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Showing results for tags 'terlingua'.
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Since 1979 I have been going out to Big Bend National Park (and surrounding areas) in the Spring (for Spring Break during school and then whenever I could manage to get away. didn't make it every year, but almost!) so when March rolls around I get itchy to get out there. It's been a few years since I have been able to go - life gets in the way! But this year it was my 50th birthday March 1st, so instead of the original trip to Disney World (thanks stupid Covid) I got to go spend a week in another of my most favorite places! Of course that meant I got to do a little fossil hunting too! I had never done much fossil hunting out in the Terlingua area so I contacted a friend who hooked me up with another friend who was going to take us to some fossil spots. Sadly, he ghosted me and I didn't end up having a guide. So I tried to find some likely spots (geo maps and such) but didn't really find much of anything except one lovely Ram's Horn oyster (Illymatogyra arietina) and a lot of Inoceramus clams. I found the local Rock Shop (Many Rocks) and dropped some "hints' that I was looking for fossil spots, but no luck! But he did sell me a lovely glom of broken ammonites with irridescent nacre (doesn't show up in the pic, sadly) for a whopping $5! I asked if they were found locally and he said yes, so I will believe him. hahaah! In the "Gift Shop" of the Easter Egg Valley where we stayed: My one "good find" in Terlingua: Illymatogyra arietina A clump of irridescent ammonite chunks Big Bend Park was amazing as always. It felt so good to be back out there. Being the first week of March, there were relatively few people which was great. Of course we stopped by the new Dinosaur Exhibit and it is truly amazing. My father is a Geographer and developed a Nature and Heritage Tourism minor at Texas State University and is a consultant for local, national and international groups about interpretive geography and he said it was one of the best examples he's seen. I hadn't stopped by the dino exhibit since the late 80s - when it was practically a shed with a glass case of fossils - to see this amazing new structure with interactive exhibits and beautifully done (albeit replicas) displays of the creatures found out there was a surprise. If you squint and use your imagination, you can see the T-Rex I found in Tuff Canyon..... The New Dino Exhibit (opened a few years ago) We stayed the last night in Marathon - a funky little town which has both changed a lot over the years (more tourism, bars etc) but also stayed the same...... funky desert town where anything goes.... But fortunately, I knew of a good fossil spot there so at least I got some REAL fossil hunting done! A little outcrop of Pennsylvanian Era yielded some good stuff! Two Corals that I have been hoping to find and a couple of other nice things. Not sure if this is a Gastropod or a Goniatite. 1 1/2 inch My next favorite find - I think it is a clump of Zaphrentis coral Size 1 1/2 inch I've been looking for one of these at a variety of Pennsylvanian spots....my mom found it in Marathon! Palaeacis sp. Size 1 1/4 inch Another nice rugose coral Size 1 inch a Stratiapora coral Size 2 inches and finally, I'm not sure what this is....if anyone knows, I'd appreciate an ID! 1 inch top bottom Some Critters Cottontails who live in Easter Egg Valley...appropriate. A Raven A Coyote having lunch A Roadrunner asking for some lunch and some random shots
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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.
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- ammonites
- belemnitella
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Need some help from the micro fossil experts. I am going through some mud samples from Terkingua TX and found this item. Appx 1/16" long and ribbed. Doesn't look like wood so was thinking something along the lines of a dental plate. I was told it was part of the Aguja formation but am not sure so am trying to pinpoint the actual formation on this map. How far off base am I?
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- aguja
- dental plate
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