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  1. Okay so I found this specimen at the Taughannock Falls in Ithaca New York. I found it at the edge of the gorge which consists of shale, composed of slit and clay that fell onto lime mud and hardened into rock. I've done some research and it appears to be a Brittle star trace fossil formed by their arm grazing the sand floor. Although, these Brittle Star fish traces are known as "Pteridichnites biseriatus" and they have only been discovered so far in upper Devonian shales out in western and eastern Virginia. I'm not an expert but to my knowledge the Ithaca geological formation is Devonian and was slowly covered by sand. Is it possible that the Brittle Star fish once roamed in the ancient sea now known as "Taughannock falls" today? Because a research team is trying to find this specimen and they are wondering if anyone has discovered it. Edit: Im referring to the dotted trackway. check this link out for more information. http://www.wvgs.wvnet.edu/www/news/Pteridichnites.htm
  2. I am hoping for some advice regarding locations to find fossils in New Hampshire. We are taking a trip out as a family to visit my grandfather in August (when the weather should be fairly reliable), who fortuitously lives near the Grafton county area. I've read online that there are very few fossil formations in the state, and that the main one is located around Franconia/Littleton. This website has some good location information: http://www.fossilspot.com/STATES/NH.HTM (notable locations in Grafton county are: Coos, Beaver Brook, Enfield, Franconia, Hanover, Lebanon, Lisbon, Littleton, and Woodsville) Likewise, this website does a surprisingly good job summarizing the area, although with less specifics: https://kids.kiddle.co/Paleontology_in_New_Hampshire (specifies Fitch Formation 1.7mi northwest of Littleton, Ammonoosuc River, 1mi north of Lisbon, 1mi west of Franconia, Tip Top Farm, Mormon Hill, and NE side of Dalton Mountain) Other resources I've found seem to repeat the same information, so I am wondering if anyone could confirm or expand upon good hunting locations. Thank you for reading!
  3. Albo

    G'day - What have I found?

    Hi everyone- absolute Newbie to the forum here. Excited to be getting geological. From what I have seen it looks like this is probably Fossiliferous Limestone as it was found on a South Australian beach. It does however smell rather of gunpowder and is a bit darker than the limestone specimens I've seen. I do wonder what I have found here xAlex
  4. Hey folks! I'm mostly of a crystals/minerals guy but I've found my fair share plant and bivalve fossils and a number of decent 2-3" teeth at a now inaccessible spot in SC. I've got a dear, rockhounding noob friend who's heard tell of the joys of fossil hunting and very interested in experiencing a single trip down to the coast -particularly for larger shark tooth hunting. Me and another buddy would really like to treat him to either a coastal island or inland creek day trip charter for his 50th, but since it's only a one-time thing for him I'd like to maximize his chances of finding larger stuff. Though there's one amateur diver among us, none of us is equipped for anything like blackwater diving. We're all adventurous, fit, and open. Looking for something bigger than the grays, lemons, hemipristis that you can find around Folly Beach and such and willing t pay $$ for it. Anyone have a rec for the best person or company to chat with to make this happen? I've looked at all the usual suspects around Charleston area, but have never hired anyone for anything like this. Feel free to DM me if you know of anyone who could do something private for a one-time fee as well. Cheers!
  5. I'd like to start by saying I am a complete novice. But I have always been very interested in prehistoric life and paleontology. After recently getting back into the hobby I researched my local area. I have an interest in marine reptiles and was hoping to find a mostly untouched site with the possibility of finding some. Reviewing various bedrock maps and surveys I found one site that might work. I am aware I will need to review permitting and regulations before doing anything but for now i'd like to just identify areas with potential. I was wondering if anyone would help me assess it given the information I have found. Site description: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name Jurassic marine rocks ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Geologic age Devonian to Late Jurassic ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lithologic constituents Major Sedimentary > Clastic > Sandstone (Bed)Feldspathic to volcaniclastic Metamorphic > Metasedimentary > Metaclastic > Slate Minor Igneous > Volcanic (Pyroclastic) Metamorphic > Metasedimentary > Metaclastic > Argillite Incidental Sedimentary > Clastic > Mudstone (Bed) Metamorphic > Metasedimentary > Metaclastic > Quartzite Sedimentary > Clastic > Conglomerate (Bed) Sedimentary > Chemical > Chert (Bed) Igneous > Volcanic > Mafic-volcanic > Andesite (Flow, Volcaniclastic) Sedimentary > Clastic > Siltstone (Bed) Sedimentary > Carbonate > Limestone (Bed) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments Primarily argillite, slate, feldspathic to volcaniclastic sandstone, and pyroclastic rocks. Includes some rocks of Paleozoic age ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is my thinking: The geologic age of the rocks ranges from the Devonian to the Late Jurassic. Marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, first appeared in the Late Triassic and continued to evolve and diversify throughout the Jurassic. Therefore, rocks from the Late Jurassic are particularly promising for finding marine reptile fossils. The rock types present at this site also suggest a good chance of finding fossils. A large portion of the site consists of sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, mudstone, conglomerate, siltstone, and limestone. These rock types are known to often contain fossils, as they form from the accumulation of sediment, which can include the remains of organisms. Additionally, the presence of marine sedimentary rocks such as limestone is a strong indicator of a past marine environment, where marine reptiles would have lived. Furthermore, although there is some metamorphic rock present, such as slate and argillite, these are low-grade metamorphic rocks that have undergone only mild metamorphism. This type of metamorphism is less likely to destroy fossils compared to the high-grade metamorphism that produces rocks like gneiss and schist which is common in other formations in the area. The presence of volcanic rocks and pyroclastic suggest some volcanic activity, which can sometimes be associated with excellent preservation conditions if organisms are rapidly buried by ash. I am trying to find pictures of the rocks in the area but it is a bit challenging. I'll update the thread if I can find some decent ones. Please let me know your thoughts on this location from a purely geological perspective. Thank you, -Ged
  6. SharkySarah

    Niagara Falls Rock Quarry

    Has anyone been to the Niagara Stone quarry (LaFarge)? I have permission to go collect there and am not sure what to expect as of genera and tools that would be useful. Feel free to PM me.
  7. My 1st attempt at asking advice got locked because I mentioned specific sites. Sorry! (Mods please delete that one if possible). But I'm not even looking for advice about WHERE to go. That's already decided. We are going to a trilobite quarry in Utah and a Green River Formation site in Wyoming. We've never done this before and are driving a LONG way, so I want to be as prepared as possible. So if anyone has any helpful advice for first-timers so we can make the most of our one chance, we'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!
  8. My wife and I will be making our first trip out to Utah (U-dig, trilobites) and Wyoming (American Fossil, GRF fish, etc.) later this month and are very excited to finally experience these places. If anyone has any advice for first-timers we'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!
  9. Jimmy From Holland

    How can i make it more fun?

    wow so much information here. I wanted some info on how to do better fossil preparation. But I read a whole story about a bird that was cleaned. With x ray and super microscope. I myself thought I had a good tool but the needle that cleaned the bird it was so thin. Although I am very happy with my stuff, I do experience some difficulties. The fossil fish of Scotland slate are not so solid. i have a little one now but the slate is very hard. and the fossil soft. I damage unnecessarily I think. what do i need to make it even more fun? i have 3x zoom goggles dnsons.co.uk airpen. I ordered a UV lamp, maybe that will work well. i also tried sulfuric acid 97% (which works very well on pyrite by the way) The difficulties I experience are. can't see how the fossil is going. While scraping I hardly see any color difference of bone or matix. Stone is hard fossil softer. thank you in advance
  10. Hello Im new to this amazing website (forum) and im so happy i found out about it. Paleontolgy is my interest for 3 years so im quite new to it. I have a small collection of fossils and i wonder i they are genuinely real or not. The teeth should be mosasaurus and the trilobite elipsocephalus hoffi. Im asking because in my country are fake fossils sold quite commonly so i wonder if they are real and someone could tell if they are real or not please. Also i would like to ask if you know on what website i can buy 100% real fossils if it is not against the rules. Thank you so much for any identification, advice help and your time
  11. I have some unprepped fossils I got online and I have the paleobond starter kit but don't have a compressor or scribe. Are those tools necessary? Can I just use the compressed air cans? If I need a compressor does it have to be a high quality one?
  12. Greetings all, I will be staying in Gulf Shores AL in March (9th-13th) and was wondering if anyone had any fossil hunting advice for the area? What laws do I need to remember? Best time to walk the beach for fossils? What kind of fossils are typically found there? Most of the info I've found is for creeks, but it's a beach trip with family. Thanks in advance!
  13. I am planning a visit to the Oglesby site over the next few weeks. This will be my first trip where fossils aren't already eroded out of their matrix. Does anyone have any advice for me? Should I spend time attempting to break rock on site, or try to observe fossils already exposed? Are there any concerns with bringing tools to sites like this? Hammering rocks doesn't quite feel like surface collecting, and I would very much like to avoid getting into any trouble with any authorities. Let me know your thoughts. Im excited to give this a shot and will post any of my finds!
  14. so just recently i was going on a trip to look for fossils, trilobites specifically. On the trip i was able to find plenty of goodies; brachiopods, bryozoa, etc… But i never found any trilobites—well, except a possible pygidium. I did my digging at Savanna, IL, which from what I could find was known for finding lots of trilobites; and complete ones at that. Was I doing something wrong on my trip? I guess what i’m asking is there some way to more easily find trilobite fossils? Like, is there a way to tell what areas are likely to have trilobite fossils or what rocks would have them? on a similar note i’ve seen plenty of instances of people splitting rocks and finding lots of fossils that way; but i found almost all of my fossils just sitting in the open; any time i tried splitting a rock it would just shatter into bits, not to mention i wouldn’t really find anything inside. Is there a way to tell which rocks might have a fossil of some sorts in it? Or a way to split a rock so that any fossil in it would be exposed. Or i guess the better question would be what kinds of rocks are even worth trying to split into, and does this change based on a given locality? any advice would really be appreciated!
  15. Hey guys, I'm planning a trip to the Chesapeake and Calvert cliffs area for a few weeks from now and I was wondering i any more experienced hunters have some biases towards which areas and access locations they like best. I've previously been to the Matoaka Cabins and Calvert Cliffs State Park, both of which yielded similar finds with nothing big, although I found the access to the cliff bases at Matoaka more favorable. I'd also love to find a canoe rental in the area to boat about and stop at exposed beach areas to hunt before heading further along the stretch, although general advice and spot tips from people with more experience than I would be greatly appreciated.
  16. I have been prepping for nearly 7 years and work on private contracts. I used to work in a museum where they have been using the same methods since mid-2000s so I was taught to prepare using the techniques and tools that they taught me with (and developed my own skills for micro-preparation), namely just using a pneumatic scribe (ME-9100, CP9361, MJ) and a microscope. I've been curious about chemical prep, and was wondering if someone could explain to a complete newbie some of the ins and outs of the method? Or direct me to any forum threads/good websites that explain it. I want to broaden my abilities and also find out if there are any modern developments, besides just buying a new scribe, to preparation as a whole (not just mechanical). I've also never tried sandblasting but wasn't sure if that would be useful. Basically I want to know when it's appropriate to use chemicals, pneumatic tools and sandblasting. Any insights from fellow preppers would be appreciated! Just for a bit more information I primarily work on mammal-like reptiles (therapsids) from the Permian-Triassic boundary from the Karoo area in South Africa. Disclaimer: I must admit I haven't had the chance to search the forum extensively for this information so I'm sure there must be info I just haven't found it yet
  17. I found this rock and I want to try and preserve it before all of the fossils fall out (it has numerous surface micro fossils in layers, ?mass mortality). It's in the shape of a triangular pyramid and fossil layers are prominent on the front and one side. I considered trying to exposing the fossils on the back but I think it may be better having a side I can pick it up by without losing fossils. Is there a best sealant/protector for this type of piece? TIA for your time and help.
  18. Hello, I am going to be spending most of my summer at a biological research station near Blacksburg Virginia. I was wondering if there were any good locations to go fossil hunting within a relatively short drive. I know about the Lost River site and other places in that area but I was wondering if there were any sites closer by, I have a good amount of experience fossil hunting in the northeast and mid Atlantic but am very unfamiliar with the area so any info would be very appreciated. Sincerely, Caleb.
  19. Hi there guys. I know that it will be probably difficult question, but can you give me advice about some EU located tools? Wanted to get one from a vendor, but they are located in the UK, that means extra 100e for the model which I wanted to buy. So I need to find something in here, otherwise government will gladly ask me to pay "fee". Thank you for any advice/answer.
  20. Hello, I am currently a sophomore at Swarthmore college (small liberal arts school just outside Philly) and recently I actually founded a fossil hunting club which organizes trips roughly once a month to some relatively nearby fossil locations. Last month we went to purse state park and we were quite successful with everyone finding plenty of shark teeth and other cool finds. For our next trip we are planning to go to the Montour Fossil Pit as that seems like the next logical step. Now I have never been there but I have been to several similar locations and consider myself to be at least somewhat knowledgeable and experienced about fossil hunting, and I was just wondering if anyone familiar with the sight had any advice, tips, or useful information about the site that would be great. Also, I know that there are a number of sites within a 3 hour or so radius of Philly but currently the only places that I know specifically are southern MD, the Montour Fossil Pit, and the ferns near Centralia. If anyone knows of sites that would be a good destination for a group of 10 or so people to go fossil hunting that would be great. Thanks in advance for the information, Caleb.
  21. Hello all, I just wanted ask some advice from more experienced collectors about the direction I should take my collection in. I’m recently married and do cannot afford to by every fossil that takes my fancy anymore. As a result I’ll be saving up my money but I’d also like to take my collecting down a more specific route also. I had been collecting Proboscidean teeth for a while, but my heart is still set on dinosaurs. As I want to focus on a specific group but I want advice on which is the most worth my time. I’ve pretty much excluded theropods for a variety of reasons, mainly their too popular and rarer, which means more out right fakes unless you go hunting yourself. Which of these other groups I was thinking of, which are the better group to focus on. Hadrosaur and Iguanodon species Ceratopsians Sauropods Armoured Dinosaurs such as Stegosaurus and Ankylosaurus. I’m mainly focusing on what group will provide me with a better chance of more genuine fossils from a variety species both on the market and if I ever when hunting in person. I also understand that fossils are rare and appear on the market by chance more then design.
  22. Guy Macdonald

    Cleaning fossils for amateurs.

    Hi guys, so I've been fossil hunting for about 2 months now, whenever I find a fossil I bring it home, soak it in water and gently scrub it with a spare toothbrush. Can anyone link me and advise me on some basic tools like chisels and picks that I can safely use to prep/clean my fossils, I often find ammonites, plant fossils, shell fossils and others. Thanks a lot for your help the web is like a maze for this stuff thought I'd just come straight here where the experts are lol, cheers.
  23. Fossil Fen

    Lobster Prep Advice

    Hello All, I came across this fossil at a local rock and gem store and I'm having a go at preparing it. Apparently it is from Indonesia and I believe is a Thalassina, although with the spindle like legs I haven't seen anything that looks like an exact match. Here's my question; the fossil is covered with a sticky coarse sandstone, and I'm wondering how much of the matrix I should leave between joints in the tail and between the legs on the main body. I'm not sure if removing too much matrix will just cause the fossil to fall apart, but I suspect it might. Has anyone had experience with these fossils before and be able to lend a rookie some advice? Cheers, Ryan
  24. I just recently came across a very helpful website: https://www.microbehunter.com/microscopy-forum It is a friendly site, and I’ve gotten quick replies to some very specific questions about a vintage microscope I recently acquired. There are a number of forums, including one for people looking to buy/sell parts. Some of the folks there have some pretty obscure old microscope parts if you ever find yourself in need of some. They’re also good for advice on how to setup and optimize your microscope.
  25. Hey all! So I found what appeared to be a large geode, but upon further investigation turned out to have 5 or 6 fossils imprints! They seem to be seashells, scallop-like so possibly bivalves or brachiopods. I'll attach the pre-cleaning pictures below, then some more later after I rinse it and dry it off. My big question is: since this thing definitely has fossils (I can see at least two are half buried in the stone matrix) and is very likely a geode (it's heavy, has dimples, and I can see shiny facets in a few of the dimples), what should be next step be? I wanted to crack it open along the big crack down the side of it, thinking it would expose a crystal core. But I see these fossil imprints and I don't want to risk breaking them in cracking open the rock. So then, since I've only found some amateur fossil finds (mostly in riverbeds and on beaches), what should I do next? Seems to me the likely responses are crack it open and hope for the best (immediate gut-reaction of anxiety for fear of smashing the imprints too), or try to securely remove or break off the fossil fragments for a bigger cracking later, or to airblast portions of it, or to send it to a museum? I'm not certain and I definitely don't want to damage the thing in the meantime as the sheer age of it has made me quite fond of it. Any advice or recommendations would be welcome!!
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