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Showing results for tags 'paleocene'.
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Wyoming Amber in Matrix (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber in Matrix (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber in Matrix (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber in Matrix (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber in Matrix (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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Wyoming Amber (Hanna Fm., ~57-56 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Field Collection: June 12-15, 2022 "Glory Hole" Site Hanna Basin Carbon County, WY Hanna Formation (~57-56 Ma) Deposit: *While amber is found throughout the Hanna Basin, only one site is known to yield large pieces of clear, stable amber: the locality known as "Glory Hole" is located within the north-central section of the Hanna Basin, in south-central Wyoming; exposures are positioned about 8,500 ft. above the base of the Hanna Fm., and at an elevation of roughly 8,900 ft. above sea level. Extensive layers of lignite and carbonaceous (lignitic) mudstone host abundant plant fossils and amber; the matrix is fissile (easily separated into thin layers) and friable (crumbly). Physical weathering (freeze-thaw, wind erosion, thermal expansion, etc.) of the exposures has created an expansive area of disintegrated substrate. This particular site was once a watery paleoenvironment, characterized by shallow swamps. At the very top of the bluff are layers of fissile, light-colored shale referred to as the "Upper Lacustrine Unit" of the Hanna Fm. Amber: *Occurring as small droplets, runs, and globular masses, much of the amber is transparent and of a reddish-orange color throughout, with some containing plentiful internal fractures. The intact, non-fractured amber is very hard, measuring 2.5-3.0 on the Mohs scale, being generally harder than Dominican and Chiapas ambers. It is very fragile and fractures easily, but takes a high, glassy polish like Myanmar amber. Through PyGC-MS, the amber is shown to come from a cupressaceous source tree, and is extremely similar chemically to cretaceous amber from the Raritan Fm. in New Jersey. Of several hundreds of pieces collected by some of the authors, et al., of the cited publication, prepared, and studied at the American Museum of Natural History, only one contained a single insect inclusion: a wingless thrips (1.1mm) that was heavily-compressed and deformed due to geologic forces. From my time at the site, I observed that much of the in-situ amber, especially large pieces, was concentrated within a short horizon only a couple feet in depth. It was especially common near buried, coalified remains of branches and logs, and matrix layers containing numerous leaf remains (mostly cupressaceous). Additionally, I've noticed that some of this material is fairly phosphorescent when exposed to longwave UV light. Minerals and Fossils: While collecting at the site, I noticed several other interesting features besides the amber I sought: carbonized leaves were present in some of the separated matrix layers, petrified wood was present in-situ and eroded from the matrix, and transparent gypsum crystals (some being relatively large) were commonly exposed along the site's surface. Also found in-situ were coalified twigs, branches, logs, and even stumps; I had partially uncovered a few such logs in my shallow excavations (6-12" deep) for amber. I observed a few stumps (~15" diameter) still preserved in an upright position, perpendicular to the matrix layers, with the majority of the lignitic remains buried beneath the surface. Recovered from coarse-grained sandstone originating from above the lignite deposits, was a partial angiosperm leaf imprint with distinct veins. Significance of Hanna Basin Deposits: *Throughout the Hanna Basin, amber is found in various quantities, physical conditions, sizes, and ages: the age range of the ambers' host strata sequence ranges from Late Cretaceous to Late Paleocene (76-56 Ma), an unprecedented range among all the world's known amber deposits. A stratigraphic interval more than 5 miles thick separates the highest and lowest occurrences of amber within the Hanna Basin. Paleocene amber is very rare, with only a handful of significant deposits in the world, notably from the Paris Basin and 5 localities in Switzerland. Source: * "Amber from Upper Cretaceous through Paleocene strata of the Hanna Basin, Wyoming, with evidence for source and taphonomy of fossil resins"; Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 163-204, December 2000; David A. Grimaldi, Jason A. Lillegraven, Thomas W. Wampler, Denise Bookwalter, and Alexander Shedrinsky© Kaegen Lau
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I found this mammal tooth in France, Chalons-Sur-Marne, while searching for shark teeth. I should be (late) paleocene. Does anyone have an idea which animal?
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I have bought this crocodile vert on a fossil show a few months back and i was wondering if someone could identify what species it came from? I'm not even sure if it is a crocodile vert but it looks like one but since the person who i bought it from didn't know much about crocodile bones it could be something else too. it measures 71.6mm long and 52.0mm wide. for Americans its 2.80" long and 2.04" wide. it was apparently found in Morocco in a Paleocene formation but i have no name of the formation and neither of the exact place where it was found ( i know this is probably gonna be impossible to ID thanks to the lack of location data) Thank you for any help!
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Interesting shell found at Douglas Point, Maryland which should be Paleocene Aquia Formation. Didn't see an obvious match anywhere online, any ideas?
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North Carolina Cretaceous angel shark cartilage/vert., fish skull cap, mosasaur tooth, and more!
fossil_lover_2277 posted a topic in Fossil Hunting Trips
Collected these in North Carolina this weekend. Angel shark vertebra w/ fossilized cartilage, fish skull cap, mosasaur tooth, soft shell turtle fragment, worn Otodus tooth, goblin shark teeth, crow shark tooth, bull shark tooth, and not sure what the smallest shark tooth is. These come from a mix of Cretaceous Tarheel and PeeDee formations and Pliocene Yorktown formation.
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Late Paleocene age for Greenland’s Hiawatha impact structure
Oxytropidoceras posted a topic in Fossil News
Controversial impact crater under Greenland’s ice is surprisingly ancient New date of 58 million years undercuts idea that strike triggered recent 1000-year plunge in temperatures By Paul Voose, Science News, March, 9, 2022 Giant impact crater in Greenland occurred a few million years after dinosaurs went extinct by University of Copenhagen, PhysOrg Wikipedia article discussing Hiawatha impact structure The open access paper is: Kenny, G. G., and others, 2022, A Late Paleocene age for Greenland’s Hiawatha impact structure. Science Advances. vol. 8, no. 10 Yours, Paul H.-
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Fushun Amber (Guchenzgi Fm., 56-50 Ma)
Barrelcactusaddict posted a gallery image in Member Collections
From the album: Fossil Amber and Copal: Worldwide Localities
Roughly 200g of small (≈1g) nodules and runs of amber from the West Open Pit Mine in Fushun, China; the mine was closed in 2019, but small pieces of amber are still recovered from coal found in the gangue piles; it is separated from the matrix by mechanical action and immersion in large vats of saltwater solution, and recovered with netting as it collects at the surface. This material is hard, takes a high polish, and is often shaped and drilled to make beads. Its chemical and spectrographic signatures indicate this amber is derived from a cupressaceous source.© Kaegen Lau
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Upper Paleocene Lamniforms (Mitsukurinidae and Odontaspididae) ID from Chile
terminatordiego posted a topic in Fossil ID
Hello to all guys!!!, I would like to ask again for help in the ID of some teeth. I´ve been searching in a local university's museum for teeth of the original strata (Upper Paleocene), and I have found a very interesting set of boxes containing a bunch of different teeth, all labeled as "Scapanorhynchus sp.", maybe existing a missidentification. The question would be if any of you guys can ID the pieces and how to differentiate the Scapanorhynchus sp. from Striatolamia striata or Sylvestrilamia teretidens, the options I´m leaning for the ID of the teeth. I would also like to check if you guys @will stevenson , @MarcoSr or @bthemoose have any info about it. You guys are awesome!! The ruler is a 1mm step grid, and I'll try to order them from anterior to posterior (I am aware that each one can be of different taxa), all of them have a stronger or weaker folded surface in lingual side. Any help or info is welcome, thanks guys!!! and greetings from Chile. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) Finally, this one has the weakest folding:
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Hi all. This past Thursday I made it out to Douglas Point (Paleocene, Aquia Formation). I found the usual assortment of sand tiger shark teeth and some goblin shark teeth too. Unfortunately, finding an Otodus in this formation still eludes me. First is a picture of all my finds. What I'd like some ID help with are the vertebrae, the two bone fragments, and the crocodile tooth. The last tooth is an interesting one. Looks like a Hemipristis serra tooth to me, though I didn't think they're found in this formation. I included an in-situ photo with the characteristic Douglas/Purse gravel as proof of location. I know it could have washed up from some other part of the river with a Miocene exposure, but it's in remarkable shape for having bounced around for miles in the river. Any thoughts? Thanks all!
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This past Thursday, I made a trip out to Douglas Point along the Potomac. I enjoy going in warm weather like anyone, but going during the winter has its own merits. Cool, crisp air, fewer people, possibly some more unique finds. I was the only one on the beach for just about the whole morning and afternoon. Although a little chilly, the right gear made it no problem at all. The trail down to the beach is a bit run down. Lots of broken and collapsed trees covering the trail. I found quite a few sand tiger teeth. I only keep the larger ones now that I find and leave the small ones for others. About one foot into the water at low tide, I saw a characteristic cone-shaped object rolling around. Sure enough, it turned out to be a crocodile tooth. I've only found one other one at Matoaka beach, so this is probably my favorite find of this trip. My most curious find was the small, pristine Hemipristis tooth. The snaggletooth shark was not found in the Paleocene. It didn't arrive until later and is commonly found in Miocene exposures. On the ID page, it was mentioned by one astute member that the nearest Miocene exposure is downriver, making it unlikely this tooth washed up from another location. The most likely source is apparently another hunter/collector dropping it either accidentally or intentionally. Hopefully, it was an accident, as "salting" is really unnecessary at this location. Unlike some other locations, it's not hard to find at least small teeth at Purse and Douglas. I only keep the bigger, better finds, and leave other small teeth for others to find. I encourage others to do the same. There's almost nothing worse than going to one of these locations with young kids and they get bored and upset because they can't find anything. But I can't agree with "salting". It ruins the integrity of the site. I also found some shark vertebrae and some possible reptile bone fragments. I also found an interesting concretion or maybe some piece of metal that's rolled around in the river for awhile. Never know what you'll find! Overall, a good trip and a great location, even in winter, if you're up for a little adventurous hike through the snow and fallen trees to reach the beach.
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Hello All! As you can see by the title of my post and the plethora of pictures to follow, I have been quite busy... busy fossil hunting that is! Since New Years I have been averaging at least one trip per weekend which is a good fix to distract myself from the less-than admirable weather (I just want spring!!!!!). This whole week is off for me since I'm off on Spring Break and that means I can go out hunting during the week to avoid the crowds which is always pleasant to get the beach to yourself. Also with the turn of the season and somewhat "warm" weather we have had I was able to launch my kayak for the first time this season this past weekend and I hope to make good use of my kayak. If any other members would like to hunt sometime feel free to message me (also anyone who wants to take me out on their boat I would take that offer too! ) I'll post a thread of my recent trips along with my more favorite finds and some fossil ID help. I'd also like to add that I have successfully taken over our family dining room and turned it into my own private fossil collection (sorry mom) and I love how it shows the true variety of teeth you can find as well as the differences in locations and the fauna you can find. The paper towels are all from recent trips and the plates are all from previous trips to Stratford Hall which I divided into plates for each different species.
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I went to my local spot, Henson creek, and decided to check things out. I arrived and found some stingray and sand tiger shark teeth. I stumbled upon what I thought was bone, it totally turned out not to be bone. I am very happy about this find, even though it was the only thing of significance found today it doesn’t matter. It’s so perfect. It will probably be a while before I find another otodus tooth that size again! Here’s the photos: The total length is over 1.5 inches, and would probably be hitting 1.75 if complete. What a screamer, I will never again question this creeks ability to produce killer teeth.
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I was fortunate to find an excellent Palaeocarcharodon orientalis tooth this morning at Douglas Point (Paleocene, Aquia Formation) in Maryland. I thought it was an Otodus obliquus at first but then I bent down and saw the serrations. The tip is a little dinged, but it has a solid root, shiny enamel, both cusplets, and those classic ragged serrations. At a little over 34 mm long, it's quite large for the site. I also found my first section of fossilized croc jaw (also just over 34 mm long) today, which still has two teeth. The crown of the tooth on the left is missing (the tooth on the right is also damaged) but you can see the replacement tooth poking out just below the jaw line. A tiny Otodus obliquus tooth (a smidge over 12 mm long) helped further round out a very successful day!
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A few weeks ago I found this bone fragment on the Potomac at a Paleocene site. It has a distinctive indentation which I thought might allow for an ID. An initial suggestion was a turtle bone, maybe a peripheral bone where a rib ending would attach. But I am open to any other ideas. I understand there may not be enough to go on. Thanks for looking!
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I made it out to the Potomac yesterday in Maryland and finally found a 2" (almost) Otodus obliquus tooth! IMG_5728.mp4 It's worn and missing both cusplets unfortunately (have to have a reason to keep looking, right?), but this has been near the top of my Maryland bucket list fossils. It's tad less than 2" (1.91"/48.6 mm), but also very wide (1.38"/35.1 mm) with a nice chunky root. I'll round up. Here it is next to my previous largest Otodus personal find (1.59"/40.4 mm), from February. The new one is four times as massive--20g compared to 5g.
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Hey guys, I'm back from my trip out at sea. It was a very insightful and unforgettable experience. Learned a lot about the world around, and myself as well. anyways, enough about that, I went out to Douglas point yesterday and although it was a very short day, it was also extremely productive. Which included some pristine sand tigers, a perfect 1 1/2 inch croc, and a killer Otodus. Here’s everything good I found: (Idk why it goes in sideways but there’s the total of everything found). Front (or backside technically) of the best teeth found. Back (or technically front) side of the best teeth found. Anyways, that’s everything I found. Thanks for reading guys!
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I was hoping to get some help identifying this Paleocene sand tiger shark tooth from the Aquia Formation. I tried to compare it to the examples on Elasmo but I know that there is a lot of variation in teeth and I am by no means an expert. I thought it looked like a Striatolamia but I did not see any striations- maybe they were worn off. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much and happy Thanksgiving!
