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Showing results for tags 'onchopristis dunklei'.
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From the album: Texas Cretaceous Fossils : Sharks and Rays
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From the album: Woodbine Formation
Onchopristis dunklei, North TX Cenomanian, Cretaceous Jun, 2023-
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Striking Gold in the Woodbine: Crocodile tooth!
Mikrogeophagus posted a topic in Fossil Hunting Trips
Well to say I'm surprised by today's hunt would be a monumental understatement. I've hunted the Woodbine for about a year now, and the most I had previously found were some leaves and beat up bivalves, despite visiting many sites. Not this time though... The recent string of good fossil luck I've been having prompted me to humble myself. I decided it was time I made a return to the dreaded Woodbine, a formation I have a complicated relationship with. While it's a very beautiful formation with a diverse range of unique animals and plants, Texas hunters will likely relate when I say that it is one of the most difficult to find reliable success on. Despite wasting countless hours wandering creeks, construction sites, and lake fronts in the past, I still have a fondness for the time I spent trying to pick it apart. I thought this hunt would be the same, taking in spectacular sandstone scenery, but very little in fossil department. As soon as I stepped out of my car, the Texas heat wave hit my face full blast. It was about 99F with hardly a cloud in the sky. As I walked to the exposure I had marked, I was quick to take notice of the lack of shade. I spent a solid hour wandering around, not finding much besides bivalve fragments scattered sparsely at the foot of the hill. Already, I had downed a water bottle and felt my eyes stinging from sweat. At the far end of the exposure, I began climbing the hill and came across a thin, pebbly layer of purple matrix. It was unusual in that I hadn't seen matrix like it in the Woodbine before. It only encapsulated a small area. It was absent from the section only 10 feet in either direction. My recent experience with conglomerates in the Atco and Hawaii prompted me to investigate further. Within seconds I spotted a bluish white crown to a flat tooth, Pseudohypolophus mcnultyi (Brachyrhizodus mcnultyi favored by some). There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I had finally found the spot I was looking for. Pseudohypolophus mcnultyi, the most common tooth of the day. I had stupidly forgotten my rock hammer and chisels, so I was left to begin breaking apart the conglomerate with my hands. Doing so exposed new teeth at an absurd rate. I was taken aback when I laid eyes on an Onchopristis dunklei rostral... and then three more. These are much rarer in other formations, but they seem to be COMMON in the Woodbine! Onchopristis dunklei. They are shattered, so they will remain in matrix. I managed to find two fragments of a mid-sized Cretodus semiplicatus tooth that fit perfectly together. Also snagged a couple of Cretalamna catoxodon and Haimirichia amonensis, staples of the Cenomanian shark fauna. Cretodus semiplicatus. One of the most beautiful shark species in my opinion. Cretalamna catoxodon with some turtle bone below. Haimirichia amonensis. The fun continued with a chunk of shark cartilage. Wish there was a way to pin a species to these... Shark cartilage There were also invertebrates to be had. Most of the time they were bivalve steinkerns, but now and then some crustacean chunks would show up. Bivalve Linuparus sp. segments. Something crustacean. Kinda shaped like mudshrimps found in the Pawpaw Fm. Later into the day, I came across a strange ridged tooth I suspect is reptilian. It is quite thin and sadly most of it isn't there. I'm hopeful it's something cool like pliosaur. Prepping it out of the this tough matrix is a real challenge. Unknown ridged tooth. Of course I had to save the hands down best find for last... a small reptile tooth! I believe it belongs to the reptile the Woodbine is most famous for as well - a croc. It bears a distal curvature, fine longitudinal striations, and has two distinct edges which aligns with Woodbinesuchus byersmauricei. The longitudinal striations seem to appear on only one side of the tooth while the other side is mostly smooth. I'm not sure if Woodbinesuchus teeth are similar or if the striations continue all around the circumference. Woodbinesuchus was described from the Rush Creek Member which is where I found this tooth. Other crocs of the Woodbine include Deltasuchus, Terminonaris, and Scolomastax (a small paralligatorid with crushing dentition!). Of these I think Woodbinesuchus is the closest, but there must be someone on here who knows better than me. Most likely Woodbinesuchus byersmauricei After only a few hours I had to call it quits. The heat today was killer and the metallic rocks of the Woodbine were not doing my hands and knees any favors as a makeshift oven. I really wish I had discovered this place in the winter or spring . Looks like I'll be watching the weather for a dip in temps before heading back. The possibility for dinosaur material is quite the motivator! Thanks for reading- 8 replies
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From the album: Eagle Ford Group
Onchopristis dunklei, Central TX Cenomanian, Cretaceous Dec, 2022-
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From the album: Eagle Ford Group
Onchopristis dunklei, Central TX Cenomanian, Cretaceous Dec, 2022-
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From the album: Aguja Formation
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