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January 2020 - Finds of the Month Entries


digit

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My entry for this month:

2 Cunningtoniceras inerme  ammonites ( 15cm diameter each )

Middle Cenomanian

Northern France

Found on Saturday 18 January 2020

 

as found:

Knipsel.PNG.3e710699e6340f6dcc9f0623a5f073da.PNG

 

prep:

IMG_9415.JPG.cc49a9d385d439bb5662295e7e9092cf.JPGIMG_9413.JPG.dfb6107aeafb0b70002378f460419176.JPG

 

End result:

IMG_9431.JPG.feb42f65563110afdda37cb78db24232.JPGIMG_9430.JPG.056f0414b42d3d76816f280cee8449ec.JPGIMG_9428.JPG.7aaaba290e4c3212eeed28dd85e1711b.JPG

 

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growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.

 

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@Manticocerasman Kevin, your finds continue to impress :drool:

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Date of Discovery: January 7, 2020

Name: Composita subtilita with naturally exposed brachidium

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~309 mya)

Geological Formation: Naco Formation

Location Found: Paleo Site near Kohls Ranch, Arizona, USA


Thank you to @Petalodus12 and @DPS Ammonite for helping ID the exposed brachidium. The brachidium is a spring-shaped structure that supports the lophophore, the feeding organ that uses water to carry food towards the animal’s mouth!
 

98D2A912-EB91-4DB3-9018-DF7FE5BB60B8.thumb.jpeg.686928a9863656af67ee996d6c17cc41.jpeg
 

97322B43-5305-4D90-A91A-8FF59BDFFF7E.thumb.jpeg.75711558ab8ca69b46d606b02b4e0d98.jpeg


FDBDBEFE-E112-410A-8CF6-BC6910FB47DA.thumb.jpeg.0c893736c50e075d6cfdbf3ef386e793.jpeg

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Here's something a bit novel to broaden the entries for the vertebrate category for this month. ;)

 

Date of Discovery: 2020-01-21

Name: Giant Manta (Mobula [Manta] birostris) vestigial tooth

Geological Age: Plio/Pleistocene?

Geological Formation: Tamiami Formation?

Location Found: "Cookiecutter Creek" Florida

 

For the last several years I have been picking through micro-matrix collected from the small waterway in Florida known for the presence of Cookiecutter Shark (Isistius triangulus) teeth. There are several additional novel taxa found in this locality that are so rare as to make Cookiecutter teeth seem relatively abundant. The material is collected from float material in the creek bed and so the formation is presently uncertain but the interesting chondrichthyan teeth fossils seem to originate from a phosphate rich clay layer below a shelly layer which may be either Caloosahatchee Formation (2.5-1.8 Ma) or possibly Fort Thompson (140-120 Ka). The exact age is uncertain at the moment but additional investigation may soon assign a more precise date to these fossils.

 

There are several unusual taxa that I've found in this little creek which are presently unknown in the Florida fossil record. The vestigial teeth of the Giant Manta (a filter feeding planktivore) are tiny cylindrical teeth with bulbous roots and enamel covering only the 'chisel'  tip of the tooth. This particular specimen is just under 2.5 mm in overall length and shows very unusual coloration for fossils from this locality. The dentine base of the tooth (including the nicely preserved tri-lobed bulbous root) is a very nice tan color while the enamel cap is distinctly black due to phosphatic staining during preservation.

 

This is an unusual tooth from a species that is not often seen in the fossil record (and is presently unrecorded from Florida). The really nice preservation and unusual coloration motivated me to submit this item for this month's gallery of finds.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

2020-01-21 19-21-17.jpg

 

2020-01-21 19-23-02.jpg

 

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@digit while not being the most impressive fossil to look at, hearing its 'value' makes it clear as to why this is an amazing find!

Congrats on finding this absolutely tiny jewel! :dinothumb:

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Sometimes good things come in small packages. This species is in league with the Basking Shark teeth found at Sharktooth Hill or the Whale Shark teeth sometimes found in Aurora, NC. They are tiny non-functional (vestigial) teeth that are no longer of any great use to the organisms which now feed by straining plankton from the water. I have also come across a few even tinier teeth from the Lesser Devil Ray (Mobula hypostoma) but it has been a few months since spotting a nice specimen from that species.

 

At less than 1/10" it would not be a "showy" specimen compared to a large megalodon tooth. In fact, it is difficult to even see or appreciate the detail without magnification. Still, it is quite the novelty. I likely have the most extensive Mobula fossil collection of anyone in Florida. :P

 

I enjoy my tiny treasures. Hoping some nice vertebrate entries show up in the next week to knock this out of the running for VFOTM. I felt compelled to enter this little tooth as this contest is always a great gallery of what our members find (or prep) each month and I love the diversity of the finds (and localities). This is a novelty that I thought our members would enjoy seeing.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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On 1/22/2020 at 11:09 PM, gieserguy said:

Date of Discovery: January 7, 2020

Name: Composita subtilita with naturally exposed brachidium

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~309 mya)

Geological Formation: Naco Formation

Location Found: Paleo Site near Kohls Ranch, Arizona, USA


Thank you to @Petalodus12 and @DPS Ammonite for helping ID the exposed brachidium. The brachidium is a spring-shaped structure that supports the lophophore, the feeding organ that uses water to carry food towards the animal’s mouth!

WOW! :envy:

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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Date of Discovery: January 20, 2020 (concretion collected on August 7th, 2019)

Name: Belotelson magister 

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~307 mya)

Geological Formation: Francis Shale

Location Found: Mazonia South (Pit 11), Illinois, USA

 

Just opened up on Monday morning.  If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!  This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

Shrimp-2.thumb.jpg.dee883a0e26e88f43798d12f003d6edd.jpg

5e2a7abff0bba_Shrimpleft-2.thumb.jpg.57e4eaf4a27a0d48522d345488f0e80f.jpg

5e2a7ac09fabf_Shrimpright-2.thumb.jpg.9ed142f4eae1b88229f7b9aa57df320d.jpg

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35 minutes ago, flipper559 said:

@stats  Congrats Rich ! ! ! That is beautiful !!! Such fine detail !

 

 Phil

Thanks Phil!

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

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10 hours ago, stats said:

Date of Discovery: January 20, 2020 (concretion collected on August 7th, 2019)

Name: Belotelson magister 

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~307 mya)

Geological Formation: Francis Shale

Location Found: Mazonia South (Pit 11), Illinois, USA

 

Just opened up on Monday morning.  If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!  This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

 

Cheers,

Rich

Shrimp-2.thumb.jpg.dee883a0e26e88f43798d12f003d6edd.jpg  5e2a7abff0bba_Shrimpleft-2.thumb.jpg.57e4eaf4a27a0d48522d345488f0e80f.jpg  5e2a7ac09fabf_Shrimpright-2.thumb.jpg.9ed142f4eae1b88229f7b9aa57df320d.jpg

Wow!

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8 hours ago, stats said:

If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!  This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

Yup. Heard you loud and clear around noon (my time). :P

 

How come I never find concretions like that? Wonderful preservation and so different from the usual 'blobs'.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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10 hours ago, stats said:

Date of Discovery: January 20, 2020 (concretion collected on August 7th, 2019)

Name: Belotelson magister 

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~307 mya)

Geological Formation: Francis Shale

Location Found: Mazonia South (Pit 11), Illinois, USA

 

Just opened up on Monday morning.  If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!  This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

Shrimp-2.thumb.jpg.dee883a0e26e88f43798d12f003d6edd.jpg  5e2a7abff0bba_Shrimpleft-2.thumb.jpg.57e4eaf4a27a0d48522d345488f0e80f.jpg  5e2a7ac09fabf_Shrimpright-2.thumb.jpg.9ed142f4eae1b88229f7b9aa57df320d.jpg

Congratulations!

I think this is the nicest molt that I have ever seen.

Wonderful preservation 

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Dang!!

 

On 22.1.2020 at 11:09 PM, gieserguy said:

exposed brachidium

I would have clearly voted for the brach with the brach... :drool:

 

10 hours ago, stats said:

This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

But then it became complicated with this shrimp!! What a wonderfull specimen!:default_faint:Congrats!

 

10 hours ago, stats said:

If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!

Ok, that was you at this afternoon... :D:D

Franz Bernhard

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On 1/23/2020 at 5:57 PM, digit said:

Sometimes good things come in small packages. This species is in league with the Basking Shark teeth found at Sharktooth Hill or the Whale Shark teeth sometimes found in Aurora, NC. They are tiny non-functional (vestigial) teeth that are no longer of any great use to the organisms which now feed by straining plankton from the water. I have also come across a few even tinier teeth from the Lesser Devil Ray (Mobula hypostoma) but it has been a few months since spotting a nice specimen from that species.

 

At less than 1/10" it would not be a "showy" specimen compared to a large megalodon tooth. In fact, it is difficult to even see or appreciate the detail without magnification. Still, it is quite the novelty. I likely have the most extensive Mobula fossil collection of anyone in Florida. :P

 

I enjoy my tiny treasures. Hoping some nice vertebrate entries show up in the next week to knock this out of the running for VFOTM. I felt compelled to enter this little tooth as this contest is always a great gallery of what our members find (or prep) each month and I love the diversity of the finds (and localities). This is a novelty that I thought our members would enjoy seeing.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

I definitely understand and relate to what you just said! in fact, the most important fossils are often not very impressive to look at. Being a shell-dude, I can definitely confirm you're correct. Some of my rarest fossil shells in my collection are very unimpressive, even when compared to other fossil shells. The famous quote for books applies to fossils too: don't judge a fossil by its appearance!

 

Sorry if I made it appear that I was unimpressed by your find, it's the other way around. My previous comment was made to say just the opposite (mainly as a reminder to others browsing the thread) that an amazing fossil find isn't always very good at showing its 'amazingness' (so essentially what you just said in much better words) :) 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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2 hours ago, FranzBernhard said:

Dang!!

 

I would have clearly voted for the brach with the brach... :drool:

 

But then it became complicated with this shrimp!! What a wonderfull specimen!:default_faint:Congrats!

 

Ok, that was you at this afternoon... :D:D

Franz Bernhard

I’m in the same boat, there’s no way I can vote for my own now haha!

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55 minutes ago, Max-fossils said:

Sorry if I made it appear that I was unimpressed by your find, it's the other way around. My previous comment was made to say just the opposite (mainly as a reminder to others browsing the thread) that an amazing fossil find isn't always very good at showing its 'amazingness' (so essentially what you just said in much better words) :) 

Not a problem. It is the kind of fossil that lacks the geometric beauty of an ammonite, the detail of a Green River fish, the bulk of a megalodon tooth, and the awe of a mounted dinosaur specimen. If it were in a museum display (even under magnification) few would stop long enough to read the accompanying text description. I enjoy finding showy fossils as much as the next collector but for the research I'm doing into Florida's micro-chondrichthyan fauna, pretty (but minuscule) specimens like this make my day.

 

While I don't often succeed in "much better words", I never fail in my efforts to provide "much MORE words". :P

 

Still about a week left to round out this month's entries. Let's see what ya got.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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20 hours ago, stats said:

Date of Discovery: January 20, 2020 (concretion collected on August 7th, 2019)

Name: Belotelson magister 

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~307 mya)

Geological Formation: Francis Shale

Location Found: Mazonia South (Pit 11), Illinois, USA

 

Just opened up on Monday morning.  If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!  This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

Shrimp-2.thumb.jpg.dee883a0e26e88f43798d12f003d6edd.jpg

5e2a7abff0bba_Shrimpleft-2.thumb.jpg.57e4eaf4a27a0d48522d345488f0e80f.jpg

5e2a7ac09fabf_Shrimpright-2.thumb.jpg.9ed142f4eae1b88229f7b9aa57df320d.jpg

That’s one of the best shrimps I’ve seen. Awesome find.

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11 hours ago, flipper559 said:

@stats  Congrats Rich ! ! ! That is beautiful !!! Such fine detail !

 

 Phil

 

10 hours ago, JarrodB said:

Wow!

 

9 hours ago, digit said:

Yup. Heard you loud and clear around noon (my time). :P

 

How come I never find concretions like that? Wonderful preservation and so different from the usual 'blobs'.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

8 hours ago, RCFossils said:

Congratulations!

I think this is the nicest molt that I have ever seen.

Wonderful preservation 

 

8 hours ago, FranzBernhard said:

Dang!!

 

I would have clearly voted for the brach with the brach... :drool:

 

But then it became complicated with this shrimp!! What a wonderfull specimen!:default_faint:Congrats!

 

Ok, that was you at this afternoon... :D:D

Franz Bernhard

 

2 hours ago, connorp said:

That’s one of the best shrimps I’ve seen. Awesome find.

Thanks for the kind words, guys!  Pretty excited about it.  My best finds are from the River or Fossil Rock. It is fun to get something nice from Pit 11.

 

@RCFossils did you know it was a molt from the tail being sideways?

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

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This month's fossils are amazing!

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt

 

-Mark Twain

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VFOTM

 

Rauisuchian indet
Rooted Mosasaur Tooth
Bison priscus vertebrae
Unknown bird skeleton
Giant Manta vestigial tooth

 

IFOTM

 

Acropora sp
Echinoid - Texaster sp
Crinoid and Blastoid assemblage
2 Cunningtoniceras Inerme Ammonites
Belotelson magister 
Composita subtilita (with naturally exposed brachidium)

 

Current list, I think. Nice spread if you ask me.

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A really nice diversity of some enviable finds. Still a few more days to add to this month's contest. Let's see what you've got. ;)

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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On 1/24/2020 at 12:04 AM, stats said:

Date of Discovery: January 20, 2020 (concretion collected on August 7th, 2019)

Name: Belotelson magister 

Geological Age: Middle Pennsylvanian (~307 mya)

Geological Formation: Francis Shale

Location Found: Mazonia South (Pit 11), Illinois, USA

 

Just opened up on Monday morning.  If you were listening around 11 AM, you might have heard me yell!  This is the best shrimp I've ever found!

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

Shrimp-2.thumb.jpg.dee883a0e26e88f43798d12f003d6edd.jpg

5e2a7abff0bba_Shrimpleft-2.thumb.jpg.57e4eaf4a27a0d48522d345488f0e80f.jpg

5e2a7ac09fabf_Shrimpright-2.thumb.jpg.9ed142f4eae1b88229f7b9aa57df320d.jpg

 

That's no Shrimp, That's a facehugger!

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-Dave

__________________________________________________

Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPhee

If I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPhee

Check out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/

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