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  1. A customer/friend of mine has bought a nice meg tooth and a bivalve from me for his boss for Christmas. He would like to get him a fossil book for a gift now too. He says one that covers marine and land would be good. Something to spark his imagination but also to learn from. He is looking to spend £30 to £40 on it, any pointers would be good please?
  2. Hope this ok to post here? If not, then please remove--no worries. Since I have quite a lot of free-time now in my semi-retirement, I have written a novel. As I love dinosaurs, it is about dinosaurs. Set in the area of the Wessex Formation and follows an island suddenly finding itself threatened after a Neovenator arrives. This is my second draft, but I'd love some feedback from other fans of dinosaurs--if it is something you'd read, what you like, what you don't like, what you think of the characterization of the dinosaurs etc. I will post two chapters--- Number 1, the opening chapter. And then a chapter from further on in the book which shows an action scene. Chapter One: The Body It was Valdosaurus who first found the body. It was a dead Iguanodon which lay on its side on the bank of the river, half-submerged in the water. A cloud of flies had already gathered, drawn to the meal before them. Valdosaurus immediately ducked back into the undergrowth. Valdosaurus was a small dinosaur, almost an adult at just under four-meters long. She was dwarfed by the size of the fallen Iguanodon. Valdosaurus lacked the formidable defenses of some of her fellow island inhabitants. She didn’t have thumb spikes like the Iguanodon did; she had no thick armor plating covering her back like the short, squat Polacanthus, and no long, whip-like tail like the giant sauropod Oplosaurus. All she possessed was her incredible speed—a skill she was prepared to use should danger rear its head. Valdosaurus waited. The only sound was the relentless buzz of the flies and the distant hooting of a small flock of pterosaurs circling high overhead. It appeared that whatever had killed the Iguanodon had left, leaving behind only the partially-eaten remains. Breathing a cautious sigh of relief, Valdosaurus gingerly emerged from her hiding place in the underbrush. Her dark-green scaled head rose, its pointed nose tentatively sniffing the air, and her brown eyes darted nervously around for any sign of danger. Cautiously, she inched forward. Before her lay the lifeless body of a male Iguanodon—a full-grown adult. It had been killed by a single, fatal bite to the neck, the sheer force of which had snapped it like a twig. The Iguanodon's once-majestic form bore the gruesome evidence of a frenzied attack—massive bite marks that had torn away substantial chunks of its flesh. Valdosaurus stared silently at the body for a few moments. She had lived on this island all her life, and predators here were rare. She only knew of a number of small raptor packs living in the Western and Eastern Woods. This level of carnage was unprecedented. Even the Eotyrannus clan that had once terrorized the island hadn’t managed to take on a fully-grown buck Iguanodon. Baryonyx would manage it, but she dwelt by the coast, and it was unheard of for her to venture inland. Hopping over the dead Iguanodon's giant, splayed legs with great care, Valdosaurus peered at the scene from the opposite side. Here, she could see a series of footprints embedded in the mud at the river's edge. These prints were smaller than the Iguanodon's, yet far larger than her own. Valdosaurus couldn’t see any tracks leading back into the forest, leaving her to wonder which direction the killer had chosen, upstream or downstream, in its departure. A shiver coursed through Valdosaurus as she stood exposed in this new predator's hunting ground. Although the assailant was gone for now, a lingering unease gnawed at her. Who could guarantee that it wouldn't return for a second feast? Her gaze darted around the area, searching for any signs of movement or hidden threats. All remained eerily still and silent. Valdosaurus decided she had to go and tell the Iguanodon herd. While she had no particular affection for their leader, he was the de-facto boss of the island. Chief, as he was known by all, was a formidable figure, larger and tougher than any of the island’s inhabitants, except for Oplosaurus, the ancient sauropod whose sight had dimmed with age. Darting back into the forest, Valdosaurus moved swiftly but cautiously. Until now, the forest had been a relatively safe haven. After the Eotyrannus family had been driven out back when she was an infant, only smaller predators who posed little threat to her remained in this forest. But now, a new menace had emerged, one that had the size and strength to fell a colossal Iguanodon. If such a predator could take down a creature of that magnitude, Valdosaurus knew she'd be no challenge at all. The Iguanodon herd typically inhabited an area known to all as "The Valley." Valdosaurus also called it her home. It was a landscape of lush grasslands, dotted with shrubs bearing juicy berries, a central watering hole, and sporadic clusters of leafy trees. It was the perfect haven for the Iguanodon herd and other dinosaurs. As Valdosaurus emerged into the valley, she stared around for a moment, feeling a sudden fondness for this place. The Iguanodon were going about their business, some grazing, others napping in the warm sunlight, and the younger ones were engaged in playful roughplay. In the heart of it all was the imposing figure of the Chief Iguanodon. He was feasting, using his powerful thumb spikes to tear branches from a tree, savoring the leaves that adorned them. Near Chief stood Oplosaurus, a colossal sauropod measuring 25 meters in length. He was the island's eldest resident, content to dwell in the valley in his old age, where he spun tales of bygone eras. His stories often recounted the "good old days," when he and his former herd had embarked on epic journeys from one island to another, even venturing to the colossal landmass he cryptically referred to as "the Big Land." He was the last of his kind left on the island, being too old to continue in the Oplosaurus herd’s everlasting migration. Valdosaurus decided she would tell him, too. Perhaps he had encountered similar predators during his many travels? "Iguanodon, Oplosaurus!" she called out, running toward the mighty sauropod and the smaller but still majestic Iguanodon by his side. Oplosaurus swiveled his light-gray head to peer down at her, his large, ancient eyes crinkling with curiosity. Chief Iguanodon, too, regarded her. But his gaze was filled with irritation at being addressed. "Chief!" he spat, unintentionally showering her with partially-chewed leaves. He was light-brown in color with white stripes. Up close, he was a formidable specimen indeed with a thick scaled hide, broad shoulders and a muscular neck. Suppressing an annoyed snort, Valdosaurus continued, "Chief Iguanodon,” she corrected. “I saw something down by the banks of the river. There’s an Iguanodon. It’s dead. Something killed it,” she told him. "What's all this nonsense? Killed an Iguanodon? Nothing here can kill an Iguanodon,” Chief grunted, dismissively. Valdosaurus pressed on, her patience waning, "But something did. I saw the body—a creature killed it by biting its neck." "All of my Iguanodon are accounted for," Chief Iguanodon retorted, dismissively. "It was a male," Valdosaurus added. "It couldn't have been part of your herd." The Chief’s herd only had one adult male—himself. The rest of it consisted of a harem of females, the youngsters and his two sons who were almost fully grown. Once his two sons were of age, they would challenge their father for leadership and if they failed, they would face exile. Such was the Iguanodon way. "The death of a lone male is of no concern to me," Chief Iguanodon declared. "In fact, it's for the better—less competition." Valdosaurus didn’t think Chief had much to fear when it came to possible challenges from outsiders. Most of the males in these parts had already felt his fury, and very few were brave or stupid enough to go for round two. "But," Valdosaurus persisted, her patience waning, "whatever killed him is still out there, and it's big." Chief Iguanodon finally pressed for more details, asking, "How big?" Valdosaurus got the sense that finally, he was starting to take her seriously. Valdosaurus hesitated, contemplating the size of the predator and its footprints and where it had struck the Iguanodon during the attack. "Perhaps smaller than you, Chief," she ventured, her gaze sweeping the surroundings as she checked out the rest of his herd. "About the size of one of the females." "There are no creatures of that size here," Chief Iguanodon replied, his tone tinged with skepticism once more. Valdosaurus retorted, exasperation finally surfacing, "So, what, you think the Iguanodon simply dropped dead of its own accord?" "Scavengers," Chief Iguanodon suggested. "The Iguanodon died naturally, likely of old age, and scavengers came along." "The bite marks were enormous," Valdosaurus insisted, frustration clear in her voice. "And the footprints, too." It was then that Oplosaurus interjected, his neck lowered to listen more closely. "Where did this happen?" he inquired, in his deep, slow voice.. Valdosaurus glanced back the way she had just come. "Over there, up by the banks of the river." "You don't believe this hogwash, do you?" Chief grumbled. Oplosaurus, with his wisdom that came with age, calmly countered, "There's no harm in checking it out. If there is a new predator on this island, then it concerns us all." Despite his initial reluctance, Chief Iguanodon refrained from further argument. He may have been pompous and arrogant, but Valdosaurus knew that even he recognized Oplosaurus as the wisest creature on the island. The Chief summoned Prowler, a sturdy male Iguanodon who also happened to be his son. He was only a year from being a full-grown adult and was already close to the Chief’s own size. Valdosaurus felt if any dinosaur might possibly topple the Chief, it would be him. Prowler ambled over with a mouthful of long grasses, inquiring, "What is it, boss?" "Call the herd together—no straggling until I return," Chief ordered, his tone stern and commanding. "Gather near the pond, and make sure the young are in the middle." Prowler looked intrigued, sensing that something unusual was afoot. "Trouble?" he probed. "Perhaps," Chief replied, calmly. "Might as well be careful. No need to form a defensive circle yet, but stay wary, keep an eye on the treeline. If there's any trouble, you know what to do." "Sure thing, boss," Prowler affirmed, his chest swelling with pride at the responsibility entrusted to him. With the orders given, Chief turned to Valdosaurus, prompting, "Well, come on, you, show us the body." Valdosaurus wasted no time and led the way. She moved swiftly, knowing that the slower Iguanodon would struggle to keep pace and that her being clearly faster than him would annoy the pompous Chief. She respected the Chief, but sometimes he needed bringing down a bit. Oplosaurus trailed at the rear, his enormous legs covering vast distances despite his leisurely pace. Arriving at the scene, Valdosaurus gestured toward the lifeless Iguanodon. However, now a pack of tiny, chirping Aristosuchus had descended upon the carcass. They were tiny scavenging dinosaurs and with their small but deadly teeth, they tore off tiny pieces of flesh. Chief Iguanodon's booming bellow disrupted the feasting, sending the little dinosaurs scurrying toward the safety of the treeline. From there, they bounced up and down, squeaking insults at the Iguanodon. Their childish taunts filled the air, though Chief Iguanodon had long since learned that chasing them would only make him appear foolish. No dinosaur could catch one of the nimble little pests, so it was better not to bother trying. He approached the deceased Iguanodon, his eyes widening slightly as he inspected the bite marks. "Too big for an Eotyrannus," he muttered, contemplating the puzzle before him. Oplosaurus finally reached the scene, his heavy footfalls announcing his presence. "Well?" Oplosaurus inquired. He was breathing heavier than the other two, long journeys being much more tiring in his old age. "Bite marks," Chief Iguanodon declared. "Bigger than Eotyrannus. It seems she was right... by the river, though. I wonder..." He trailed off, scraping the earth with his massive foot. "I wonder if this is Baryonyx's work." "She never ventures inland," Valdosaurus interjected. However, Chief Iguanodon ignored her, directing his gaze toward Oplosaurus. "She's the only carnivore on this island big enough to do something like this." "The teeth marks don't match. No claw marks, either. If this were Baryonyx, she'd use her long claws,” Valdosaurus insisted. Chief Iguanodon, continued to ignore her and instead addressed Oplosaurus, "If there were another large theropod around these parts, I'd know by now. And it's not a survivor of the Eotyrannus pack. I saw them off long ago." Oplosaurus, the voice of reason, chimed in, "Maybe, but as Valdosaurus said, it's unusual for Baryonyx to come this far inland." "She's fed on Iguanodon before—remember that youngling last summer?" Chief Iguanodon countered. Valdosaurus, too, joined the debate. "That was by the sea—in her territory," she reminded him. Chief Iguanodon's stubbornness persisted. "Maybe, yes. If she's short of food, if there are fewer fish in the seas or something. Then she may head inland, find food—sees a lone Iguanodon, it's very likely. Well, there’s no other choice—I’m going to get to the bottom of it. If Baryonyx is hunting inland, she needs to understand my herd is off-limits." Valdosaurus, though frustrated by Chief Iguanodon's unwavering conviction, couldn't help but feel a measure of admiration. Confronting Baryonyx, despite her preference for fish, was a daunting task. The carnivore was nearly as large as an Iguanodon but possessed a sleeker, more agile build. Her crocodile-like jaws boasted sharp, cone-shaped teeth, ideal for catching fish but also capable of inflicting grievous harm on any dinosaur. Each of her hands featured a 12-inch claw that was perfect for both hooking fish and tearing open the bellies of adversaries. It took immense courage to confront such a creature, yet Chief Iguanodon displayed no hesitation. He had already embarked north along the river, making his way toward Baryonyx's lair, with Oplosaurus following in his wake. Valdosaurus hesitated briefly, torn between her curiosity and the instinct to avoid danger. Ultimately, her inquisitive side triumphed. She was small and swift, and with Baryonyx likely preoccupied by an irate Iguanodon, Valdosaurus reasoned that she could remain unnoticed or, if necessary, outrun any threat. Taking a deep breath, she set off after the two larger dinosaurs. Unbeknownst to the three, as soon as they were out of sight, the pack of chirping Aristosuchus scampered forward to resume their feast.
  3. Hello together, I am looking for a good readable overview about ornithischia. After enjoying "The rise and reign of the mammals" by Steve Brusatte, I got myself his "rise and fall of the dinosaurs" but found it quite theropod-heavy, not to say theropodocentric. "Horns and beaks" from the "life of the past" series sounds promising, but the reviews say its just a collection of technical papers (as "ancient marine reptiles" turned out to be, in contrast to "ancient sea reptiles", which I liked much even if it could have gone a bit more into the details) Between the highly technical books and the many popular ones for children, I am looking for a solid, readable overview, preferably illustrated, about Ornithischia. Same thing for Sauropods would also be welcome. @LordTrilobite, maybe you have a recommendation? Thanks! J
  4. Greetings. I need a good all around trilobite species reference book. Is there any that can be purchased?
  5. Since I have a pdf copy, how can I understand the real specimens dimensions if it's not used a scale bar but a "paper ratio" (see attached picture) for every fossil picture? I don't know the real picture size. Thanks a lot!
  6. Arizona Chris

    First attempt at new book cover

    Hi all, I am working on a new book about Arizona Permian fossils and geology. Just started today on some concepts for the cover. Here is what I have right now. Suggestions or thoughts on how to make more enticing?
  7. Almost there! Over 270 pages of full color fossils from the Pennsylvanian of North Texas The long-awaited sequel to the Pennsylvanian Fossils of North Texas (2003) Available Q4 2015 in hardcopy, digital and e-reader formats.
  8. Nimravis

    Christmas Gifts

    Here a couple things that I received from my wife- first off, a few beautiful echinoids that were purchased from @Harry Pristis back in September- really love these pieces. A book that I have been wanting for a while. A cool adjustable light that hangs around your neck. It has two different powers and will be great for collecting, taking pictures or Cindy things I drop- lol. And what kid does not want a remote control dinosaur that walks, lights up, roars and even blows out water vapor.
  9. Hi, I just had my first Florida fossil hunting trip and got some really cool stuff (I am a herpetologist so I was especially excited about the turtles!). I was wondering if anyone has any book recommendations for help with learning about and identifying Florida fossils. (I can recognize the general types of fossils but would enjoy learning more and reporting everything as accurately as possible). Lastly, is there anything I should do to protect the fossils (e.g. any kind of resin coating) or are they generally stable as is? I appreciate your help! -Zach www.biophiliagroup.com www.zacharycava.net
  10. Hello everyone, I need to provide me Xmas wishlist, and off course it had to involve Dinosaurs lol Do you have some good Dinosaur book recommendations? Mostly looking for images and found locations, and some scientific facts. Not all text Looking forward to what you guys recommend! Best wishes
  11. TOM BUCKLEY

    MARINE REPTILE BOOK

    Could someone recommend a good reference book on prehistoric reptiles? I'm hoping for something along the lines of The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs. Specifically, I want to be able to see and research a particular animal when it is mentioned. Thanks in advance. Tom
  12. leo9999

    Book advice

    Hi, I'm new here. My name is Leo and I'm from Italy. I'm looking for interesting books about paleontology and, in particular, about the transition from water to land. Since I've already read basically everything in Italian (there isn't too much choice actually), I'm looking for something in English. Any advice is welcome
  13. My Fossil seller show 3 photo of his fossil book but he don't tell what name of this book. I want to know what is this book. Please
  14. Jesuslover340

    What Would You Get?

    For the purposes of my birthday, I would like to get a small collection of early shark teeth. They've always been sort of a neglected interest of mine, so I am finally cataloguing what we have to arrange a small display as one of the subsets of our collection. However, with that, comes a bit of conflict. I have found some select teeth available I can pirchase, but am unsure which I want to follow through with (two separate sellers). I can either: 1) Get a cladodus tooth from Illinois, Stethacanthus tooth from Oklahoma (tip broken and root not complete), and helodus tooth from Indiana (and POSSIBLY a Peripristis tooth from Kansas for an additional cost if I can swing it) OR 2) Same Cladodus and Stethacanthus tooth as above, with a Petalodus tooth from Oklahoma and Fossil Shark Teeth of the World book. With paying extra in shipping, both lots come to about the same price. So which would you choose? And why?
  15. EscarpmentMary

    Some Assembly Required

    Ordered this book, arrived today .
  16. I went on a bit of an unusual fossil hunt this morning--in my office closet. I'm getting things packed up for a move next month to Gainesville, FL. We're moving up there from South Florida because I've had my fill of hurricanes (and year-round yardwork). In Gainesville I'll be able to volunteer more with the FLMNH. So I'm slowly repositioning the contents of my house into a growing stack of moving boxes. I got to the bottom corner of my office closet today and found a box that had some childhood memories in them. No favorite stuffed animals, no catcher's mitt and baseball, no cheap trophies for athletic prowess demonstrated. Nope, this was MY childhood and it was slightly (or more so) more eccentric than portrayed in Leave it to Beaver. My childhood contained as many science books as comics or Mad magazines. I had access to my dad's workshop and knew my way around a soldering iron building kits from Heathkit (a reference that will mean little to those of a younger generation). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit The box I found in my closet contained my first microscope--a simple little slide scope with a pair of AA batteries in the base for backlighting. It also had part of my childhood rock collection--some pyrite, a piece of green quartzite, an agate, and a heavy chunk of specular hematite (given to me my by 3rd grade teacher who knew I was a science geek). The best "discovery" was my nascent fossil collection. It had my first fossil book (copyright 1962): There were plastic bags filled with little scraps of poor quality fossils. I was living in Chicago at the time so my fossil horizon contained items mostly from the Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian. My 3rd grade teacher must have had a summer home up in the upper peninsula of Michigan (the likely source of the chunk of specularite) and she also gave me my first mystery fossil. It's a partial negative cast and I never could quite figure out what it was. I pressed clay into it as a kid to view its positive form and often suspected some form of trilobite. Could never make out any eyes on the end and looking at it now I suspect the "head end" may be some sort of pygidium. Maybe someone here may be able to hazard a guess. Several years ago Tammy and I visited the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in D.C. and of course spent an inordinate amount of time in the paleontology section. When I saw a nice example of a complete (and highly enigmatic) Recepticulites my mind went back to this piece that I found nearly 45 years ago. Most of the fossils that I collected myself were found wherever I had access to either beaches (like Lake Michigan) which had tumbled cobbles containing fossils or from a campground I remember a couple hours west of Chicago that used large rip-rap limestone boulders as erosion control where a road crossed over a large lake. So, in addition to bringing marshmallows for flambéing in the campfire in the evenings, and a fishing pole in attempt to see what types of fishes were hiding beneath the surface of the lake, I also brought a hammer and stone chisel--that's normal, right? I'd clamber around on the rocks looking for evidence of some poor quality fossil poking out here and there. I'd spend much more time than it was really worth freeing gastropod steinkerns, barnacles, crinoid stem segments, and other representative fossils of the time. I was always quite happy when I found find something that was included in my fossil guide book. Fossil books were few and far between in museum book shops and this was long before the ubiquity of the internet and longer before @Cris had the idea for TFF. I'll unpack this box again when we reach Gainesville and look back on my humble beginnings collecting fossils. I may organize some of these into a showbox display and hang it in my office in the new house. Back in the day I told (mostly adults) that I wanted to be a paleontologist when they asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Not hearing the expected answer of teacher, fireman, or astronaut (this was the era of the space race), the questioner would stare blankly at me till my grandfather or my parents would explain that it is someone who "digs up fossils". It took me a few decades but I've finally been able to travel around and "dig up fossils" if only on a serious avocational level. You'll see some indications that I was trying to be a serious collector back then. I had numbered several of my finds when I had made a potential identification. I had a notebook (long since vanished) where I recorded the collecting information and (probably) identification for my finds. The little adhesive numbered tags were cut from strips of numbered tape used to identify both ends of cables when building racks of switches and relays (back in the day before semiconductors). I have my first specimens of a rugose horn coral, a faint brachiopod, a crinoid segment, and my first worn partial trilobite. I remember some of these fossils and some I've long since forgotten about but the one that was the most surprising to see while picking through my old collection was a reasonable example of a Mazon Creek fern frond. While this is a well known fossil locality here on the forum (and beyond), I was surprised by this as Mazon Creek and its fossil lagerstätte had escaped my awareness till about a decade ago. Tammy and I were visiting the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago with our nieces and we happened upon the great exhibit they have there on Mazon Creek. That was the first time I was conscious of the fact that there was a great place to collect fossils relatively close to where I grew up but that fate and the relative lack of information back in the day had hidden it from me. Had I known about Mazon Creek back in the day and been able to amass a more impressive fossil collection as a kid I might not have chosen computers for a career. Actually, computer programming came natural to me like walking or breathing so computers were likely baked into my fortune cookie of fate and interest in fossils would rekindle later in life as it has. I still have no recollection of how this Mazon Creek concretion came into my possession. I can only assume that I received it as a gift from some adult trying to fan the flames of a passion for fossils. With the possibility of a long-term time-delay fuse this effort seems to have worked. Think about that next time you gift some fossils to a kid who shows interest. Cheers. -Ken P.S.: Tammy thinks I should choose one of these as a last minute entry for the FOTM contest since I (re)found them this month.
  17. Tony G.

    Bookcliff Baculite

    Went fossil hunting with my daughter this morning in the Bookcliffs, North of the Grand Junction, CO airport. We found this weathering out of the shale in a wash. The Baculite is about 8" long and 1.5" wide. Can hardly wait to prep this, I think it will make a nice display. My plan is to slice the base of the matrix flat (without damaging the fossil) so it will sit nicely on a table or shelf.
  18. Hey guys, I was wondering if there is any good books to help identify dinosaur fossils? Thanks so much, Wyatt
  19. So I seem to have developed an interest in Stromatolites recently. Can someone suggest good / reliable books, websites or pdf papers where I can do further research Thanks
  20. Hi everybody, I have a question about this book. There are two versions of it. One of them has an ammonite on the cover and the other has a Meg tooth on it. What are the differences between the two books and which one is more recommended? Thanks!
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