Triassic Fishing in New Jersey with TFF Members

[Jeffrey P]

The old Granton Quarry site, located in North Bergen, New Jersey was a working quarry that has produced fauna from the Upper Triassic Lockatong Formation part of the Newark Super Group. Underneath a basalt cap, in beds that are tilted, are shales and sandstones deposited in an ancient tropical lake bed. Biodiversity is far from rich. The most common vertebrate fossil found is Diplurus newarki, a small coelacanth, usually 2-4 inches in length. Other fossils include Estheria ovate, a clam-shaped shrimp-like crustacean.  Rare remains of reptiles have also been found at the site. 

 

Development has claimed most of the quarry site, but an outcrop remains in an area that is unfortunately a repository for trash and graffiti and infested with poison ivy. Because of the poison ivy winter is the only time the site can be visited. I've been visiting the old Granton Quarry site once or twice a year since 2013.  I've brought a number of TFF members to Granton, but Tim (fossildude19) has a been my companion for almost all of those trips since the first one. Last Sunday,  the weather was mild and Tim and I accompanied by TFF members Dave (Shamalama) and Paul1719 visited once again.

 

The site, always a difficult one to work, is becoming more challenging. The cliff is, I estimate 40-50 feet tall, but it is a less than one inch wide bed of black shale (called G-7)  that is very fossiliferous. That bed is generally flush with or indented into the wall. All of the easily accessible G-7 has been already dug out. Where it is exposed and weathered it tends to splinter into fine shards obliterating any fossils that might have been present. Deeper in the wall it incredibly hard. Pulling out a decent size chunk to split is difficult to say the least. Finding a few already started cracks I was able penetrate deeper using my sledge and long chisel. Then I used my crowbar to wedge them out. In a full day of digging I was able to wedge out two chunks of G-7 , each several inches across. From these I got the majority of specimens I found. One piece appears to have two complete or nearly complete Diplurus which I sent to Ptychodus 04 in Texas to prep. 

 

In addition to fossils, Tim found a live red-backed salamander, our first amphibian siting of the spring.  Here's Tim:

[Jeffrey P]

Another pic of Tim:

 

[Jeffrey P]

Dave (Shamalama):

[Jeffrey P]

And Paul1719 behind the ladder: 

[Jeffrey P]

And this strange guy: I dunno

[Jeffrey P]

The shale piece with two complete or almost complete Diplurus. Difficult to make out:

[Jeffrey P]

And some partial specimens:

[Jeffrey P]

[Tidgy's Dad]

Nice report, tis always good to see several forum folk out hunting together. 

Hope the fish prep out nicely, though with the prepper you've got on board, i'm optimistic. 

[Miocene_Mason]

Beautiful fishies! Thanks for sharing

[Pagurus]

I'm looking at your report and the photos and the wonderful fish and thinking I wish I could have been there and thinking it's a good thing I wasn't, and thinking I couldn't have climbed up to where I needed to be and I know I couldn't have done it but wished I could. Ahhh. I'm glad you all got together and made some terrific finds. Congrats. I'm looking forward to seeing the fish after Kris gets his paws on it.

[Fossildude19]

It was a nice day, made nicer by the company and the adventure. 

I found a number of partial fish, a few skulls, but much still needs to be cleaned and photographed. 

 

I think that Jeff was rewarded for his hard and diligent work, breaking the fish free from their tombs. 

I have yet to go through some shale, but here are a few partials I found. 

 

All in all it was a great day to get together with @Jeffrey P  @Paul1719  @Shamalama  

 

Diplurus newarki: 

 

1st Dorsal fin and vertebral column. Note the vertebral process above the dorsal fin.

 

 

 

Dual caudall fins. 

 

[Fossildude19]

5 minutes ago, Pagurus said:

I'm looking at your report and the photos and the wonderful fish and thinking I wish I could have been there and thinking it's a good thing I wasn't, and thinking I couldn't have climbed up to where I needed to be and I know I couldn't have done it but wished I could. Ahhh. I'm glad you all got together and made some terrific finds. Congrats. I'm looking forward to seeing the fish after Kris gets his paws on it.

Mike, there are some lower levels exposed with no climbing.

It does take some effort to remove viable material from the cliff, though.

[PaleoNoel]

Great report! And congratulations on some nice finds. I hope they all prep out well. 

[FossilNerd]

Nice finds guys and even nicer company! I would love to see those fish after Kris works his magic.

 

Wonder what @Shamalama and @Paul1719 found?  

[Ludwigia]

Looks like you need a good bit of determination and perseverance to hook some of those fishies. Good work!

[Monica]

Super cool stuff, guys!  Congrats on a successful Triassic fishing expedition!

[caldigger]

With all your blood, sweat and tears it's Kris that I actually feel for. 

All these comments are really putting the pressure on him to put on his top hat and and cape to work some magic. 

Hope he can satisfy the anticipated expectations.

Something tells me he will! 

[RuMert]

Interesting report and nice finds. Good to see some prominent TFFers in the field

[caldigger]

On 3/14/2020 at 6:28 PM, Jeffrey P said:

And this strange guy: I dunno

Geepers, I always imagined you actually having a tiny little head like your avatar. 

[FOH]

This is super cool! I never expected a site to be in such a commercialized area. Did you have to ask for permission? 

[Jeffrey P]

8 minutes ago, caldigger said:

Geepers, I always imagined you actually having a tiny little head like your avatar. 

My avatar is from daughter. Probably how she sees me. 

[Jeffrey P]

4 minutes ago, FOH said:

This is super cool! I never expected a site to be in such a commercialized area. Did you have to ask for permission? 

When we used to collect on the other side of the outcrop that is facing a Lowes we used to get permission from the manager there. Then he left and his replacement told us we would have to get permission from corporate headquarters. That's when we started collecting on the other side facing the back of the shopping center. Never asked permission there. Security is aware we're there and has never interfered. By the way, there's a McDonald's and a Chinese restaurant just around the corner. This place is so opposite almost everywhere else I've been. 

[minnbuckeye]

Wonderful finds. I did not know where North Bergen was. Now that I know, the fossils are even MORE IMPRESSIVE! Your pictures look so "rural" but that myth was proved false with the help of google earth!! My wife has always wanted to visit New York City. Now I have potential reason to venture into a city, something I never feel comfortable with. 

 

 Mike

[frankh8147]

Awesome finds!! Sorry I couldn't make it this year but hopefully next time. I'm glad to hear that spot is still so productive!

 

Hey Jeff, are you looking at prep for that first one or keeping it as is?