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This is a newly purchased ammonite, but I don't have any information, so I'm asking a question. The seller said it came from the Paja Formation.

an interesting story about the new interpretation of a possible plant remain as turtle It turns out, this fossil plant is really a fossil baby turtle - Field Museum the link to the original paper Fossil plant or turtle? (palaeo-electronica.org)

A couple of fossils from the Early Cretaceous of Colombia originally classified as plants have been reidentified as juvenile sea turtle fossils: Fossil plant or turtle? (palaeo-electronica.org) Turns out a 100-million-year-old plant fossil was really a baby turtle (cosmosmagazine.com) Fossil first identified as plant is actually a baby turtle | Popular Science (popsci.com) The initial assignment of Sphenophyllum colombianum to Sphenophyllum by Huertas (2003) was perplexing because Sphenophyllum is known only from the late Devonian to Permian, but the reclassification of S. colombianum as a marine turtle removes the sole chronologically extraneous record of Sphenophyllum. Huertas, G. 2003. Flora Fósil de Villa de Leyva y sus alrededores. Camargo Editores, Chía, Colombia.

Image of a Reconstruction of the Caiman Mourasuchus and Prehistoric Dolphins in Miocene Venezuela by Julio Lacerda Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/art.julio.lacerda/photos/mourasuchus-was-a-very-large-caiman-with-a-distinctly-flat-head-and-numerous-sma/2971939362916938/?_rdr In the Northern and Central Basins of Miocene South America between 23-5.3 Million Years ago, there was a giant system of lakes known as Lake Pebas. Fed by rivers directly connected to South America’s Caribbean Atlantic Coast, this lake system at its largest covered an area slightly bigger than 1,000,000 square kilometers (km2) in what is today part of Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia. The lake system was home to a variety of life including a vast diversity of dugongs, fish, dolphins, land mammals, and Crocodilians (when I say crocodilians, I mean the general group within the archosaur family that includes Crocodiles, Gavialoids, and Caimans). Image of Reconstruction of Lake Pebas Image Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Palaeogeographical-model-of-northwestern-South-America-during-the-Middle-Miocene-some-14_fig6_254893768 While Crocodilian diversity decreased globally after the warm Paleocene and Eocene eras, emergence of the lake pebas system paved the way for an explosion in diversity for these semi-aquatic reptiles in Northern South America. This is best demonstrated by the vast and diverse Miocene crocodilian fossils found in the Urumaco Formation and Pebas Formation. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0895981118303699 https://igeo.ufrj.br/inc/isc/3/3_87-Souza_Filho_etal_2020_Melanosuchus_latrubessei.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4375856/ These heyday for South American crocodilians saw the emergence of some of the largest aquatic crocodilians currently known on Earth since the Creteaceous and Paleocene eras, including Giant Caimans Purassaurus and Mourasuchus amazonensis. Image of Reconstructions of the sizes compared to an adult Human of several notable Crocodilians from Lake Pebas by Armin Reindl Image Source: https://www.deviantart.com/arminreindl/art/Crocodilians-of-the-Pebas-Megawetlands-900353328 The Lake Pebas system would persist up until the formation of the Andes Mountains during the Late Miocene. This decreased the size of the Pebas lake system and ultimately help give rise to one of the World’s most spectacular river systems, the Amazon. Crocodilian diversity in the region decreased as well and now only a few crocodilian genera inhabit South America currently. Lake Pebas is also the primary reason why the Amazon River system is home to freshwater stingrays, freshwater manatees, and freshwater dolphins. When Lake Pebas started to decrease in size, those creatures successfully adapted to the more freshwater environments of the Amazon River. Here's a list of all the currently known crocodilian genera and species that lived in the Miocene Lake Pebas system. If I forget any examples, please let me know and I'll add the examples to the list promptly. Unnamed Paleosuchus sp. (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 16.0-11.6 Million Years ago) (grew up to 1.2-1.4 meters (3.9-4.6 feet) in length) Kuttanacaiman (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 15.97-11.6 Million Years ago) (grew up to 1.71-1.88 meters (5.62-6.20 feet) in length) Gnatusuchus (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago) (grew up to 1.49-1.67 meters (4.89-5.50 feet) in length) Gryposuchus (Gavialidae) (Miocene, 16.3-5.3 Million Years ago) (grew up to 10 meters (33 feet) in length) (five species currently known, four species lived in the adjacent rivers of and in Lake Pebas itself) G. jessei (Miocene, 11.6-7.2 Million years ago) G. pachakamue (Miocene, 11.6-7.2 Million Years ago) G. croizati (Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago) G. colombianus (Miocene, 16.3-11.8 Million Years ago) (Note: One unnamed Gryposuchus sp. May have survived up to the Pleistocene, 2.6-0.012 Million Years ago in what is now Paricao, Brazil) http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=collectionSearch&taxon_no=38417&max_interval=Quaternary&country=Brazil&is_real_user=1&basic=yes&type=view&match_subgenera=1 Hesperogavialis (Gavialidae) (Miocene, 11.6-7.2 Million Years ago) (grew up to 10 meters (33 feet) in length) Brasilosuchus (Gavialidae) (Miocene, 9 Million Years ago) (grew up to 3.6-3.9 meters (11.9-12.9 feet) in length) Charactosuchus (Crocodylidae) (Eocene-Miocene, 48.6-7.2 Million Years ago) (grew up to 3.6-3.9 meters (11.9-12.9 feet) in length) (three species currently known, two species lived in the adjacent rivers of and in Lake Pebas itself) C. fieldsi (13.8-7.2 Million Years ago) C. sansoai (11.6-7.2 Million Years ago) Mourasuchus (Alligatoridae) (15.9-5.3 Million Years ago) (Largest Mourasuchus sp. Grew up to 4.7-5.9 meters (15.4-19.3 feet) in length) (five species currently known (including one unnamed Mourasuchus sp. From Bolivia), four species lived in the adjacent rivers of and in Lake Pebas itself) M. amazonensis (Miocene, 9.0-6.8 Million Years ago) M. pattersoni (Miocene, 9.0-6.8 Million Years ago) M. atopus (Miocene, 15.9-11.8 Million Years ago) M. arendsi (Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago) Unnamed Caiman sp. (Based on Specimen UCMP 39978) (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 15.97 Million Years ago) (size: NA) Caiman wannlangstoni (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 13.8-5.3 Million Years ago) (grew up to 1.7-1.9 meters (5.5-6.2 feet) in length) Caiman brevirostris (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 11.6-7.2 Million Years ago) (grew up to 1.7-1.9 meters (5.5-6.2 feet) in length) Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) (Miocene-Present, 9.0-0.0 Million Years ago) (grows up to 2.0-3.5 meters (6.5-11.4 feet) in length) (still extant in the present) Acresuchus (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 9.0-7.2 Million Years ago) (grew up to 3.4 meters (11.2 feet) in length) Purussaurus (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 16.3-5.3 Million Years ago) (grew up to 9.2-10.9 meters ( 30.2-35.7 feet) in length) (four species currently known (including one unnamed Purussaurus sp. From Panama), three species lived in the adjacent rivers of and in Lake Pebas itself) P. brasiliensis (Miocene, 9.0-7.2 Million Years ago) P. neivensis (Miocene, 13.8-11.8 Million Years ago) P. mirandai (Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago) Melanosuchus latrubessei (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 10.89 Million Years ago) (grew up to 4 meters (13.1 feet) in length) Globidentosuchus (Alligatoridae) (Miocene, 11.6-6.8 Million Years ago) (grew up to 1.72 meters (5.6 feet) in length) Hope you all find this helpful!!!

What Is the Largest Snake That Ever Existed? (msn.com)

Hello, I wanted to get some opinions on this heteromorphic ammonite. It is said to be a Colchidites breistrofferi (61 mm) from the Uppermost Barremian of Paja Fm. in Santander, Colombia. Seller claims no reconstruction/restoration, but it looks quite rough to me. Does it seem legitimate? Is this typically how rough these are, or is this one just badly preserved/prepped? And does the ammonite look complete including living chamber? Thanks!

Hello everyone. I found this piece in one of my journeys to the Cali mountains (Farallones hillsides), in my country Colombia, South America. Please let me know what do you think it is. I thought it was a fossilized fruit, but it seems to have like a shell or so. I also want to know, -no matter what it is-, how can I preserve it the better possible way, so I can keep it safe for years to come. A big hug for you all. C.A.King Zapata

Hi all, I picked up a lot of partial ammonites and ammonite imprints on my latest fossil hunting trip. I was wondering if anyone may have an idea as to which types of ammonites I've come across. They come from the Paja formation in Colombia which is part of the Cretaceous. Thanks in advance

Hi all, some of you may remember a while back I took a trip to Villa de Leyva to see the Kronosaurus and have a little go at finding some fossils myself. The town is renowned for its ammonites and other fossils, and you can find them in the streets and walls all over. I've included some pictures of these 'load bearing' ammonites here and the main square. The first time around I was close, finding a tiny imprint of an ammonite in a round nodule. This got me excited but I was ultimately left disappointed. This second trip was a total departure and more successful than I could have hoped for. After four hours of searching in the blazing sun, I finally found the spot i'd been looking for. More details below.

How the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Spurred the Evolution of the Modern Rainforest New evidence from fossil plants shows today’s South American rainforests arose in the wake of Earth’s fifth mass extinction. Smithsonian Magazine Prior to the Chicxulub impact, rainforests looked very different Plant fossils from Colombia show a turnover from conifers to today's forests. by Doug Johnson, Ars Technica, April 1, 2021 Paper Carvalho, M.R., Jaramillo, C., de la Parra, F. et al. 2021. Extinction at the end-Cretaceous and the origin of modern Neotropical rainforests. Science. Vol. 372, Issue 6537, pp. 63-68 Related papers Wing, S.L., Herrera, F., Jaramillo, C.A., Gómez-Navarro, C., Wilf, P. and Labandeira, C.C., 2009. Late Paleocene fossils from the Cerrejón Formation, Colombia, are the earliest record of Neotropical rainforest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(44), pp.18627-18632. Graham, H.V., Herrera, F., Jaramillo, C., Wing, S.L. and Freeman, K.H., 2019. Canopy structure in Late Cretaceous and Paleocene forests as reconstructed from carbon isotope analyses of fossil leaves. Geology, 47(10), pp.977-981. Yours, Paul H.

I've found this about 50 miles from the Caribbean Sea in Colombia, in a cut made to a hill for a highway to pass through. The layer where I found it is almost vertical. I've looked and found similar shells in the web, but no one has the same grooves. Can anyone help me? Found near 8.531326033223863, -75.68011324026482

A recent trip to the museum of El Fósil (an enormous Cronosaurus still in place!) And the Centre for Paleontological Investigations in Villa de Leyva, Colombia. They had a great selection of heteromorphic ammonites, icthyosaurs (including the only one in the world with the eye intact) giant ancient turtles and many more. I can provide more pics if you are interested

Hi all, I found a number of wood fossils in a recent trip to Villa de Leyva, Colombia. I'm not sure of the period as there are a wide variety of geological bands in the area. I have the feeling the lined fossils are Calamites but would appreciate some help confirming and potentially identifying the others. Thanks in advance

Hi, I would like to identify this foram, it was collected in the upper cretaceous (campanian) mudstones

Anyone know what species of sloth this is from? It is from Colombia. It is 6 3/4" long

A 10 year old boy discovered a new species of fossil fish in some flagstones of a 17th century monastery. Candelarhynchus padillai. Enjoy. LINK1 LINK2

Some people are truly lucky - they find fossils everywhere they put their feet https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/10-year-old-boy-leads-scientists-to-90-million-year-old-fish-species-discovery-1.3784927

I ordered a different book from ebay and they sent me the wrong one. At least it's still fossil-related, but it's outside my area of interest. I don't know if this is worth anything to anyone, but if you want it, I'll trade it for a fossil. I'm more into inverts but it can be just about any fossil, it doesn't have to be very valuable! (I didn't pay a lot for the book...) Alternatively I could offer it for the cost of shipping. (I'll relist it in the sales section if necessary)

Hello everyone, We just received this oddly shaped rock here in the museum today, the owner is asking for help to identify it. It has 14,2cm in the longest side. It was found 7 years ago In Muzo, Boyaca a world famous site for emerald mining. The rock has symetric patterns and figures similar to teeth and eyes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzo If you can share any idea of what it might be I would be really greatfull, Best wishes, Camilo