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Teeth like this confuse me - i believe it is either a Plesiosaur or Pterosaur tooth (listed as Pterosaur from the seller) and it comes from the cretaceous sediments of Stariy Oskol, Belgorod region in Russia according to the description. It is 4cm in length. Any idea what this tooth most likely is? Thanks.

Below is an interesting paper, with PDF files online, about the role of contact metamorphism of evaporites and organic rich strata by the Siberian Traps and the end-Permian extinctions. Svensen, H., Planke, S., Polozov, A.G., Schmidbauer, N., Corfu, F., Podladchikov, Y.Y. and Jamtveit, B., 2009. Siberian gas venting and the end-Permian environmental crisis. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 277(3-4), pp.490-500. http://folk.uio.no/hensven/Svensen_EPSL_2009.pdf https://henriksvensen.wordpress.com/publicationspapers/ https://henriksvensen.wordpress.com/page/2/ Some related papers are: Burgess, S.D., Muirhead, J.D. and Bowring, S.A., 2017. Initial pulse of Siberian Traps sills as the trigger of the end-Permian mass extinction. Nature Communications, 8(1), p.164. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318793382_Initial_pulse_of_Siberian_Traps_sills_as_the_trigger_of_the_end-Permian_mass_extinction https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Muirhead_D https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/113600/s41467-017-00083-9.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Polozov, A.G., Svensen, H.H., Planke, S., Grishina, S.N., Fristad, K.E. and Jerram, D.A., 2016. The basalt pipes of the Tunguska Basin (Siberia, Russia): High temperature processes and volatile degassing into the end-Permian atmosphere. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 441, pp.51-64. Svensen, H.H., Frolov, S., Akhmanov, G.G., Polozov, A.G., Jerram, D.A., Shiganova, O.V., Melnikov, N.V., Iyer, K. and Planke, S., 2018. Sills and gas generation in the Siberian Traps. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 376(2130), p.20170080. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327404155_Sills_and_gas_generation_in_the_Siberian_Traps https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6127383/ https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Sills-and-gas-generation-in-the-Siberian-Traps.-Svensen-Frolov/6d0e86fcd2beea7d96c4e15240e50650c2ac235a Rampino, M.R., Rodriguez, S., Baransky, E. and Cai, Y., 2017. Global nickel anomaly links Siberian Traps eruptions and the latest Permian mass extinction. Scientific reports, 7(1), p.12416. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5622041/ http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Siberian trap eruptions.pdf Yours, Paul H.

Hi! I would like to know the specie of this skull that I´m thinking to purcharse. Seller tell me it belong to a Ursus spelaeus from Urales Mountains in Rusia but I don´t know if it could belong to Ursus uralensis or Ursus ingressus. I have the opportunity to buy it but I don't know what a fair price can be. Could you help me and give me advice? Long size: 50 cm aprox. and high 25 cm aprox.

Ancient puppy found in permafrost believed to be 18,000 years old, scientists say. Joshua Bote USA TODAY, Decxember 2, 2019 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/12/02/puppy-found-permafrost-18000-years-old-russian-scientists/4350717002/ Yours, Paul H.

I recently acquired a collection of assorted rocks and minerals. Many of these specimens are from the 70's, 80's and 90's ( am in the US). In this group there is two ammonite in matrix specimens. I believe they are Russian due to them being pyritized. I am having a difficult time finding info about what species and what value these specimens may have. I go to the Tucson show every year and I don't often see ammonites like this. I was told to come here to find the experts! Thank you for your time, I look forward to posting more now that I am a member StoneAgeQuarry

Shumilova, T.G., Ulyashev, V.V., Kazakov, V.A., Isaenko, S.I., Svetov,S.A., Chazhengina, S.Y., Kovalchuk, N.S., Karite – diamond fossil: a new type of natural diamond,Geoscience Frontiers, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2019.09.011. (open access) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119301768 Yours, Paul H.

Hi all, I was recently offered this tooth from late Cretaceous of Orensburg, Russia. Most likely Gaisky City District. I can't figure out if it's a Polycotylid plesiosaur or Pterosaur tooth. The overall shape is closer to pterosaur than plesiosaur. However, I am not aware of pterosaur having wrinkling like that, nor do I know of pterosaur teeth being found there. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you.

Hi to all. Here is one drawing which i drew 3 hours ago. It's a Elasmotherium sibiricum or Siberian unicorn . Enjoy Darko

A Diamond With a Whole Other Diamond Inside It Was Discovered in Siberia. Michelle Star, Science Alert, October 9, 2019 https://www.sciencealert.com/miners-have-found-a-hollow-diamond-with-another-diamond-rattling-around-inside Nyurba mining and processing division of ALROSA Press Release http://eng.alrosa.ru/58808/ Tiny, One-of-a-Kind Diamond Is Trapped ... Inside Another Diamond By Mindy Weisberger, Planet Earth, LiveScience https://www.livescience.com/double-diamond-siberia.html Miners have unearthed an ultra-rare diamond with a second diamond inside it. The inner gem is loose inside the first diamond, moving around freely — and could be the first example of such a diamond ever found in the world. Sean Keach, NewsComAu, October 10, 2019 https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/ultrarare-diamond-with-another-diamond-inside-found-in-siberia/news-story/fc36004d80fd986200447dffab326b4f Yours, Paul H.

Hi, I have received these fossils from Volgograd and I am unsure of their age or names, any help with them would be appreciated, Thank you, Misha.

https://sputniknews.com/russia/201908101076516629-first-ever-ancient-male-rhinoceros-skull-found-russian-peninsula/ https://www.rt.com/news/466233-ancient-rhino-skull-discovered-russia/

Hi everyone, I'm a complete novice here, I purchased this strange rock as a souvenir when travelling through Mongolia and Russia if was bought from Nomads who forage the area close to lake Baikal on the Mongolia side of the border. It strangely drew me to it as it was sort of hidden under some other prettier looking rocks. The internet doesn't seem to say it's likely to be a mushroom, although as I'm sure you will agree from the photos it's easy to believe it is. I'd appreciate anyone expertise and thoughts anyone might have on Mushrooms or anything similar they have seen before? Thank you for your time and interest.

New Analysis Techniques Unearth a Trove of Unusual Minerals https://www.wired.com/story/geologists-discover-specks-new-minerals-earths-extremes/ Yours, Paul H.

I don't buy many fossils and most that I have bought, or that have been bought for me, were from gift shops and the like when I first started collecting. However, for my birthday a couple of years back, my wife surprised me with this plate of a pair of Russian trilobites. They are Asaphus Intermedius and Asaphus Punctatus. I was overjoyed! From my meager knowledge at the time, I thought that they were completely real. I knew to look out for fakes (i.e. carvings, plaster/resin cast, etc.), or heavily composite specimens from other areas, and since these came from Russia, I thought I was in the clear. My wife also spoke to the seller, and from my understanding, they were very helpful and seemed sincere. They also disclosed that some of their specimens do have a little restoration/repair work, such as the crack on the back of my plate and had a money back guarantee. Fast forward a couple of years... With my birthday coming up and me working on setting up a new display cabinet I got to thinking about this plate of trilobites. Then I remembered that these were from Russia, and that I read somewhere that things coming from there tend to be heavily restored with resin and the like. I have also read that you can tell by using a UV light (black light) to shine on them and any resin used will glow. I don't have one handy, but will pick one up the next time I'm out to test with. So I wanted to poll the community and see what people thought. Are these real? Fake? Heavily restored? I just realized that I didn't include some form of measurement or something for scale in the pics... Each trilobite is roughly 3.5 inches long x 2 inches wide (9 cm x 5cm). The whole plate is 5 inches x 6 inches (12.5cm x 15cm). Front view: Back View: Notice the glued crack... Side Views: Possible restored area on pygidium? Appears to be a slightly different shade than rest of trilobite. Resin? I can provide more pics if needed. And include a scale.

Hi all! Here is a list of Russian paleontological museums with a short description, impressions and a single photo ( made by myself, later). I have not visited all of them, but hope to do so step by step in the future. Most museums hosting paleo exibitions are organised as "local history museums" - everything from minerals to folk costumes. They do sometimes have good paleontological material. If you are in a big city, why not visit the local history (краеведческий) museum - there's a chance to find a good collection. There's only a handful of dedicated paleontological museums. That's what I've found so far: Moscow: 5 museums. https://www.paleo.ru/museum The biggest museum with a good collection, but unfortunately many replicas and material from abroad. Emphasis on Permian reptiles, Gobi dinosaurs and big mammal skeletons:) http://www.darwinmuseum.ru/projects/constant-exp/razvitie-organicheskogo-mira?eng The museum concentrates on evolution concept, but (and that's why) features some good paleo material. The paleontolgical hall is situated on the top floor and thus not much visited after all the taxidermy. I advise you to begin with the top floor then descend. https://www.fmm.ru/Main_Page?setlang=en Fersman mineralogical museum (with atacamite pseudomorph after a mouse) http://mgri-rggru.ru/fondi/museum/mineral.php Mineralogical museum of Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University for Geological Prospecting (MGRI) http://sgm.ru Vernadsky State Geological Museum Saint Petersburg: 3 museums, all of them free (at least for Russian citizens, so you'll need to enquire), limited access and have very few visitors. https://spmi.ru/gornyi-muzei Mining museum http://www.paleostratmuseum.ru Stratigraphic museum, home to the oldest Russian paleocollection (sold by K.Eichwald, also authentic XiX century displays). Situated in SPb university http://www.vsegei.com/ru/about/museum Very nice one-hall museum with countless mineral and fossil specimens from different Russian locations and the oldest dinosaur skeleton in Russian expositions (the only one in SPb) Kazan: http://kazan-kremlin.ru/museums/muzej-estestvennoj-istorii-tatarstana/ Good collection. Nice Jurassic marine life hall. Samara Oblast: http://alabin.ru/sobytiya/prirodnaya-ekspozitsiya Alabin museum - features a good Mezozoic marine hall (also trilos,mammals, etc). Toliyatti (Samara Oblast): https://sites.google.com/site/ievbmuseum/nasi A restricted access museum for professional geo/paleontologists, visits by appointment Nizhny Novgorod: http://www.turionn.nnov.ru/muzei_mineralogicheskiy.html The museum is now situated in State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNSAGU). Free, requires advance registration Ulyanovsk Oblast: http://www.uokm.ru Local history museum with a small paleontological hall on the ground floor. Still nice Jurassic marine material and a cave bear skeleton http://www.simbircit73.ru/salon-muzej Simbircite private museum, features some nice heteromorph ammonites, holotypes included Undory (Ulyanovsk Oblast): https://undor-muz.ru A small museum devoted to Jurassic-Cretaceous marine life Perm Oblast (Kray): http://museum.perm.ru/filiali/muzey-permskih-drevnostey Permian reptiles, etc. Looks good http://museum.psu.ru/museum/muzej-paleontologii-i-istoricheskoj-geologii/ Visits by appointment, probably small Volgograd: https://museionsajtyarkova.ru/katalog/katalog-muzeya-evolyuczionnoj-ekologii-i-arxeologii.html Yakutsk: https://www.s-vfu.ru/universitet/rukovodstvo-i-struktura/vspomogatelnye-podrazdeleniya/muzei/detail.php?SECTION_ID=162&ID=13263 Mammoths and associated fauna Yekaterinburg: http://ugm.ursmu.ru Mostly geological Ivanovo: http://www.ivmk.net Museum of stone (combines mineralogical and paleontological expositions) Kirov, Kotelnich (Kirov Oblast): http://suminia.com/ru/About_the_Museum.htm Kammenomostsky (Adygea Republic): http://worldroads.ru/muzey-ammonitov-adyigei Dedicated to ammos Stary Oskol (Belgorod Oblast) https://www.ammonit.ru/text/2257.htm Museum of the local mining plant - marine reptiles, etc Shestakovo (Kemerovo Oblast): http://brend.visit-kuzbass.ru/shestakovskii Not a museum in a proper sense, but some kind of tourist route around dinosaur excavation sites Nizhniye Chugli (Dagestan Republic): https://www.ammonit.ru/text/1691.htm A small private ammo museum