Fossil Contributions to Paleontology - The Gallery

[mikeymig]

Brachiopod - Eosyringothyris species

Windom shale member, Moscow formation, Hamilton Group

Livingston County, New York

Illinois State University

The braciopod will be a part of a study of the Spinocyrtiidae that needs to be reworked.

Note - In all my years of collecting this is the only specimen I have ever found and was an important piece in my collection.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/47457-large-unknown-spirifer/

[Doctor Mud]

Penguin Humerus, possibly Palaeeudyptes spp.
Otekaike Limestone, Oligocene (~ 26 mya)
South Island, New Zealand
Donated to the University of Otago.

New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to find penguin remains, with one of the best Tertiary marine sequences. Every identifiable bone is a valuable contribution to research on penguin evolution.

I found this bone while fossicking in a quarry for shark remains, but I also "rescue" any vertebrate remains that are due to go through the lime processing unit before they get destroyed.

Here's a link to the original post: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/43184-january-2014-finds-of-the-month/?p=471470

Edited February 14, 2015 by Doctor Mud

[Doctor Mud]

Odontocete (toothed cetacean "dolphin") - As yet unidentified but superficially resembles Waipatia sp. http://www.otago.ac.nz/geology/research/paleontology/waipatia-maerewhenua.html

Otekaike Limestone - Oligocene (~ 26 mya)

South Island, New Zealand

Donated to the University of Otago

Every specimen contributes to the story of cetacean evolution. I first noticed an earbone (periotic) which is one of the most diagnostic elements in a cetacean skull. I contacted Ewan Fordyce, who (as luck would have it) could drive up to the site the next day. Unfortunately the remains were skimmed by the ripper during the mining process, but it turns out that there are the remains of at least 3 different individuals!! This includes skull elements (teeth, earbones) and post-cranial elements (vertebrae etc.).

I'll post updates as prep. progresses.

Here's an image of some of the teeth. Note that this is an early stage of dolphin/porpoise evolution where the teeth are differentiated.

Link to the original post: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/49685-last-minute-discovery-of-whale-skull-in-new-zealand/?p=534476

Edited February 14, 2015 by Doctor Mud

[Doctor Mud]

Assorted vertebrate remains - bones from unidentified penguins and fish

Otekaike Limestone

Oligocene (~ 26 mya)

South Island, New Zealand

Donated to the University of Otago

This is a collection of bones rescued from the lime mining process. This process giveth and taketh away. remains are exposed by also destroyed or damaged. These fragments pop up on the surface in the lime quarry in the pile waiting for the shaker or in the processed piles.

Most of these are penguin bones, but also includes a possible vertebral element from a Billfish. All penguin bones contribute to the picture of penguin evolution during the Tertiary.

1, 3, and 4 are penguin coracoids

2 is a possible vertebral element from a Billfish

The other fragments appear to be penguin, and include the shaft of a femur.

[Doctor Mud]

My last item to catch up on. It's been a very interesting two years with lots of great finds and nice memories from wandering around in New Zealand's great outdoors!

Dolphin skull - Unidentified

Greta Valley Siltstone - Miocene (~ 8 mya)

South Island, New Zealand

Now in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand

This is one of a handful of fossil dolphin specimens from these deposits. This site is well known for its fossil crabs (Tumidocarcinus giganteus), but the remains of vertebrates (penguins, seals and whales) are much rarer. The Canterbury Museum is building up a collection of the vertebrate assemblage from this site and the preservation is normally excellent. This concretion will be CT scanned to determine the next course of action.

I've seen a CT scan of a penguin skull fossil from here and the images are amazing!

I keep you posted on progress.

Link to original post: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/52062-bones-in-concretion/?p=559409

[PFOOLEY]

Necrocarcinus vanstraeleni

Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Carlile Mbr. of the Mancos Shale

Sandoval Co., NM U.S.A.

 

Donated (February 24th, 2015) to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science to be studied.

 

 

In regard to the only other documented specimen, a quote from the article:

 

A FOSSIL CRAB FROM THE MANCOS SHALE (UPPER CRETACEOUS) OF NEW MEXICO

 

"...Assignment of the New Mexico specimen to Necrocarcinus vanstraeleni extends significantly the known variability of this species but should be regarded as tentative, pending the discovery of additional specimens. It is possible that the New Mexico specimen will be found to be a distinct species closely related to N. vanstraeleni..."

 

-BARRY S. KUES

Department of Geology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131

[BigGuy]

Eucalyptocrinites Crassus Crinoid

Waldron shale - Silurian Age

Giles county, Tennessee

The specimen is free of the matrix and the hold fast is attached to a brachiopod.

University of North Alabama for study and educational purposes.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/53012-donated-eucalyptocrinites-to-the-university-of-alabama/

[Chamfer]

Undescribed insect wing

Pennsylvanian

Shelby County, Alabama

The Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama

Reason for contribution: Previously unknown species in Alabama, possibly new species.

Item labeled D in this image:

Additional image:

Counterpart:

Original discussion thread:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/53737-talk-me-down/

[Fred]

Acastava? lerougei

Early Devonian, Emsian, Hierges formation

Region of Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium

Natural History Museum of Maastricht, The Netherlands

Holotype: NHMM 2011006A; Paratypes: NHMM 2011006B-D

Reason for contribution: this was a formerly undescribed species.

Described in VAN VIERSEN, A.P., 2013:04:26. Latest Early to early Middle Devonian acastid trilobites from the eastern part of the Dinant Synclinorium, Belgium (Rhenohercynian Zone). Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists 44, 1-10.

Allart van Viersen is a citizen scientist himself, who's doing an excellent job in collaborating with a considerable number of amateur collectors.

Link to original post: A new Belgian trilobite

[caldigger]

Phaleosacommys (pocket gopher)

Mid Miocene (approx. 15myo)

Round Mountain Silt Formation, Bakersfield Ca.

University of Oregon- Eugene. Museum of Natural and Cultural History

Found October 10th, 2014 at the Ernst Quarries (Shark Tooth Hill area)

Hidden inside a matrix clump

Donated November of 2014 for further study and research.

Edited April 24, 2015 by caldigger

[Shellseeker]

Jaguar (Panthera Onca) Calcaneum

--Geologic Formation or Geologic Age. Hawthorn Group, Peace River Formation, Pleistocene

--Region the fossil was found: Peace River, Wauchula, Florida, USA. Predator calcaneum was found on November 26th, 2013 below 3 feet of medium gravel 15 feet off west bank at coordinates + 27.35.08.07 N; - 81.480680 E

Donated to Research Laboratory, University of Florida Museum of Natural History for use in comparative feline fossil Identification.

I have made some comparisons today, and can now confidently state that it is neither bear nor Smilodon, and that it came from one of the roaring cats, genus Panthera. It is either a relatively very large jaguar (Panthera onca) or a small lion (Panthera atrox).

...As its size overlaps those of large jaguars, and is smaller than the smallest known American lion, then I think it is a jaguar. Sorry that is not the result we were hoping for. It is still a useful specimen for my research on Peace River fossils, because of its large size and precise locality information, but not as critical as if it were the lion or Smilodon.

Richard Hulbert, Director UFMNH Vertebrae Research Lab

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/42376-calcaneum-crab-claw/

Edited April 28, 2015 by Shellseeker

[Shellseeker]

Llama-Camel (Palaeolama Mirifica) Mandible with m3 molar.

--Geologic Formation or Geologic Age. Hawthorn Group, Peace River Formation, Pleistocene

--Region the fossil was found: Peace River, Wauchula, Florida, USA. Jaw with tooth was found on August 26th, 2014 below 3 feet of medium gravel in center of the river 1/4 mile south of Heard Bridge.

Donated to Research Laboratory, University of Florida Museum of Natural History for use in ongoing studies of Peace River mammal fossils.

This specimen falls in the range of having some scientific value but only a moderate amount. We have many such specimens (or even more complete) in our collection, but not that many from the Peace River. So it would be nice to have in the museum collection for my on-going work describing the fossil species found in the Peace River and its tributaries. Specimens with third molars are also perfect to use in studies of diet of these animals. One can take a small sample of the tooth enamel (barely visible unless you look for it) and analyze it to compare the relative amounts of the two stable isotopes of carbon (carbon-12 and carbon-13). This can determine the amount of grass in the animal’s diet compared to leaves from other plants. If donated, it is likely your specimen would be used in such a study.

Richard Hulbert, Director UFMNH Vertebrae Research Lab

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/49117-deer-or-llama-jaw-tooth/

[Carl]

cf. Imagotaria tooth (stem walrus)

Pliocene Purisima Fm. (~7MA) Santa Cruz, CA

14 February 2015

Donated to American Museum of Natural History

[Carl]

Dusignathus santacruzensis anterior premolar

14 February 2015

Pliocene Purisima Fm. (~7MA) Santa Cruz, CA

Donated to the American Museum of Natural History

[Carl]

Thalassoleon macnallyae probably an upper m1 (possibly lower)

15 February 2015

Pliocene Purisima Fm. (~7MA) Santa Cruz, CA

Donated to the American Museum of Natural History

[Carl]

Thalassoleon macnallyae calcaneum

15 February 2015

Pliocene Purisima Fm. (~7MA) Santa Cruz, CA

Donated to American Museum of Natural History

[Carl]

Acrodus anningiae tooth

Early Jurassic Lias Group

Beach at Stonebarrow, east of Charmouth, Dorset, UK

31 January 2014

Donated to American Museum of Natural History

[Carl]

Rhabdoderma elegans with yolk sac

Pennsylvanian Francis Creek Shale

Pit 11: Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish & Wildlife Area near Braidwood, IL., northeast of Monster Lake parking lot

18 March 2007

Donated to American Museum of Natural History

[Carl]

Brittle stars

Upper Devonian West Falls Fm.

“Rock Star Ramp,” Route 17, Exit 77 off ramp roadcut, West Windsor, NY

6 September 2004

Donated to New York State Museum

[Dave pom Allen]

heres a link to one of the many fossils that i have donated over the years. all from Taranaki, New Zealand, Tangahoe, formation, Pliocene age

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/1059746

also this seabird that is at TePapa and is in the process of being named after me

 

 

UPDATE: Here's the paper of this fossil named after me  - Ardenna davealleni if anybody is interested

A new species of Pliocene shearwater(Aves: Procellariidae) from New Zealand

Ardenna davealleni Tennyson & Mannering, 2018.pdf

 

[Wrangellian]

While at the Royal BC Museum the other day I donated a few more things from Mt Tzuhalem (Upper Santonian Haslam Fm.), Vancouver Island.

No names yet on the 3 kinds of bivalve and one gastropod except for my tentative designation of 'Type 1', 'T.2', etc. Only generic names that I know of on the Gaudryceras and Damesites.

[PetrolPete]

A large number of concretions containing vertebrate material of fish and chondrichthyans including Edestus, Stethacanthus and Listracanthus.

Excello Shale (Middle Pennsylvanian)

Rodgers County, OK

Sam Noble Oklahoma Natural History Museum

I donated a lot of this material because little was known about the formation in that area. Originally it was only known had two vertebrates associated with it, but now the list has grown quite a bit. I originally posted the donation here: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/40678-fossil-donation/.

Bill May, my contact at the museum has since published a paper in the Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science Vol. 118 no. 1-2 titled "Chondrichthyans of the Excello Shale (Middle Pennsylvanian) of Rodgers County, OK which features some of the material I donated. The paper also thanks Mike (Mick69) for finding the site.

I don't have pictures of most of my donations, but here is the Stethacanthus spine complex support bone that was part of it

[FossilDAWG]

Back many years ago, when I lived in Ottawa (in Ontario, Canada), I collected a lot from exposures of the late Pleistocene Leda Clay. I posted some info about the site here (see posts 5 and on I think) 4 or 5 years ago. I collected several fish that were new to the formation, and a few that had not previously been found as fossils. As the deposits are not very old (~10-12,000 years) all the fish are extant species still found in the North Atlantic. These were published in a series of papers; I was a coauthor on the first one. As I didn't take photos myself, I have had to post scans of figures from the papers, or in some cases just text from the papers. Unfortunately the photo quality is not the greatest, if I eventually get better photos I'll update as I can.

The first paper concerned a sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsoni, I collected from Greens Creek in Ottawa. The specimen is just the skull; initially I thought it might be a frog!

The second paper described several further fish, including specimens I donated to the Canadian Museum of Natural History, of Atlantic Tomcod (Microgadus tomcod), smelt (Osmerus mordax), and three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteous aculeatus). Besides being new records for the formation, these fossils contributed to a refined interpretation of the ecology of the Champlain Sea.

There was a third paper later that I recall had better photos, but I don't have a copy. I'll try to find it and post better photos later.

Don

[Mike from North Queensland]

Kronosarus Queenslandicus - Shed tooth

Toolebuc Formation - Albian Cretaceous

Richmond Queensland Australia

Donated to Kronosarus Korner

As this specimen is one of the largest shed teeth found in the Richmond area and as the museum did not have a complete specimen, I thought it only fitting to leave the original there. In exchange I did receive a painted cast for my collection.

Also to note this specimen has an slight S shape at the tip so may display an unknown variation between the sexes.

Mike

Edited July 12, 2015 by Mike from North Queensland

[Mike from North Queensland]

Bouliachelys Suteri

Toolebuc Formation - Albian Cretaceous

Richmond Queensland Australia

Donated to Kronosarus Korner

The type specimen for this marine turtle consists of a skull complete with mandible, hence the ability to identify this fossil from the unique jaw.

This specimen gives the ability to describe additional elements to the type specimen so my belief is that it needed to be in a museum.

Mike

Edited July 12, 2015 by Mike from North Queensland