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Showing results for tags 'mosasaur'.
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Last Sunday was a day for the books. I had been thinking about nothing but calculus for days, and it was time for a change of pace. After briefly scouting a potential area with google maps, I set off on the 20 minute drive with no expectations. I was happy to just explore, as I knew finding shark teeth (my usual goal) in Austin is rarely an easy task. As I "arrived", I struggled to find parking, so I pulled into an empty business lot nearby to try and figure it out. I couldn't so I thought maybe google reviews could help.... and it turns out that not only is there no parking, but practically no trails of any sort to mention either. Rather, the entire park/preserve (whichever one it is) is just acres of lush, green tall trees next to a creek. So, I left my car in the empty business lot, crossing my fingers it wouldn't get towed, and made my way down to the most reasonable access point I could think of, by a bridge. After a bit of bushwhacking, I made it down to the creek and began walking upstream. What hit me first was how quiet it was, once I rounded the corner away from the bridge. Even though it's situated near an urban setting, once inside, I felt completely isolated and alone. My first find made me jump - it was a large, brown vertebra sticking out of the gravel, and at first glance it looked fossilized. Sadly, it wasn't (perhaps its at least preserved though, but I don't know how to tell) but it's still interesting. My thoughts are that it must be bovid - probably cow, to be honest, but I have found bison teeth in the general area before, so... maybe bison! That would be more interesting, as they've been locally extinct for over a century. Shortly after, while poking around in the first decent sized gravel bed, I unintentionally found an artifact... which is a first for me. Blind eyes that are thinking about sharks instead mean I probably miss quite a few, but this one didn't pass me! The particular gravel bed kept me busy for a while, with no further results. Upstream about 100 feet, with some thigh deep water seperating me, was a much smaller gravel bed. I almost decided to pass it because of the inconvenience and its small size, but I'm glad I didn't. Within a minute, I saw some deep shiny black, peeping out between the gravel. It was too good to be true.... a mosasaur tooth, and my first one, in an area I wouldn't expect, at a spot I discovered myself, surrounded by big trees a quiet water. This was as good as it gets. One thing I find particularly exciting is that some folks on fossil ID suggested that this tooth exhibits many of the characteristics of a Tylosaur tooth, with Tylosaurus proriger being the only reasonable bet for a Tylosaur this far south. That would mean this tooth is from a different species than the Mosasaur Austin is known for, the "Onion creek mosasaur", which I believe is a Mosasaurus maximus. Further down, I found a small piece of fossilized bone, possibly rib. After such a hot streak, it naturally had to start raining. I decided, after peaking around a new corner at a stunningly beautiful scene, that there was much more to be explored here... but the rain was my cue to begin meandering back. Today I'll return, but this time I'll also be herping, keeping a lookout for some of the modern squamates that share lineages with the ancient ones preserved in the river bed. Imagine the sight - Alligator Lizards and Texas Coral snakes, slithering over the remains of their 75 myo ancestors.
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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667121001294 https://www.nicklongrich.com/blog/pluridens-and-the-insane-incredible-neverending-diversity-of-moroccan-mosasaurs @jnoun11 @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon
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Hey all, went to Big Brook yesterday and found some teeth here and there. One thing that caught my eye was this. I was wondering if I could get a second opinion. My thoughts are it could either be a Mosasaur tooth or simply a concretion that resembles one. The reasons I think it may be are that it is hollow, has some lines running down and is the correct shape. That being said I know there are many rocks in the creek that resemble fossils that are simply rock, as well as I could just be seeing something because I want to see something. If I could get an expert opinion that would be great!
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Found this for sale online. I don’t know if it is real or not, but I took a gambit and got it. Received it today and wanted to show you all. Jared
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Is this Mosasaur Tooth real?
Hendrik_214 posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Hey guys, I'm completely new to fossil collecting, so I have a question. I would be very grateful if someone could tell me their opinion, if this Mosasaur tooth is real or not. I thought maybe because of the one visible repair. Please let me know what you think! Thank you so much! Hendrik.jpeg.ac859f0d73cecd48e9d0e064d12cc3be.jpeg)
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Hi! Any help I can get with identifying these mosasaur teeth would be much appreciated , or if someone can provide me with some good links/pictures on how to identify them. They are all from Khouribga phosphate mines. They are small teeth ( 20-30 mm) and not in top notch condition but still it would be fun to know what kind of species they belong to. I´ve numbered the teeth to make it easier to describe what tooth your talking about. Thanks/Patrik
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Hi, found this at Big Brook NJ and trying to determine if it's possible a Mosasaur or Croc tooth or stone/other. It's about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" long. Thanks for any info!
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10 hr North Sulphur River Texas hike with friends. I found a little bit of everything. Mosasaur, Xiphactinus, Pleisosaur, Mastodon, Horse, Coral and cool antiques.
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Fossil Fake ID: Mosasaur-Spino Composite?
Praefectus posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
I need help. WHAT IS THIS? It is being sold as a Moroccan mosasaur tooth and jaw section. I suspect the jaw part probably comes from the phosphates and is genuine mosasaur, but is the tooth, spinosaurid? If this is a fake, it is a much higher quality fake than normal. The change in texture at the base of the crown is suspicious, though. I’d like to hear some of your opinions. Thanks..thumb.jpg.51c765e7d5bed26680bd9226c7fa264b.jpg)
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From the album: North Sulphur River Texas
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From the album: North Sulphur River Texas
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Fun trip to the North Sulphur River Texas. I really like the giant coprolite and Holmesina armadillo scute. @GeschWhat
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Got a little luck on Easter/Birthday. Finally found a good sized Mos vert. I’m assuming it’s a Tylo? ozan form 80-85 mya
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Out hunting on the Ram, came across this odd piece, my mind immediately jumped to a bone fragment of a large aquatic reptile, the holes in it are like nothing I've ever seen, and it feels lighter than a rock of similar size. So, I'm hopeful, any ideas or help would be awesome! Thanks guys!
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From the album: North Sulphur River Texas
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- mosasaur
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From the album: North Sulphur River Texas
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Hi all, I recovered this split tooth from Big Brook park in Monmouth, NJ (late cretaceous). I've checked a couple websites that give information on Big Brook, and I can't conclude either way if it is mosasaur or croc (or similar to a croc). I included close-ups to show enamel, and held it to show the shape of the tooth towards its root. Thanks, Steve
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From the album: North Sulphur River
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From the album: North Sulphur River
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From the album: North Sulphur River
Small vertebra. -
From the album: North Sulphur River
Small vertebra. -
From the album: North Sulphur River
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Sorry I have been crazy busy lately and unable to post. Here's a few of Northeast Texas finds my last couple of trips. Pleisosaur partial girdle, silver spoon, artifacts, xiphactinus tooth, mosasaur verts, old door knob, enchodus jaws, old hard hat, old bottles, ammonite, exogyra and my first crocodile scute.
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From the album: South Sulphur River Texas
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From the album: South Sulphur River Texas
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