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February 2020 - Finds of the Month Entries


digit

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REMINDER: PLEASE carefully read ALL of the rules below.

Make sure you include all the required information, IN THE REQUESTED FORMAT (below) when you submit your fossil! 

If you have a question about a possible entry, please send me a PM.


Please pay special attention to Rule #5: 

Before and After Preparation Photos must be submitted for prepped specimens NOT  found during the Month of the Contest.

In addition to keeping the contest fair, this new qualification will encourage better documentation of our spectacular past finds.


Entries will be taken until 11:59:00 PM EDT on FEBRUARY 29, 2020

Any fossil submitted after that time, even if the topic is still open, will be deemed ineligible! 

 

Only entries posted with CLEAR photos and that meet the other guidelines will be placed into the Poll. 

Photos of the winning specimens may be posted to TFF's Facebook page.

 

Please let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for sharing more of your fossils and research this month.

 

Shortly after the end of the Month, separate Polls will be created for the Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month.

 

In addition to the fun of a contest, we also want to learn more about the fossils. 

Tell us more about your fossil, and why you think it is worthy of the honor. 


To view the Winning Fossils from past contests visit the Find Of The Month Winner's Gallery.

 

Now, go find your fossil, do your research, and make an entry!
Best of success to all, and good hunting!

 

***********************************


Rules for The Fossil Forum's Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month Contests

  1. Find a great Vertebrate Fossil or Invertebrate/Plant Fossil! Only fossils found personally by you are allowed. NO PURCHASED FOSSILS.
  2. Post your entry in the Find of the Month topic. Use a separate post for each entry. (Only two entries per member per contest category.)
  3. Your fossil must have been found during the Month of the Contest, or Significant Preparation * of your fossil must have been completed during the Month of the Contest.
  4. You must include the Date of Discovery (when found in the contest month); or the Date of Preparation Completion and Date of Discovery (if not found in the contest month).
  5. Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. Please make sure you arrange for photos if someone else is preparing your fossil find and completes the prep requirements in the contest month.
  6. You must include the Common and/or Scientific Name.
  7. You must include the Geologic Age or Geologic Formation where the fossil was found.
  8. You must include the State, Province, or region where the fossil was found.
  9. You must include CLEAR, cropped, well-lit images (maximum 4 images). If you are proud enough of your fossil to submit it for FOTM, spend some time to take good photos to show off your fossil.
  10. Play fair and honest. No bought fossils. No false claims.

 

* Significant Preparation = Substantial work to reveal and/or repair important diagnostic features, resulting in a dramatic change in the look of the fossil. The qualification of Significant Preparation is decided at the discretion of staff. Any doubts as to the eligibility of the entry will be discussed directly with the entrant.

 

******* Please use the following format for the required information: *******

Date of Discovery   (month, day , year) 

Scientific and/or Common Name

Geologic Age or Geologic Formation

State, Province, or Region Found

Photos of Find

 

 

(Please limit to 4 clear, cropped, and well-lit images.)

(If prepped, before and after photos are required, please.)

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  • digit changed the title to February 2020 - Finds of the Month Entries
  • 2 weeks later...

Oh wow... Metopaster's one of my favourite starfish and you just found an excellent one :) 

Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy!

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

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4 hours ago, caterpillar said:

Thanks. The only one I've found in this outcrop for 20 years!

They're also pretty rare in the Danish chalk sites I prospect... I mean all those ossicles tend to fall apart very soon after the starfish dies..

Edited by The Amateur Paleontologist
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Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy!

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

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Submitted for Invertebrate/Plant category

Very proud of this find!

 

02/17/2020

Pecopteris

Upper Carboniferous

Betteshanger

In situ:

DDF314B4-30BC-4800-9C7D-84E34870CAE2.thumb.jpeg.6f66ed4167e73c0ca337214159961d74.jpeg

 

A19CF07F-A6F6-4076-B802-12A7C7E8641B.thumb.jpeg.3e55b45d573750c16b4d14564bc22dc0.jpeg

 

57E5FDDF-960E-4286-950C-B29B639C2090.thumb.jpeg.71e75852e2e752df4c02e444cc2e6e5d.jpeg

 

 

 

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Category:  Inverterbrate/Plant

 

 

==========================================

 

In New Mexico land first emerged at the end of the Mississippian. At the very boundary of the Mississippian – Pennsylvanian one may rarely find locations bearing very thin shale beds containing the first land plants known to this area.

 

In the lowest of the Pennsylvanian, here known as the Gobbler Formation, shale bearing plant fossils found are iron rich, intensely colored and well-defined. Most numerous are Cordaite leaves and Neuropteris ferns. Very rarely one might find a horsetail fragment. Above these very thin shale beds quickly form thick sandstone layers rich with Lycopsids and large horsetails.

 

At one very specific locale, fragments of these shale bearing plant formations pour over thick Encrinite beds making an incredible contrast between land and marine life. At this boundary of ocean and land, in the very lowest shale layer, this Pinnularia was recently found.

 

I believe a plant root is a very atypical specimen for nomination in the Invertebrate/Plant category. This one displays with a pleasing combination; high detail preservation for a root system approximately 320 million years old, has intense coloration and presents with an excellent root, lateral root and rootlet system. 

 

===============================================

 

Date of Discovery: February 15, 2020

Name: Pinnularia

Location: Sacramento Mountains

Geologic Age: Lower Pennsylvanian, Gobbler Formation

State: New Mexico, USA


 

Larger piece of a split pair showing the root, lateral root and rootlet system.

 

5e4da8bd0e552_PinnulariaColumnarisArtisRoot.thumb.jpg.961095b857f5aa13be264ebcacaefdee.jpg

 

 

Juncture of rightmost lateral root with main root

 

5e4da8caaef10_LateralRoot(1).thumb.jpg.2b4b6e44ad178e1a9678cca5e6dc55d2.jpg

 

 

Juncture of main root and lateral roots. Leftmost lateral root with rootlets.

 

5e4da8d3695ba_LateralRoot(2).thumb.jpg.1cf7b6dfd73c3ee914c715230e618b77.jpg

 

 

Macro zoom into rootlets. 

 

Rootlets.thumb.jpg.12ded49633a70823dca5d3c8e34c37f5.jpg

 

 

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02/01/2020
Lovenia Woodsii cluster
Upper Miocene to lower Pilocene (4.5-6.5 million years ago) 
Beaumaris Sandstone Formation. Victoria, Australia.
H: 5.5 cm L: 17.5 cm W: 10 cm  20200220_205233.thumb.jpg.244e81014ea7cb08c11674200bccb729.jpgTop
 
20200220_205323.thumb.jpg.b4b2f3809f89c36bc5455a0acea8d9b7.jpgBottom - as you can see there are many specimens residing within the matrix. I particularly like the one at the bottom right of the image which has been crushed into pieces.
 
20200220_205306.jpg.1f87b6d2566c29bcd20ede822df79657.jpgSide 1
 
20200220_205248.jpg.5000fa1f4444d7d00e8f9d7e46a5e2b4.jpg
Side 2
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Very nice! I fondly remember my visit to Beaumaris a few years back to hunt for these tiny treasures individually. Interesting to see them in matrix.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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Here is another Pennsylvanian addition to the Plant/Invertebrate category- in fact, it includes both! This piece with a Crenulopteris fern frond also preserves a number of valves of the branchiopod crustacean Leaia, indicated by the circles. I have collected a lot of the shale compression flora in this area and this is only the second example I've found with any fauna preserved as well. 

 

Date of discovery: 2/16/20

Name: Crenulopteris acadica fern and Leaia tricarinata branchiopods

Age: Energy Shale, Carbondale Formation, Pennsylvanian

Location: Vermilion County, Illinois

 

5e4edd796f8d5_2020-02-1920_52_35.thumb.jpg.907e545388a2d6efee510756be06bafa.jpg

5e4edd83b5aaf_2020-02-1920_56_48.thumb.jpg.2ad4d2c73aed20fa93b80bcf13250830.jpg

5e4eddd95990a_2020-02-1921_03.27-1.jpg.0d1d1dd395d3c507eb6d54da50f51be9.jpg

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9 hours ago, DawnOfADream said:
01/02/2019
Lovenia Woodsii cluster
Upper Miocene to lower Pilocene (4.5-6.5 million years ago) 
Beaumaris Sandstone Formation. Victoria, Australia.

 

Was this found this month? 

It looks like it was found last year. 

That would make it ineligible for this months contest.  :unsure: 

  • I found this Informative 1

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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59 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

 

Was this found this month? 

It looks like it was found last year. 

That would make it ineligible for this months contest.  :unsure: 

@Fossildude19

I'm so sorry it was found this year! I still haven't gotten used to writing 2020 yet :heartylaugh:

I'll edit my previous post!

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7 hours ago, digit said:

Very nice! I fondly remember my visit to Beaumaris a few years back to hunt for these tiny treasures individually. Interesting to see them in matrix.

Cheers.

-Ken

@digit

It's a wonderful spot! Truly amazing how many fossilized treasures you can find over there. It's like a place lost to time, I love it!

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17 minutes ago, DawnOfADream said:

@Fossildude19

I'm so sorry it was found this year! I still haven't gotten used to writing 2020 yet :heartylaugh:

I'll edit my previous post!

;) 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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8 minutes ago, KingSepron said:

It’s plant month this time apparently!

Plants and echinoderms ;) 

Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy!

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

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It seems kind of slow on VFOTM this month so I'll toss in an entry. 

 

VFOTM

Tylosaurus Proriger jaw section with replacement tooth.

Found on 2/6/20.

North Sulphur River Texas.

Upper Cretaceous.

Ozan Formation.

Jaw 3.jpg

Jaw 2.jpg

Jaw 1.jpg

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VFOTM entry

Diprotodontid pelvis, likely Zygomaturus trilobus.

06/27/2019, prep completed 02/02/2020.

Queensland, Australia 

Pleistocene 

 

As found:

 

8D5482D1-4B57-4B88-88AB-85A6F242BB13.jpeg

 

Prep completed in February was the upper exposed side.

 

So went from this:

D5FE56DA-22B1-43DC-A1C5-A2D99490FC2F.jpeg

 

to this

 

8669F9AA-60BE-4DC5-991E-4CCE9A96D6AF.png

 

to finally this when completed.

 

ZeIRG2y_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&f

 

CQXElQv_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&f

 

Qhlk436_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&f

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"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe" - Saint Augustine

"Those who can not see past their own nose deserve our pity more than anything else."

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There were kangaroo elements also in the jacket, these include a partial sacrum, a vertebra or 2, some finger/toe bones, some small limb elements and a partial lower jaw, but nothing else from this critter above.

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"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe" - Saint Augustine

"Those who can not see past their own nose deserve our pity more than anything else."

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7 minutes ago, Ash said:

There were kangaroo elements also in the jacket, these include a partial sacrum, a vertebra or 2, some finger/toe bones, some small limb elements and a partial lower jaw, but nothing else from this critter above.

How long did it take to prep this one?

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Ash said:

There were kangaroo elements also in the jacket, these include a partial sacrum, a vertebra or 2, some finger/toe bones, some small limb elements and a partial lower jaw, but nothing else from this critter above.

Interesting! Thanks for the extra info.

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14 minutes ago, Kane said:

How long did it take to prep this one?

 

It was our biggest prep so far. I’d say it ran around the 100ish hour mark? We were slow and steady due to knowing how fractured the bone is. But that’s total hours for 2 people, including dig time. So divide by 2 for individual hours and it’s not as bad

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe" - Saint Augustine

"Those who can not see past their own nose deserve our pity more than anything else."

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Why not diversify with a big scaphopod?:)

02/25/20

Well preserved large scaphopod shell (Laevidentalium sp.) with apical flap and traces of original coloration (stripes). Over 5 cm length

Upper Oxfordian, Amoeboceras Serratum zone

Bronnitsy, Moscow Oblast, Russia

5 mm square

IMG_20200226_135731.jpg

IMG_20200228_101655.jpg

IMG_20200228_113302.jpg

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