Search the Community

I have been a little bored lately and missing micro matrix searches. It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten to enjoy hunting for tiny shark teeth. I got some more matrix from the Rollins Member of the Mesaverde Formation. My first time through that matrix produced one of my favorite finds, a 1mm Scyliorhinus tooth. This formation doesn’t provide much in the way of complete teeth but it is a fauna that was really quite diverse. The first search was with less matrix but I found enough to want to do it again. This time I have more matrix and in varying states. Some is broken down, some is in small matrix bits and we have a small piece of untouched matrix. It’s a good chance to practice breaking matrix down and learning a broader approach to collecting. The first search of the broken down matrix and first look at the small bits has yielded few complete teeth but a much wider diversity which makes it fascinating. The first Squalicorax, Ptychodus, Lissodus, and Rhinobatos. It also produced an Orectolobiformes that doesn’t appear to be Chiloscyllium. It looks much more similar to Restesia. I am really looking forward to searching more as the breakdown goes forward. I am going to take closer pictures tomorrow but the first time finds are among the teeth in this picture.

I found an interesting fossil in my Mesaverde formation matrix yesterday. It has me scratching my head a bit. At first I thought it was a Sawfish rostral but after a bit of research I am not sure. I think it looks like Cretamanta possibly. It is the right size at 1mm. I had had some difficulties with the equipment at work today so I only got one decent picture.

These will all be from the Mesaverde Formation, Colorado. First up is a 1mm tooth that sure looks like an anterior Heterodontus tooth to me. I am open to any ID suggestions but I see a lot of similarities with the Atco tooth I recently found.

I’m not really sure I’ll be to get an ID given the condition, size and difficulty in photographing them but I thought I’d try. First tooth. Just over 1mm. This one is from Atco Formation micro mix. There was an Odontaspis on Elasmo that looked somewhat similar but I really don’t know.

That little vial of micros from the Mesaverde formation is the gift that keeps on giving. I dissolved some of small bits of matrix in vinegar. Still no batoid teeth but a couple of shark teeth did emerge. Mesaverde Formation, Rollins Member Colorado The first is a candidate for the smallest shark tooth in my collection. At most it is 1mm and I think it is another possible Cat Shark tooth. Quite similar to some NJ teeth I found on line. I am open to other possibilities as far as an ID goes. Regardless, it is one very cool looking micro tooth

I have a few more micro finds from the Mesaverde matrix that I could use some ID help with. I found additional information as well, these micros come from the Rollins member. Given the lack of information on line I am not sure how much that helps if at all. First up is the one that at first glance looked like it might be a ray of some kind but am pretty stumped. I could not find any good matches for this one and I searched pretty hard. It is 2mm or so in size and this is the best I could do picture wise. I really have no idea what it is.

I thought it would be fun and possibly helpful to other collectors to discuss the results of my first foray into the world of micro fossil exploration. I had purchased some quantities of micro matrix from two different formations and they provided vastly different experiences for me as a collector. I got a vial of micro fossils from the Neva formation which is from Kansas and is Permian. This stuff really proved to be quite a challenge and was not ideal to start with. These are TINY fossils and I was not equipped to handle such small fossils. Identifying the shark material was challenging but not nearly as challenging as just handling them. My first attempt to put a fossils on a slide resulted in me crushing a tiny partial Cladodont tooth. I was not happy with myself but it was a very teachable and humbling moment as I did at work in front of young co-worker who has developed into quite the shark fanatic. Once I figured out what NOT to do with the small fossils, I did find a groove and was able to find some interesting material for our display. I found a few shark denticles ( I think they are anyway lol), a possible spine, and a few partial teeth including one that looks similar to an unpublished species of Cladodont shark called Maiseyodus. There was not a lot of shark material and it was hard to work with but I plan on picking up another vial. I will not go through until I have better equipment though but I would like to continue the explore it. The goal was too add some Permian shark material from a marine environment to contrast the freshwater Permian stuff we had. In that sense, we accomplished our goal and I did really learn quite a lot so it was a positive result but one with plenty of bumps in the road lol The other micros were from the Cretacoeus Mesaverde formation and was Colorado. This was much easier to work with as far as size goes but there was much more actual matrix to deal with. I was also more familiar with the fauna and I had a much better idea of what to be on the look out for. It did not take long to find a few shark teeth. I opened the vial, dumped it on the tray and right away saw some partial teeth I could recognize. A few Hybodont partials were apparent very quickly as were some partial Sand Tiger teeth. There was also an interesting partial that I have not posted yet but might be a Cretalamna. I also found a few fossils that I think are ray dermal denticles. The really interesting stuff was found when I started searching the bits of matrix and the smaller fossils. Three little fossils absolutely made this a grand slam for me. I found what looks to be a Chiloscyllium tooth. It is fantastic shape and sits on top of a little piece of matrix really nicely. My ID looks to be okay as I did post here on the forum. I was really thrilled to find such a nice tooth. Another was posted on the forum and though I have some work to do to cement the ID, it MAY be a Cat Shark tooth which is one I have been searching for. Separating it from the matrix makes me nervous but I am practicing before I do it. I am really hoping it does turn out to be what I think it is but either way it was a fascinating find and thanks to some awesome TFF members led to a far better understanding of cat shark fossils. The third has not been posted yet as I need to take a closer look at it but when I first saw it, I thought it was a Rhinobatos which was another one I had been actively looking for. I got excited, put in a gem jar and put it in the display but I will take a better look this week. There were some interesting non-shark fossils too that I will go through at some point and quite a bit of poo as well lol I consider this to have been a complete success. We added some new sharks to the display and succeeded in furthering the diversity of sharks we can talk about. I need to get some equipment for exploring micro fossils at home and I need to work on the handling of the fossils. I need to learn how to separate small fossils from bits of matrix and I can always stand to sharpen my ID skills but this is a pretty important development for us. With some recent family events and two college aged kids depending on me the fossil acquisitions will slow down considerably. I can not buy a lot going forward so this is a fantastic and inexpensive way to continue to explore fossils, particularly Mesozoic sharks. A little bit of money spent on some matrix will yield fossils we can use. I do not live in an area where there is much fossil hunting to be done so this is also a way to self collect some material which is really satisfying. It has also been a great thing to have during my fathers illness and death as it kept me busy and my mind sharp. I can see a new addiction forming and it is a good one to have. In addition to adding some more from both of the above formations, I am going to pick up some Atco stuff and Kamp Ranch matrix too in the near future. That will keep me busy and I am sure we can add some more interesting fossils. This micro newbie is going to work on becoming a micro not-so-newbie lol I will post some pictures in the comment section.

I have a few more micro shark teeth from the Mesaverde formation that I need ID help with. Up first is one of the coolest teeth I found in the micro mix. Roughly 2mm with some very cool looking cusplets. I originally thought it might be a Scyliorhinus tooth but I studied some teeth from other and I think I was wrong about cat shark. I thought maybe a tiny Protolamna but that is just a guess. I am actually pretty stumped. Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated.

I had some excellent luck with the micro fossils from the Mesaverde formation today. I came across a really beautiful tooth that I believe belonged to a Bamboo Shark. I think this tiny 1mm beauty is a Chiloscyllium tooth. I am not real sure what else this might be. It is attached to a tiny piece of matrix so I can not get pictures of the other side. The described species from the formation is Chiloscyllium missouriense and I found little on line about that particular species. This micro matrix comes from Colorado. The paper I have describes the Mesaverde in Wyoming. The am assuming the fauna is similar given it is the same formation. Any thoughts???

I am currently quite excited as I get to concentrate my collecting on Cretaceous era sharks. We are pretty solid on the Dino programs so the shark education programs are getting some attention. We want to bring more scientific depth and broader diversity of sharks to the programs. At the moment, this means a fun spin through the Cretaceous. This also does help the dinosaur programs too as we want to discuss the Western Interior Seaway in more depth. One of the things an expansion in the Cretaceous means is some fun with micro matrix and tiny shark teeth. I have done some work with STH micro mix over the years but Cretaceous micro shark fossils is a new area of interest. I picked up a little bit of matrix mix from the Mesaverde formation. I found a publication on the fauna of the formation and there is some fun potential in this mix. I am rooting for Rhinobatos and Chiloscyllium personally. I will also try this with some Devonian formation micro mix I saw out there too. I would love to hear about any other Cretaceous micro matrix that would be good to look for. Micro fossils are a great way for us to diversify without digging too deep into our pockets. This should be an especially effective way to expand on the rays, guitarfish, and sawfish that we can present too. If you have any suggestions as to good Cretaceous shark micro matrix or want to share any knowledge you have, please let us know !