My Reptile, Dinosaur, and Amber Shelves

[Mousehead]

Hello!  Long story short, my fossil collection perished in a house fire when I was a kid.  I realized a few years ago that I was a Real Adult™ who didn't have to ask for parental permission to buy stuff and could rebuild what I'd lost, so after acquiring my first piece of amber – a big fat spider in Dominican Amber – I was hooked.  Researching and buying fossils has been so fun and informative; I've been burned a few times with fakes, I've celebrated rarities, and I love having a little museum in my apartment.  This past weekend I did the Museum of Natural History Sleepover in NYC and had a blast talking to an expert in the dinosaur wing, something I couldn't have done without this forum and a total crush on fossil trading, learning along the way.

 

My current stash is focused mainly on claws, teeth, bones, plates, and anything encased in amber.  Here's my main collection, with detailed photos and labeled descriptions to follow.  Also, if anyone has further identification, feel free to chime in.  You're the experts.  Detailed pics and labels to come.

 

[snolly50]

44 minutes ago, Mousehead said:

main collection

A lovely assortment. I look forward to detailed images of some of those intriguing pieces.

[Mousehead]

01: Shrimp, Lebanon

02: Frog leg, Liaobatrachus beipiaoensis?

03: Bee, Plant, Fish / Wyoming

04: Carboniferous fern

05:  Hyphalosaurus Sinohydrosaurus

06: Apateon pedestris

07: Snake eggs, one hollow – Ophidienovum, in matrix

08: Trilobite, Crotalocephalus gibbus

09: Keichousaurus juvenile

10: Poop

11: Ammonite half

12: Snapping turtle/aligator claw, articulated - Florida

13: 2X Barasaurus in matrix

14: Starfish (or crinoid, any ideas?)

15: Complete frog (Liaobatrachus beipiaoensis)

16: Fish head (Mioplosus Labracoides)

17: Leaves (Leguminosites Lesquereuxiana)

18: Pinnixa Galliheri Pea Crab

19: Small therapod foot claw

20: Hadrosaur vertebra

21: Half-cut meteorite, 4.5byo

22: Prone trilobite (not sure what kind)

23: Triceratops frill spike

24: Carcharodontosaurus rooted tooth

25: Trilobite, Asaphus kowalewskii

26: Dinosaur claw, Struthiomimus (foot claw)

27: Mosasaur tooth

28: Spinosaurus tooth

29: Croc tooth

30: Enchodus tooth

31: Charcharodontosaurus tooth

32: Nanotyrannus tooth

33: Megalodon tooth (South Carolina)

34: Dinosaur claw, Anzu wyliei 

[msantix]

Amazing collection, and one to be proud of! i think most of your id's are correct and you have a great collection full of different and interesting types of fossils. Thanks for showing us!

[Mousehead]

 

More amber details for Jurassic Park fans:

 

36) Dunno! Small moth?, Chiapas (Mexican Amber)

37) Spider with nest and eggs, Dominican amber (see other picture)

38) Large Millipede, Burmese Amber

39) Horizontal Mushroom, Burmese Amber

40) Cricket or something with weird antennae, Baltic Amber, heavily oxidized
41) Bunch of botanicals, Dominican Amber

42) Bunch of other botanicals, Chiapas Amber

43) Crane Fly with botanicals, Chiapas Amber

44) Big Ant, Baltic Amber

45) Cricket and friends, Chiapas Amber, well polished, inclusion right in center view

 

One thing that always bothered me in the JP movie is that Dominican amber is only around 40m years old tops, so why weren't they digging in Burmese mines? John Hammond screwed up.

[caldigger]

47 minutes ago, Mousehead said:

One thing that always bothered me in the JP movie is that Dominican amber is only around 40m years old tops, so why weren't they digging in Burmese mines? John Hammond screwed up.

I think we're going to have to blame Michael Crichton for that little faux pas. 

 

Love your small lighted display cabinets for the amber by the way.  Did you make them?

[Huntonia]

Very lovely stuff!! 

I for one would love to see some close ups if you find the time or interst.

[dinosaur man]

Good job , amazing collection!!

[Praefectus]

Nice collection. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very nice collection indeed.

Thanks for sharing. 

[Dracorex_hogwartsia]

Fantastic looking collection! You have it displayed beautifully! You have a nice variety of fossils. I really like all of the amber pieces. I don't collect amber but you're making me think maybe I should.

[jpc]

what is the jaw to the right of the amber?

 

[Mahnmut]

Nice collection.

good idea labelling the photo.

Cool Barasaurus.

Cheers,

J

[Mousehead]

On 2/18/2020 at 12:28 AM, caldigger said:

I think we're going to have to blame Michael Crichton for that little faux pas. 

 

Love your small lighted display cabinets for the amber by the way.  Did you make them?

Yes, sort of!  These are 7-inch acrylic mineral boxes with 3" and 2" compartments.  Luckily I was able to find matching 7-inch LED strips to mount above, strung together through the shelf-top lighting and backed with reflective bristol board.  However I'm quickly running out of space, but aren't we all?

[Mousehead]

On 2/19/2020 at 10:37 PM, jpc said:

what is the jaw to the right of the amber?

 

That's a Mosasaurus jaw segment with an unusual rose tint.  The guy I bought it from didn't know why it was weird but I'd love to know.

[Ruger9a]

I am shocked at the size of some of your amber pieces, WOW!!  All I can seem to find (with insects) are so small I need a 15 or 20x to view them.  Last year I decided to print the enlarged photo for each piece I purchased so I could enjoy looking at it without the associated eye strain...:-)  Wonderful collection.