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Hey guys! As some of you may know I run a paleontology education program. I take real fossils to schools and libraries. I've been over the years collecting things to make a mobile pop up museum. All that being said... I've been wanting to make a display of fossils from really weird animals that we can find fossils of. So far I have an edestus tooth and finally got myself a Tully Monster today. I am having trouble coming up with ideas, and as I have dealt mostly with dinosaur fossils, I am hoping to have the help of some of my fellow forum members who have a broader knowledge base than I. It doesn't have to be something that you have for sale or trade, but I'm simply looking for ideas of actually obtainable fossils I can be on the lookout for. I'm starting to look for trilobites but am in over my head here too lol. Any ideas on anything would be an IMMENSE help. Thanks y'all!

Hey Folks. I’m fairly positive this is a partial tullymonster. Found it yesterday, 3/7/20 in Mazonia south unit. Thanks in advance for any confirming comments.

The fossil I want most to find, at this point in my addiction, is a tullymonster. A few months ago, I thought this might be one, but, now, I'm fairly certain it's just a geode and am just double checking by asking for an ID. I actually really dig (that's so punny, lol!) geodes, so I'll add it to my collection, but I have enough criniods and brachiopods. I'm throwing a little tullymonster fit!

My name is Makayla, and I am an aspiring Paleontologist I have been collecting fossils since I was 7, and have just started researching about buying my own fossils. I saw the Forum for the first time while reading about fake mosasaur jaws and identifying fake fossils. The articles I found were VERY helpful and interesting, and I cannot wait to learn more. So glad to have found the Forum!

I just emailed Secretary of State Jesse White, urging him to consider a Tully Monster/Mazon Creek specialty license plate for Illinois. If you think this is a good idea, please send him a message as well (he's got a great Facebook Page, and you can contact him here: http://www.facebook.com/jesse.white.14203?fref=ts)... Feel free to send him this letter: Dear Secretary White, First, keep up that great work - my family and I are grateful for all you do for Illinois. Also, the Jesse White Tumblers are the highlight of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which we look forward to seeing every year (those kids are amazing)! So, we have a lot of different license plates available here (like The Cubs, Route 66, Peace, etc) - but we really need one to correspond to the State Fossil; the Tully Monster. This fossil has been found only in Illinois and nowhere else. I've included the story below... Some Paleontologists believe the Mazon Creek Fossil Deposits are the 2nd most important in the world, just behind the Hell Creek Formation (where numerous dinosaurs, like the famous 'Sue' T-Rex were found). I think we need to have a License Plate that recognizes this vitally important fossil and the Mazon Creek Fossil Deposits. The Mazon Creek deposits are located in Will and Grundy Counties. They are some of the most important fossil deposits in North America because the soft parts of many organisms are preserved. The Tully Monster was designated as the State Fossil in 1989: The Tully Monster was a soft-bodied animal, and was probably an active, swimming carnivore... It is preserved as outlines and flattened forms in nodules of ironstone from several areas in Illinois. It lived in the ocean that covered much of Illinois during the Pennsylvanian Period (about 300 million years ago). The Tully Monster was first found by Mr. Francis Tully in 1958; he took the specimens to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The specimen defied identification and became known as the Tully Monster. The name stuck. When Dr. Eugene Richardson formally described the new animal, he gave it the name Tullimonstrum gregarium. Here is a photo of a Tully Monster: http://www.prehistoricstore.com/newitems/m1648.jpg Thank you for your consideration, and have a great day!