Texas Echies and Ammonites and Crabs and More!

[JamieLynn]

I justify my going out to fossil hunt right now as "exercise"! Everyone needs exercise! And I have had some really good "exercise" lately! 

I am to the point in my fossil collecting that it's about finding "better" specimens and the very occasional new thing (which is SO very exciting!) 

Two in particular have eluded me for a while : Oxytropidoceras Ammonite and Leptosalenia mexicana Echinoid. I have found partials and bits and pieces, but had been unable to find a good one...until now! 

All are from Texas Cretaceous . 

The Oxytropidoceras is not the prettiest one in the world, but it's mine and it's a whole one, so I am super happy. 

4 inches diameter  Fort Worth or Duck Creek Formation

 

This little echinoid has been a real bugger to find. I'd found one, in beautiful condition,  only to have it fall apart on me and I found another that is so water worn it's almost

impossible to tell it's a L mexicana. So FINALLY I found a lovely one! It's not showing up as well in this photo, but it's a deep purpley grey color!  

1/2 inch   Walnut Formation

 

 

And some other good finds - some nice crab claws! Two are unidentified  (if anyone knows, please do tell!) and the other is just a nice big one, albeit a bit broken.

Unknown crab claw from the Walnut formation:

  

 

 

A small unknown crab claw from the Glen Rose Formation:

  

 

And a honking big Pagurus banderiensis from the Glen Rose Formation:

 

 

Plus it's always great to find some "better" fossils. Here are a few nice finds: 

A nice Heteraster from the Walnut Formtiaon;

 

Plus a nice Gastropod Anchura

 

And even a "lowly" bivalve - known as a Texas Heart: Cucullea blancoensis

 

 

[grandpa]

Verrry nice exercising!

[facehugger]

Great stuff! 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Super fit fossils.

Congratulations! 

[Ludwigia]

Nice finds! Congrats!

[JamieLynn]

thanks y'all!

 

[fossisle]

Nice finds!!

[Al Tahan]

I really love that first echinoid!!! Great preservation 

[BudB]

Very nice. It's probably time for me to stop bringing home so many fragments too, and start holding out for some complete specimens.

[erose]

Good stuff. Love the ammonite. Most of what I find close to home is always scrappy. Getting whole ones of any size is bonus.  
 

And yes PLEASE someone tell us what those claws are. 

[Monica]

Congrats on the successful fossil hunt...I mean "exercise", JamieLynn! 

[JamieLynn]

On 5/5/2020 at 6:56 AM, BudB said:

Very nice. It's probably time for me to stop bringing home so many fragments too, and start holding out for some complete specimens.

 

It's just so hard to leave those cool looking ammonite fragments alone!!