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I strolled around Lake Texoma today. I mainly was looking for a chunky ammonite to take home, and I knew I was in for some serious work if I wanted to find a nice one. While walking to the ammonite beach, I picked through some marl banks and found a couple cool keepers. The pyritized small ammonites were plentiful, so I picked a few, while the shark teeth were not. Only found one. Looks like Cretalamna sp? I did manage to find a pretty nice echinoid that the water had cleaned perfectly. Hemiaster sp? Unfortunately the ammonite beach wasn't what I had hoped for. I'm not sure if I picked a bad time to go, or if it's just too popular but all the rock I could find was pretty much smashed to pieces along with many big ammonites. It took a long time to find a potential keeper. I did manage to find one, and man it was a lot of work to pry this out. This ammonite is over a foot long and was very heavy to haul back to my car. Needless to say, I took frequent breaks on my way back! On the journey back to my car, I did find a nicer complete ammonite exposed. It was the only one that day I found that was nice that didn't require extensive excavation, so I decided to take it home too. All in all, I had a pretty nice time at the lake. It was a lot more work and walking than I expected.

Attached are photos of a fossil fish nodule collected in northeastern Brazil, South America in the early 1970's. It is about 26 inches (66 cm) long and about 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Uncertain as to age, but based on preservation, I assume it was collected from the Santana Group (? Crato Fm.), Lower Cretaceous. I'm guessing it belongs to the Amidae family, but I have no expertize in these fish. I'd appreciate any help as to identification. Thank you.

Two quick items this morning from the Ozan Formation (Cretaceous, Campanian) of north Texas (Fannin County). These items are small, picked from the matrix. The first one is 5mm long and I'm wondering if it could be a partial leg of an ophiuroid. It looks similar to one I saw in a publication from the North Carolina Fossil Club. It has numerous partially overlapping segments but unfortunately the bottom? is not preserved. I'm wondering if @EPIKLULSXDDDDD can look at his recent brittle star find and see if there is any similarity, I can't tell from the pictures posted here; http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/129481-some-say-lightning-doesnt-strike-the-same-place-twice/&tab=comments#comment-1400875 I am plenty open to other ideas on what it might be as well and I realize it may be too fragmentary to say anything for sure. Here are a couple of pictures: The second one I believe is a "worm tube", some sort of serpulid, but I'm not sure as it is more "spikey" than I have seen before and looks a bit more segmented. It also starts out in a bit or a curl like I have seen with certain gastropods and even an ammonite, but that may just be coincidental. The black bar at the bottom is 1cm long so this item is about 4-5 mm ish. Thanks for looking and I appreciate any opinions. Mike

This was found in the surf after a storm. It was quite near where erosion had exposed lignite reported to be of Cretaceous age. I included a shot of an interesting piece collected. The site is a terminal moraine south of Woods Hole MA. The texture may be obscured by salt and Elmer's used as a stabilizer. But . . . Does this look to be Teredo borings in Cretaceous peat ?

I already had 2 little piles of worm tubes then I found this larger single one today and appears the tube broke and exposed the worm. Examined the smaller ones more closely and noticed they have pyritized insides and cracks like on shell, started to wonder if they were gastropods, I see shiny spots and know the worm isn't preserved and tubes aren't shiny so doubting if they are Serpulid tubes. Also see what appears to be apeture on larger worm, so what are they? Last picture is backside of large one.

I have problem with this enigmatic shark tooth. Location- Poland, Zabierzów (Cracow Area) Age- Cretaceous. Turonian Size- 2mm

Hello, I recently bought a couple of spinosaurid teeth from the Kem Kem. I noticed one of them had serrations and I wanted to make sure it would still be considered a spinosaurid tooth. I've read over a really cool post by Troodon that helped me differentiate with the teeth from this area. There are some raised ridges on both sides which leads me to think its a spino. However, the serrations run on both sides of the tooth as well, although the distal serrations are much smaller in size, and I'm not entirely sure if spinosaurid serrations are shaped the way they are on this tooth. I tried getting a close up of them with my phone but I can get some closer ones if necessary. Thanks

New paper on cf. Spinosaurus dental pathology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667123000277 Paywalled

Please help me identify what species the ammonite is,from Morocco /Cretaceous Thank you

New paper on Kem Kem pterosaurs. Open Access. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12542-022-00642-6

Belemnites have been my core interest for decades, starting as an 8 year old kid when I saw and bought the pointy end of a large Cylindroteuthis in a curio shop (I still have it ). This led eventually to being able to research some Lower Jurassic ones for my Ph.D at university. I pursued another career after that (musical instrument repair and restoration) but palaeontology has remained a fairly fanatical interest ever since. Most of my early collection (including nearly all the research stuff) has been lost for various reasons but I've been able to replace much of it and added many new forms with field trips and purchases. So I'll start this thread with a few species from the Lower Lias, Lower Pliensbachian Stage, that first made me realise that not all belemnites look the same. This was a time of sudden diversity for the group. Earlier species (Sinemurian) are small and of low diversity, mostly belonging to the genus Nannobelus (= "dwarf dart"). (I'll do those later). All from the Charmouth Mudstone Formation, Stonebarrow Marl Member (formerly "Belemnite Marls"). Charmouth, Dorset, UK. Jamesoni Zone, Polymorphus Subzone. Bairstowius junceus/longissimus (Phillips, Miller). (junceus is the currently accepted name for the large form and longissimus for small, slender ones. The small ones appear to be immature individuals so they should probably all be longissimus which has priority.) A group all collected from the same small fallen block - almost certainly all the same species. (A large collection shows a complete series of intermediate forms, though probable sexual dimorphism divides fatter and thinner adults.) From the same beds - the scarce Coeloteuthis (Clastoteuthis) abrupta (Coeloteuthis is an awkward genus that needs revision - a bit complicated, but basically the original type specimen has been lost and the genus has ended up being based on a lectotype that is a different species and probably genus, and even family...) Just for comparison: "normal" belemnites - species of Passaloteuthis - exist in the same beds and are common. Here are two(?) species, the top two specimens probably being variants of one.

The two most prominent hypothesizes on the direct evolutionary origin of perhaps the most famous Theropod Dinosaur from the fossil record, Tyrannosaurus Rex (Tyrannosauridae, Late Cretaceous (68-66 Million Years ago)) are what I call the Laramidia and Asian Origins. The Laramidia origin (named after the region of the Western North America which was a separate Continent during most of the Late Cretaceous and home to a vast amount of dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus rex) hypothesizes that Tyrannosaurus rex is the direct descendent of and evolved from slightly older North American Tyrannosaurids like Daspletosaurus (Tyrannosauridae, Late Cretaceous (79.5-74 Million Years ago)). Warshaw, Elías & Fowler, Denver. (2022). A transitional species of Daspletosaurus Russell, 1970 from the Judith River Formation of eastern Montana. PeerJ. 10. e14461. 10.7717/peerj.14461. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365746599_A_transitional_species_of_Daspletosaurus_Russell_1970_from_the_Judith_River_Formation_of_eastern_Montana The Asian origin hypothesizes that Tyrannosaurus’s direct ancestor was a Tyrannosaurid from Asia. This supported by how closely related the Asian Tyrannosaurid Tarbosaurus (Tyrannosauridae, Late Cretaceous (70 Million Years ago)). This hypothesis further elaborates that a that the Asian Tyrannosaurids arrived in Western North America via a land bridge between what is now Eastern Russia and Alaska around 73-72 Million Years ago. On arrival, theses Asian Tyrannosaurids outcompeted and caused the extinction of most of the Native Tyrannosaur species of Laramidia (including Albertosaurus (Tyrannosaurid, Late Cretaceous (71-68 Million Years ago)), creating conditions allowing for the emergence of the genus Tyrannosaurus. Brusatte, Stephen & Carr, Thomas. (2016). The phylogeny and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroid dinosaurs. Scientific Reports. 6. 20252. 10.1038/srep20252. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep20252 Takasaki R, Fiorillo AR, Tykoski RS, Kobayashi Y (2020) Re-examination of the cranial osteology of the Arctic Alaskan hadrosaurine with implications for its taxonomic status. PLoS ONE 15(5): e0232410. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232410 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232410 Both hypotheses have points that are supported by the fossil record, but still don’t fill all the gaps in answering the question of the direct origin of the genus Tyrannosaurus. There is however another hypothesis I have pondered over for at least the past few months which could fill in some (if not all) the gaps to this question. It is the Hybrid Speciation Origin hypothesis. The Hybrid Speciation Origin hypothesis basically states that after a land bridge formed between Eurasia and Laramidia during the Late Campanian stage of the Cretaceous (73-72 Million Years ago) and the Asian Tyrannosaurids arrived in Laramidia, certain individuals of a Asian Tyrannosaurid genus breed with a species of a genus of Native Laramidia Tyrannosaurid (likely a direct descendent of Daspletosaurus). Enough of these inter-genus breeding events occurred that a new Tyrannosaurid genus distinct from its parent species (and genuses) emerged around 68 Million Years ago, Tyrannosaurus. I will admit this would be extremely difficult to prove, but I do believe it could be a valid hypothesis. It corroborates the many similarities in skeletal structure Tyrannosaurus shares (and how closely related it is phylogenetically) with the Asian Tyrannosaurid Tarbosaurus and the skeletal structure similarities and general body shape it shares with Daspletosaurus. Image Credit: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep20252 Brusatte, Stephen & Carr, Thomas. (2016). The phylogeny and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroid dinosaurs. Scientific Reports. 6. 20252. 10.1038/srep20252. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep20252 Warshaw, Elías & Fowler, Denver. (2022). A transitional species of Daspletosaurus Russell, 1970 from the Judith River Formation of eastern Montana. PeerJ. 10. e14461. 10.7717/peerj.14461. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365746599_A_transitional_species_of_Daspletosaurus_Russell_1970_from_the_Judith_River_Formation_of_eastern_Montana Stein, Walter W.; Triebold, Michael (2013). "Preliminary Analysis of a Sub-adult Tyrannosaurid Skeleton from the Judith River Formation of Petroleum County, Montana". In J. Michael Parrish; Ralph E. Molnar; Philip J. Currie; Eva B. Koppelhus (eds.). Tyrannosaurid Paleobiology. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 55–77. Currie, P.J. (2003). Cranial anatomy of tyrannosaurid dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 48 (2): pp. 191–226. https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app48/app48-191.pdf I am interested in how the tyrannosaurid species Nanuqusaurus (Tyrannosaurid, Late Cretaceous (70-68 (likely also to 66) Million years ago), the Daspletosaur Tyrannosaurid specimen RMDRC 2002.MT-001 “Sir William”, and the Tyrannosaurid specimen CM 9401 could factor into the validity of the hybrid speciation hypothesis. I hold no illusions in thinking this hypothesis is not going to be controversial. But I do think it could be semi plausible. What do you guys think?

Hello everyone I went on a commercial dino dig tour Summer 2022 of the Hell Creek formation in the Butte County, South Dakota area and found lots of bones and spitter teeth and had a great time. These two were in my unknown/unidentifiable pile and I've recently done some cleaning/prep to them and was requesting some help with possible IDs. The first item (on the left in most of the images) looks like a broken rooted ceratopsian/triceratops tooth to me with ridges and enamel showing. The second item (on the right in most of the images) looks a little like a scute with a raised round/circular area in the center and a lot of what looks like scratch marks on the opposite surface. I'm a newbie to the Hell Creek and these guesses may be off. Let me know if you would like any additional angles or detail for help with the ID. Thanks a bunch for looking

So I own 4 Spinosaurid teeth from the KemKem beds now between 79MM and 116MM. As looking closer, they can vary a lot between the teeth. Is there any explanation. As most of the people call it the regular Spinosaurus Aegypticus. Looks to me there could have several big spinosaurids lived during the time? I am not as educated as most of you are. Hence the question I'm asking out of curiosity.

Hello all, Most of the belemnite hooks are found in Jurassic sediments (Germany, UK). Does anyone know if Cretaceous belemnite hooks are found? (from the Belemnitellidae family?). I know that in one book about the Cretaceous fossils in Rügen (Germany), belemnite hooks/hooklets are present (forgot the title of the book...). Kind regards, Ruben

Hi all, got some ammonites here that I desperately need help identifying! They are all from Folkestone, Kent from the Gault Clay of the lower cretaceous. There are also a few gastropods that I can't ID either. Thanks in advance for your help!

I found this tiny conical tooth (~3mm) among some gravel I collected from the Woodbury Formation (Late Cretaceous; Late Campanian) with @fossilsofnj some time ago. The shape seems possibly reptilian but I am not sure I have seen a reptilian tooth from NJ that is so small. It could possibly be fish. The quasi-yellow tip seems fishy but the lack of any obvious serrations and the shape makes me doubtful. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Around 66 Million years ago, at the end of the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, an astroid struck what is now the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The subsequent impact and its effects caused the KT mass extinction event. The event wiped out 75% of all life on Earth. This included all the non-avian dinosaurs and most genera of marine reptiles. The end of the event also heralded the beginning of the Cenozoic era with the Paleocene period (66.0-56.0 Million years ago), and the dawn of the age of the mammals (one of the survivors from the Cretaceous Paleocene extinction event). But what most people don't realize is that in large areas of the planet, mammals didn't immediately takeover over the top ecological niches the Non-Avian Dinosaurs left vacant. That is because many surviving reptile groups filled those voids first (albeit briefly). In many parts of the globe, The Paleocene was still the age of the reptiles. https://news.agu.org/press-release/scientists-reconstruct-ancient-impact-that-dwarfs-dinosaur-extinction-blast/ A Geologic Time Scale 2004. (2004). Nigeria: Cambridge University Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6842625 This was partly due to the fact that the climate of the Paleocene and Eocene was generally hotter than today, which favored Ectothermic reptiles. As a result, these reptiles quickly grew to large body sizes and many filled the voids left vacant by the extinction of the endothermic non-avian theropod dinosaurs. Here is a list of these reptiles which hopefully demonstrates the diversity of these incredible creatures during the Paleocene. Let me know if I forgot any examples. North America - Thoracosaurus neocesariensis (Gavialoidea) (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene (70.6-56.0 Million Years ago)) (Note: Thoracosaurus species could grow up to 5 meters (16 feet) in length) Kosmodraco dakotensis (Choristodera) (Paleocene (60.2-56.8 Million Years ago) (Note: Kosmodraco dakotensis could grow up to 5 meters (16 feet) in length) Kosmodraco magnicornis (Choristodera) (Paleocene (56.8-55 Million Years ago)) Champsosaurus gigas (Choristodera) (Paleocene) (Note: Champsosaurus gigas could grow up to 3 meters (9 feet) in length) Borealosuchus acutidentatus (Crocodylomorpha) (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene (66.0-63.3 Million Years ago)) Axestemys splendida (Soft-shell turtle-Trionychidae) (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene) (Note: Axestemys species could grow up to 2 meters (6 feet) in length) Axestemys montinsana (Soft-shell turtle-Trionychidae) (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene) (Note: Axestemys species could grow up to 2 meters (6 feet) in length) Adocus onerosus (turtle-Dermatemyidae) (Paleocene) (Note: Adocus species could grow up to 80 cm. (2 feet) In length) Europe - Thoracosaurus isorhynchus (Gavialoidea) (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene (70.6-56.0 Million Years ago)) (Note: Thoracosaurus species could grow up to 5 meters (16 feet) in length) South America - Cerrejonisuchus improcerus (Dyrosaurid) (Mid-Late Paleocene (60-58 Million Years ago)) Acherontisuchus guajiraensis (Dyrosaurid) (Mid-Late Paleocene (60-58 Million Years ago)) Titanoboa cerrejonensis (Boa snake-Boidae) (Mid-Late Paleocene (60-58 Million Years ago)) (Note: Titanoboa cerrejonensis could grow up to 12.8 meters (42 feet) in length) Carbonemys cofrinii (turtle-Podocnemididae) (Mid-Late Paleocene (60-58 Million Years ago)) Cerrejonemys wayuunaiki (turtle-Podocnemididae) (Mid-Late Paleocene (60-58 Million Years ago)) (Note: Cerrejonemys wayuunaiki could have grown to 1 meter (3 feet) in length)) Puentemys mushaisaensis (turtle-Bothremydidae) (Mid-Late Paleocene (60-58 Million Years ago)) (Note: Puentemys mushaisaensis could have grown to 1.51 meters (5 feet) in length)) Africa - Arambourgisuchus khouribgaensis (Dyrosaurid) (Late Paleocene (59-55 Million Years ago)) Chenanisuchus lateroculi (Dyrosaurid) (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene) (Note: Chenanisuchus lateroculi could grow up to 4.5 meters (14 feet) in length) Amananulam sanogoi (aquatic snake-Nigerophiidae) (Paleocene) Acleistochelys maliensis (turtle-Bothremydidae) (Paleocene 61.7-55.8 Million Years ago) What do you guys think?

Hi all - can anyone help with this one? I have no idea. Found in the central Texas area.

Hello, I have some fossil bones. Is it possible if I ask expert to help me to identify this? Thank you very much Mosasauroidea? North Sulphur River, Texas

Found this in Bandera County, Texas. Seems like teeth coming out but bone structure is present. Measures 3” long by 1.5” wide by 2” high.

Goal: collect all Pierre Shale formation main fossil specimens. During my fossil hunting trips I collect a lot of different fossils but never take the time to figure out what it is exactly. Here I will record my trips and finds but more importantly try to identify what it is. This list will encourage me to not just look for the big marine reptiles but also smaller things I normally ignore. I understand how unrealistic this goal is but it's fun. Any feedback or suggestions are welcomed! Specimens shown on wiki for Pierre shale. Marine vertebrates Squalicorax Tooth http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/125074-x-fish-tooth-pierre-shale-sd/&do=findComment&comment=1361856 Gillicus Platecarpus Elasmosaurus Styxosaurus Plioplatecarpus Cretolamna Pseudocorax Enchodus Tooth http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/125074-x-fish-tooth-pierre-shale-sd/ Carcharias Archelon Dolichorhynchops Prognathodon Xiphactinus Clidastes Tylosaurus Tail articulated http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/124993-mosasaur-articulated-spine-pierre-shale-sd-quarry/ Invertebrates Inoceramus Several species of ammonites Several species of Baculites Birds Brodavis Hesperornis

I was referred to this page by fossil sites on Facebook. All I know about fossils, is, it's never an egg.. but quite a few folks thought this could be an egg. Found in western Arizona in a dry part of the desert, but near a series of washes where water flow occasional moves things around. 5cm x 3.5cm

It's been a long time since I wanted to visit that site. Situated 500kms away from my home was the only reason for the delay. It is among the 5 geosites in Bulgaria where you can spot the K/T boundary, a thin layer of approximately 3cm rich in iridium, dark colour and clayish/Ash texture. I never saw spotted Anyway, the place is beautiful, similar to the south coast of Britain. I would call it Dorset of the Black Sea. As you may notice, the whole formation is made off loose sediments that are prone to landslides. The ideal places to look for fossils are at the bottom and near the debris of fallen boulders. Many traces of Upper Cretaceous ammos but nothing worth keeping. In situ echinoid, eroded by the waves. I kept this one. Some partial echinoids which I left so that others can determine the formation. My first complete Echinocorys sp. Very good preservation. Danian age The rest echinoids I collected. The one on top is within the matrix, but since next week I will have air pen and compressor, I thought to collect. This formation is supposed to be the most major echinoid site in Bulgaria. I guess due to many fossil hunting, the yield is low. Or I wasn't in the right place since its my first time here. Anyway, the sea is very beautiful there. If you are not convinced to come for fossil hunting, you may still come after June just for the beach. The place is well connected to the UK through Burgas Airport. Hope you liked the trip, I really enjoyed a warm day by the sea far away from freezing temperatures of Sofia!