://coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-terrible-fossil-record-of-sea.html Part 3: will update as soon as I get it finished! And a teaser - the left mandible of the holotype specimen of Enhydra macrodonta from the Crannell Junction locality right off of Highway 101 near Arcata, California. I spent about 3 years emailing various curators about this fossil, if they had it on loan, and I finally got a response from Dr. William Miller III at Humboldt State University in Arcata that he didn't remember such a specimen existing there. The paleontologist who named it, Dr. Frank Kilmer, who was retired, mailed me a letter indicating that the mandibles had been given back to the private collector (!!!) after the species was published - but nobody at HSU knew their name! One former student did, but would not return my phone calls. I visited HSU in 2008 when I was an undergraduate student and rifled through their teaching collection and found A mandible, but I didn't think it was THE mandible, because of Kilmer's letter, and a misplaced label suggesting it was from a different locality (and therefore a duplicate specimen rather than the original). Dr. Miller indicated I should arrange for the fossils to be transferred to a larger museum, as he was certain that the collection would be thrown in the garbage after he retired! I visited again two years later and set aside all the specimens that should be transferred and secured an agreement from HSU for the material to be transferred to UC Berkeley, which finally happened about five years later. I did not realize that this mandible was in fact THE mandible, or at least half of the holotype (the right mandible is still missing, presumably in that private collection) until I was able to download a much, much higher quality scan of the photographic plates in Kilmer's 1972 paper, and I was able to match barnacle scars between the published image and the fossil. So, we may not have the more complete of the two mandibles, but at least we have one of them, and it is my hope that there is more material in private collections and that more can be discovered in the future.
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- alaska
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There are brown bears to watch out for. As requested some scenery pictures from a previous trips in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska, USA . As I get more versed in the strata and fossil nomenclature will include with the posts and finds. Notice the snow still present in June of last year and I am ready to get out again weather permitting which was a no go this weekend so sat and read numerous post on TFF for my education. Love the site and will figure out the decorum and how to interact as this is new to me.
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- alaska
- invertabrate fossils
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Hope to identify some of my finds and learn more about the geology of where I live. I go on day hikes and occasional extended extended trips in Alaska with my wife and dogs in our personal aircraft looking for fossils as a theme for the trips. Bob
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Hi everyone! First time posting here. I went out over the weekend to do something outdoors during the quarantine (easy to do in Alaska) and went to a spot known for marine fossils (especially sea lilies) on the Little Nelchina River here in Alaska. I was picking up fossils on an eroded cliff side above the river when I noticed this laying on top. My question is, is it a bivalve or tooth? I don't notice a hinge line or umbo if this is a bivalve, but this may be due to the deteriorated condition and the fact that I am a rookie at this. It appears to be broken in half, with the inside showing black sheeny layering. I appreciate everyone's help on this!
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I never knew what a Thalatosaur was before! https://earthsky.org/earth/alaskan-fossil-reveals-new-marine-reptile-species
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Hey everybody, I’m new to the forum and was hoping some of you have some thoughts on a few rock/fossils I have. I found all three of them on a gravel bar on a river in Interior Alaska. I believe the geology of the area is mostly quaternary. I believe the first specimen is part of a mammoth tooth. (A friend of mine found a mammoth scapula on the same stretch of the river.) A sedimentologist at the university in town is also leaning towards the opinion that it’s part of a mammoth tooth. I’ve never seen mammoth teeth have that type of coloration before though. The second sample looks to me like it could be a very weathered and replaced bone? The third specimen I’m really not sure about. It just looks very suspicious to me. I know it’s not one but It almost looks like a belemnite and is oddly polished and shiny for a rock in that area. Any thoughts and ideas would be great.
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This paper came out today. For those who saw my post of the palm leaf in both Alaska and the Smithsonian... this explains what I was doing in Fairbanks. I was up there for a total of five weeks stretched out over five winters. Yes, Winter in Fairbanks. I was hoping to see minus 40 degrees, but it never quite made it. I am "a fossil preparation specialist worked in two-week stints over the course of several years to get the fossil cleaned up and ready for study" https://news.uaf.edu/new-thalattosaur-species-discovered-in-southeast-alaska/?fbclid=IwAR0f-Lg4vDgE5MVuxP7wOL1V_CV3v142uy7Y9slvyNdH-xfE0t0AiZpp5Uw There is a paragraph about it Kirk Johnson and Ray Troll's latest book... "Cruising the Fossil Coastline"- 10 replies
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Found this a few years back. Didn’t know what it was so I took it to the local rock hounding club the retired geologists that attends said he didn’t know what it is and suggested possibly fossil due to the holes. the rock is oddly lightweight about 4 inches by 6 inches.
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Last week took a short drive (11 miles of road and 3 on beach) to our local fossil area. 99.9% of our finds are plant parts. Mostly Alder and Willow leaves with some Meta Sequoia tossed in. Some times a birch leaf will find its way in. In the right rocks I've found a number of what I believe are alder cones as well.. After I get back home I'll start working on IDs. Unfortunately the literature is scant but was given one that has some local info. Some planes will have single leaves in good shape. While others are stacked on top of each other but the leaves are damaged. It looks like they preserved after they started to rot. There are other areas with a wider selection of leaves but you have to take a boat. And with our tide changes (between 7-25ft) it can take some planning. I will add more once back home and can work on more photos
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- anchor point
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Hello from Anchor Point Alaska! Started fossil hunting when lived in mountains of Utah as a young boy. We had many shell bearing rock faces in area. Really got the "bug" when great uncle took me to where U-dig is now located (was about 1978 or 79) Because of that adventure, trilobites are my favorite find. But my collection is varied and 99% self collected. I currently live 10 miles from a great miocene formation full of plant materials, mostly leaves from 3-10 myo. Once I get into this forum, I'll post photos of current finds. Image included is detail of alder cones (.6 inch long), on plate over 12 inches across, collected last week. Always looking for new places and people to hunt with.
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The First Definite Lambeosaurine Bone From the Liscomb Bonebed of Upper Cretaceous Prince Creek Formation, Alaska is presented in this paper. Nothing spectacular just from a cool place Article https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/197034.php Paper https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41325-8?fbclid=IwAR0RTstNFgb9CWp6GdNEmGxb52k-44JZ5WfQMds2KgmFjY_mQc8wLF0BoP8
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A friend picked up a fossil on the beach at Fossil Island, Alaska about 15 years ago. He's always thought it was a leaf, but I think it looks more like a shell.
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I found a few fossils while on a hunting trip. The fossil Im most curious about is in the first 2 pictures. Any Idea what it might be? Third picture seems like obvious marine fossils.
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- alaska
- brooks range
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Hi everyone- I have a juvenile mammoth tusk that I would like to learn how to stabilize and restore. The problem is I have (almost) no idea how to even start! The tusk is fully dried out, but it’s split down the middle. I need some advice! Here’s what I know has to be done: 1. Clean the outside and inside as much as possible without using water- any suggestions on what to use? 2. Superglue the two pieces together and use hose clamps to hold the two pieces together- any suggestions on glue/method? 3. Fill gaps/cracks with epoxy- any suggestions on a good type? 4. Sand sand sand! 5. Beyond this point I’m not sure- is there some sort of protective varnish people use? I’m sure I’m missing about a dozen crucial steps here- I have literally never tried anything like this before, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. I posted some photos of the tusk, and I will post photos of progress! Thanks everyone.
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Southeast Alaskans, visitors find awe and friendship in fossil hunting Posted by Alanna Elder, July 23, 2018 https://www.kfsk.org/2018/07/23/southeast-alaskans-visitors-find-awe-and-friendship-in-fossil-hunting/ Geologic Map of Baranof Island, Southeastern Alaska https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3335/ Yours, Paul H.
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Picked this up in a little shop while vacationing in Alaska. Would love to get more information on this. All help is appreciated.
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Where are mammoth fossils in Alaska found?
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Hello forum, I hope this is OK to post here. I haven't been on the forum much for the last couple years, since I started graduate studies in archaeology, but I have a mystery I think the FF is uniquely qualified to solve. At the Burke Museum at the University of Washington (Seattle, USA), in the collections is a Yup'ik pouch that is covered with a very small bone (4mm x 1-2mm) used as a form of decoration. The bag originates from SW Alaska. The elements appear to be bones, but maybe shells or teeth. Some extremely knowledgeable individuals have been stumped by this so we're trying a little crowdsourcing. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. I've attached one photo of the elements, but there are a bunch here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yJdKozUxGd2uNmar1 Thanks for your help! Dave
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Hello! I am taking a trip up to Alaska to visit my dad. He really wants to go and apttempt to find some fossils. The goal is something other than plant species, something like gastropods, ammonites, etc. We will be anywhere from Wasilla, Ak area to Seward during our trip. Any spot suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys!
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Greetings and salutations from Meadow Lakes,Alaska!
StopeQueen posted a topic in Member Introductions
Hello fellow fossil lovers!!! I currently live in AK where I'm a core logger at a gold mine.My true love is forams and micropaleontology. I grew up in Ohio and remember falling in love with invert fossils and the paleoenvironments that sustained such incredible life. Now,I try to stop at every road cut I can find and add to my collection(much to my wife's dismay). I look forward to nerding out with you guys,and checking out all the new finds! -
Was the Ice Age Bering Land Bridge a good place to live?
Oxytropidoceras posted a topic in Fossil News
Was the Bering Land Bridge a good place to live? By Ned Rozell, University of Alaska Fairbanks, February 24, 2018 https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/science/2018/02/24/was-the-bering-land-bridge-a-good-place-to-live/ Was the ice age's Bering Land Bridge a good place to live? By Ned Rozell, University of Alaska Fairbanks, February 28, 2018 http://www.valdezstar.net/story/2018/02/28/main-news/was-the-ice-ages-bering-land-bridge-a-good-place-to-live/1842.html Yours, Paul H.-
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Hi, all. Total rookie here. I found this on the beach of an island in Alaska's Inside Passage several years ago and have often wondered what it is. There seem to be many genuine experts here, so I'm grateful for any help! It's strongly curved on one side of its cross-section and much flatter on the other side. Thanks!
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I got this off eBay as an impulse purchase. It was described as a mammoth bone from Alaska, but I don't know what bone. What am I looking at? Thanks, Matt
