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Hello all, I bought a collection box (rikermount) for some of my late Cretaceous belemnites (Belemnitella and Belemnella (pachybelemnella) sp.). The fossils are 70-66 million years old (to be more detailed: 70-68 and/or 70-67 mya). Just like other fossils, belemnites can be stored quite well in this kind of vitrine/case. Also good for storing some shark teeth or other fossils like (flat) plant fossils/impressions. Other collectors that have rikermounts with fossils? (perhaps a picture?)

Hello all, I am a new member and really interested in belemnites (prehistoric 'squid'). In the United States of America, belemnites (Belemnitida) can be collected at specific locations. I know that around Delaware (Canal) and New Jersey (Big Brook area) the belemnitellid Belemnitella americana (Morton, 1830) occurs. I am interested if anyone has some photo's of that american belemnite species. The Navesink formation and other Cretaceous layers are around 70-66 million years old. Is this correct? I have read that New Jersey was under water during the late Cretaceous (shallow sea). How deep was the water that surrounded New Jersey? (Big Brook area)? In the Netherlands, belemnites can be collected in South-Limburg around Maastricht and Gulpen (late Campanien and Maastrichtien). The Netherlands were under water (whole), Limburg was covered by a (shallow) sea. The belemnites in Limburg are around 73-66 million years old (some Belemnitella and Belemnella specimens are around 68-69 million years old). Only with very specific methods is it possible to determine the exact age. I have added a picture of belemnites that I collected in Limburg. They are of late Campanian, earliest or early Maastrichtien age. The species are Belemnitella cf. minor II (Christensen, 1995) or Belemnitella junior (Nowak, 1913). Belemnella (Pachybelemnella) obtusa (Schulz, 1979) can also be found but they have a somewhat different form and based on the literature many belemnites belong to minor II or junior. Belemnitella cf. minor II (Christensen, 1995) are quite stout and can be big (around 9.5-9.6 cm for the example(s) in the image). I know that complex methods are available to determine belemnite species (Schatzky distance, etc.) but sometimes, it is possible to identify belemnites from 'the outside'. Does anyone know why only Belemnitella americana (Morton, 1830) occurs in the above mentioned locations? Why are there no representatives of Belemnella? I find it interesting because in Europe during the Cretaceous there were two genus that lived in the (shallow) Cretaceous sea: Belemnitella and Belemnella. Kind regards, Ruben

Well, I returned from my West Texas hiatus a few days ago, and have had time to process some of my finds. These were primarily found in the Terlingua area. Some ammonites - not sure if any prep work can expose more on these. Also some belemnitella, I think, and possibly a crab? Please let me know your thoughts. I believe these came from the Boquillas formation, but I am not entirely certain. There is a LOT of rock in West Texas.

I usually find my own belemnites but I couldn't resist buying this one that's been attacked by the endolithic sponge Entobia. Belemnitella, maybe B. lanceolata (haven't checked it yet), from the Lower Maastrichtian Chalk of Denmark.