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Hello everyone. I just found out about these forums and so trying my luck on a couple mystery pieces that I have. I'm really excited to participate on the forum as we have been hunting for a year and have been on both US coasts, Sharktooth Hill and have had some great finds along the way. Fossil (pictures of the black piece) - My Fiancée found this in Venice, FL a few weeks ago. It is clearly bone based on the side view. The "bottom" side is flat with a couple of "scratches in it". The other side is very clearly ridged with 6 protruding parallel ridges. This piece was broken off on both sides, so I don't know if it had more ridges as a complete piece. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cartilage (pictures of the white piece) - (size of a nickel) This is not a fossil and my guess is part of a crab or something similar, but I've been unable to find a graphic to confirm it. It does have small ridges along the top of the "V" and it is not a symmetrical piece. My guess is this is something that many have seen before and someone will recognize it. Thank you in advance for the help and support. Derek and Sarah

Found this lying on the side of a ridge in a forest in Wildwood, MO. Any ideas on what it could be?

Hello, I found this tooth looking fossil in Parrish, Fl. It looks similar size to a large gator tooth but it’s more almond shaped. It does have a very apparent ridge on one side and the ridge appears to have little serrations towards the bottom of it. I have never found a tooth like this before...the inside looks completely solid but does appear to have a slightly different color core. Please help ID, and thanks again for looking!

Sorry I don't know where this comes from exactly. It was found at an estate sale in Texas. Was told it was a part of a collectors pieces from Southwest U.S. and was presented as Native American. So far Native American people think it is a fossil so here I am asking your opinion. It's heavy, fits in the palm of your hand, has a noticeable single ridge on the humped side, has a hole in the top and a hole in the flatter side; is black in color with many grey channels or etchings on the humped side. In your opinion is this a fossil and if so any idea what it is of? If it helps, it feels kind of cool to touch. Thank you for your interest and time.

This is in the rocks near labeled dinosaur bones at Dinosaur Ridge, west of Denver in Colorado. When I took the photo I just assumed it was a transsection of a long bone. I've become less certain of it each time I look at the photo though.

Hello everyone, Archaeological training, when I walk on the beach of Carnon (34) yesterday afternoon, this half vertebra silted next the seashore jumped out at me: However, ichthyology is not my field, I can not determine the animal. If someone know, it would be great! Also, do you think it is old (his red-brown color gives me hope for a fossil)? Thank you in advance! PS: Sorry for my approximative english

I have a few questions I’m unable to answer about ammonites. I’ve been doing some casual research, but it seems to lead to more confusion on this. I would really appreciate it if anyone could suggest more sites to look at as well. What kind of shell “decoration” is present on ammonites with ammonitic sutures? Was there any “normal” combination of shell and suture mark, or could their shells have any pattern of ridges, knobs, etc.? I’ve been hoping to find a sort of before and after polishing photo/sketch set, showing what shell went with what suture pattern, but have been unable to find anything. While trying to find the photo/sketch, I realized all photos of ammonitic sutures I’d found were of creatures that were involute, the outer whorls almost completely covering the inner. Is this just a coincidence, or were most/all ammonites with ammonitic sutures so involute? Also, did any/some/many/all ammonites with ammonitic sutures have an aptychus? I've been able to find all sorts of information on these features individually, but not on co-incidence, so to speak.