Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I've always been fascinated by the Cretaceous sea and its myriad of terrifying carnivores, many that would've made Jaws look meek. After watching BBC's Sea Monsters, I made it my goal to compile a box of sea monster fossils. I started this journey 10 years ago, and finally completed the box recently.

 

Allow me to present my Predators of the Cretaceous Sea collection, and take you on a journey to the most dangerous sea of all times.

 

Predator-Sea_Box-3.thumb.jpg.dbdd1a4d0d63cd65262631817bf202e7.jpg

 

The box measures 20.25 inches long. Inside are 24 unique predator fossils. I will introduce them from left to right, top to bottom:

 

1-(1).jpg.439665f3f362dd55d299e917b69efb97.jpg

 

Rhombodus binkhorsti
Age: 70.6 - 66 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Severn Formation
Locality: Bowie, Maryland, USA
Size: 1 meters
Diet: Molluscs and crustaceans

 

5eb6e323c5ef3_1(2)byNobuTamura.jpg.ec0c0250314c09df833cecaaf99baab7.jpg

art by Nobu Tamura

 

---------------

 

2-(1).thumb.jpg.1d339b888d15cb475d36180a5073ab49.jpg

 

Polyptychodon interruptus
Age: 105.3 - 94.3 mya | Cretaceous
Formation: Stoilensky Quarry stratigraphic unit
Locality: Stary-Oskol, Belgorod Oblast, Russia
Size: Maybe 7 meters (This is a tooth taxon so size is not confirmed)
Diet: Anything it could catch
Note: If you consider Polytychodon a nomen dubium, then this is a Pliosauridae indet.

 

5eb6e32782ebe_2(2)byMarkWitton.jpg.ff674044208f231cefd171cb5f6d28a2.jpg

art by Mark Witton

 

-----------------

 

3-(1).thumb.jpg.c6a6337a04197346447744050df77462.jpg

 

Prognathodon giganteus
Age: 70.6 - 66 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Ouled Abdoun Basin
Locality: Khouribga Phosphate Deposits, Morocco
Size: 10-14 meters
Diet: Everything

 

5eb6e32b84360_3(2)bySYSTEM(ZBrushCentral).thumb.jpg.fe92dea27ece7b4e27d50e33b708b102.jpg

art by SYSTEM(ZBrushCentral)

 

---------------

 

4-(1).thumb.jpg.e05ea4f14d0bff5772f965ccf86da061.jpg

 

Coloborhynchinae indet.
Age: 99.7 - 94.3 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Kem Kem Beds
Locality: Southeast Morocco
Size: 7 meters (high estimate)
Diet: Fish and cephalopods

 

5eb6e32eefb09_4(2)bybyGabrielNU.thumb.jpg.35c1137e18210105a698b2ee75a26f0e.jpg

  • I found this Informative 15

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5-(2).thumb.jpg.b6116580e3d845dc8b4795b5365e60cd.jpg

 

Globidens phosphaticus
Age: 70.6 - 66 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Ouled Abdoun Basin
Locality: Khouribga Phosphate Deposits, Morocco
Size: 6 meters
Diet: Molluscs

 

5eb6e5a30a056_5(1)byDanVarner.jpg.cb7fde2ab43e39906749a32311220ea5.jpg

art by Dan Varner

 

---------------

 

6-(2).thumb.jpg.ae59122ec3b12649839e00d98b9c4ad3.jpg

 

Spinosaurini indet.
Age: 99.7 - 94.3 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Kem Kem Beds
Locality: Begga, Southeast Morocco
Size: 15 meters (high estimate)
Diet: Anything it could catch. Likely favored fish
Note: This is more of a river predator than a marine one. Placing him here because there are Brazilian Spinosaurids found in coastal environments

 

6-(1)-by-Davide-Bonadonna.thumb.jpg.37a01e4dc19369cb57a07ab955f33192.jpg

art by Davide Bonadonna

 

---------------

 

7-(1).thumb.jpg.ac535cd66a4d16f0b9bf53f17992ad0b.jpg

 

Deinosuchus rugosus
Age: 80 - 73 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Marshalltown / Englishtown Formation
Locality: Ramanessin brook, Monmouth county, Central NJ
Size: 9 meters
Diet: Anything it could catch

 

7-(2)--by-DW-Miller.jpg.d60269feebaae657e271820b0810b17d.jpg

art by DW Miller

 

---------------

 

8-(1).thumb.jpg.d3ae3da274654f5b861cc45b617aba1d.jpg

 

Tusoteuthis longa (squid pen)
Age: 87 - 82 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Niobrara Formation; Smoky Hill Chalk Member
Locality: Gove County, Kansas, USA
Size: 11 meters
Diet: Cephalopods, fish, and possibly small marine reptiles

 

5eb6e5b0f3181_8(2)byNobuTamura.jpg.928e28e5cb0abcd6402fd7c0b1ac39f3.jpg

art by Nobu Tamura

  • I found this Informative 13
  • Enjoyed 1

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5eb6e6cb06044_9(1).thumb.jpg.aefa26fd007e5498fea2a7190a70636f.jpg

 

Protostega gigas (claw)
Age: 93.9 - 89.8 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Carlile Shale; Lower Fairport Chalk Member
Locality: Russell County, Kansas, USA
Size: 3 meters
Diet: Crustaceans, jellyfish and seaweed

 

5eb6e6cc3c891_9(2)byChristopherChavez.jpg.e887bb5e153d54d46e5943b34603d2f0.jpg

art by Christopher Chavez

 

---------------

 

5eb6e6cf23b86_10(1).thumb.JPG.b32c9010232fae0161fd0aa744b8ba44.JPG

 

Hesperornis sp. (vertebrae)
Age: 84.9 - 70.6 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Pierre Shale; Sharon Springs Member
Locality: Custer County, South Dakota
Size: 1.8 meters
Diet: Fish

 

5eb6e6d057647_10(2)bybyJaimeChirinos.jpg.783a30a779f04b79a7c01e90fe9169c0.jpg

art by Jaime Chirinos

 

---------------

 

5eb6e6d32b1a5_11(1).thumb.jpg.e893dd87ce247d0f89960109fb256e23.jpg

 

cf. Simoliophis libycus (vertebrae)
Age: 99.7 - 94.3 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Kem Kem Beds
Locality: Begga, Southeast Morocco
Size: 2-4 meters
Diet: Unknown. Maybe fish

 

5eb6e6d4692db_11(2)bybyHyrotrioskjan.thumb.jpg.8514d7e33e8f6582790779d1680b0243.jpg

art by Hyrotrioskjan

 

---------------

 

12.thumb.JPG.580658f1e625a476f615d2b35b945f36.JPG

 

Enchodus libyus
Age: 70.6 - 66 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Ouled Abdoun Basin
Locality: Khouribga Phosphate Deposits, Morocco
Size: 1.5 meters
Diet: Fish and cephalopods

 

5eb6e6d562680_12byCraigDylke.jpeg.4015190be39bbc430db8b0a7bf545df1.jpeg

art by Craig Dylke

  • I found this Informative 13

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13.thumb.JPG.b19e9e3a78bb79c5175f1f0cc94327c4.JPG

 

Elosuchus cherifiensis
Age: 99.7 - 94.3 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Kem Kem Beds
Locality: Begga, Southeast Morocco
Size: 8 meters (high estimate)
Diet: Fish, but could probably eat anything it could catch

Note: Elosuchus fossils are found in river deposits. However, George Corneille, who has dug in Morocco told me of croc fossils there with bite marks from large sharks. Also, Elosuchus was a fully aquatic crocodilian, similar to the now-freshwater Indian Gharial, the only surviving species that a lineage that once inhabited coastal environments. Based on these traits, we believe that Elosuchus probably did spent some time in the sea, akin to the saltwater crocodile.

 

5eb6e7d10b1ba_13byDavideBonadonna.jpg.6da0290fc630f6823e41ae66d5362fda.jpg

art by Davide Bonadonna

 

---------------

 

14.thumb.jpg.b76bb51b21cdb571b6cf3a1864fba85c.jpg

 

Platypterygius sp.
Age: 105.3 - 94.3 mya | Cretaceous
Formation: Stoilensky Quarry stratigraphic unit
Locality: Stary-Oskol, Belgorod Oblast, Russia
Size: 7 meters
Diet: Fish and cephalopods

 

5eb6e7d4c9fc5_14byDustDevil.jpg.a0d4f06129ccbfa58899a1bfc13ce95a.jpg

art by Dust Devil

 

---------------

 

15.thumb.jpg.816e00882e1b9095d850a102110ae6f9.jpg

 

Platecarpus sp.
Age: 84 - 81 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Blufftown / Ripley Formation
Locality: Barbour-Russell County, Alabama, USA
Size: 4.3 meters
Diet: Fish, cephalopods and other small animals

 

5eb6e7d901884_15byOdaTakashi.jpg.d9279dd1708eb0066e5274a59a7129c1.jpg

art by Oda Takashi

 

---------------

 

16.JPG.f8f527f91ef638896f6ef3b926f995bf.JPG

 

Ptychodus whipplei
Age: 89.3 - 85.8 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Austin Chalk Formation; Atco Member
Locality: Dallas County, north Texas
Size: 10 meters
Diet: Large bivalves, ammonites and crustaceans

 

5eb6e7df520ee_16byBrianEngh.thumb.jpg.3d81bb1e9fea703c7d5d8d55aab2b750.jpg

art by Brian Engh

 

  • I found this Informative 13

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17.thumb.JPG.e76e676591ce1c450b9bb1c3f809137f.JPG

 

cf. Polycotylus sopotsko
Age: 100.5 - 66 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Gaysky Quarry stratigraphic unit
Locality: Gaysky District, Orenburg Oblast, Russia
Size: 5 meters
Diet: Anything it could catch

 

5eb6e91396435_17bySAbramowicz.jpg.13c6a1e2affe8bfabfd8adcb8b266182.jpg

art by S Abramowicz

 

---------------

 

18.jpg.146dcfa95369ded837317b4cccd0e94a.jpg

 

Coniasaurus crassidens
Age: 96 - 93 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Eagle Ford Group; Britton Formation
Locality: Mansfield, Tarrant County, Texas, USA
Size: 1.6 meters
Diet: Fish and other small animals

 

5eb6e91794d54_18byOlorotitan.jpg.f6691890298fa85ee2a4b2d833ff33bc.jpg

art by Olorotitan

 

---------------

 

19.thumb.jpg.d867d98ec960807ee243914e0ca365df.jpg

 

Cretoxyrhina mantelli
Age: 87 - 82 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Niobrara Formation; Smoky Hill Chalk Member
Locality: Gove County, western Kansas, USA
Size: 8 meters
Diet: Everything except the largest mosasaurs

 

19-by-Mark-Witton.thumb.jpg.78bcc903c52e83166e227b800e1dbfde.jpg

art by Mark Witton

 

---------------

 

20.thumb.JPG.f3f24015605f82e12b566a6ac36ddb01.JPG

 

Xiphactinus audax
Age: 87 - 82 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Niobrara Formation; Smoky Hill Chalk Member
Locality: Gove County, western Kansas, USA
Size: 6 meters
Diet: Anything it could swallow

 

5eb6e92141174_20byDanVarner.thumb.jpg.73cbbdccf2888add2a2548e3ec7310b1.jpg

art by Dan Varner

 

  • I found this Informative 14

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21.JPG.f256a06151042273a52b37f804e0fa0b.JPG

 

Dakosaurus sp. (juvenile tooth)
Age: 155.7 - 140.2 mya | late Jurassic - early Cretaceous
Formation: Kimmeridge Clay > Faringdon Sand Formation
Locality: Wicklesham Pit, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, UK
Size: 5 meters
Diet: Anything it could catch. Probably ignored small creatures.
Note: This tooth came from a Jurassic deposit. However, Dakosaurus sp. was also found in the early Cretaceous, hence its inclusion here

 

5eb6ea04e82ce_21byPaleoGUY.jpg.ce364ec68f7702bc50c125723cda758e.jpg

art by PaleoGUY

 

---------------

 

22.thumb.JPG.88641d2279a21f5cfa1f4ceb99fae8ff.JPG

 

Zarafasaura oceanis
Age: 70.6 - 66 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Ouled Abdoun Basin
Locality: Khouribga Phosphate Deposits, Morocco
Size: 7 meters
Diet: Small fish and cephalopods

 

5eb6ea0888f22_22byJamesKuether.jpg.1cae5a9f1054b1d0c0a53307cf1b40df.jpg

art by James Kuether

 

---------------

 

23.thumb.JPG.e7f328ec8196789d43dfb86696e92ed0.JPG

 

Scapanorhynchus texanus
Age: 84.9 - 70.6 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Black Creek Group; Tar Heel / Bladen Formation
Locality: Bladen County, North Carolina, USA
Size: 3 meters
Diet: Small fish, cephalopods and crustaceans

 

23-by-unknown-source.jpg.70204531012d1492547ba804f9dbb5b1.jpg

art by unknown source

 

---------------

 

24.thumb.jpg.4f774e5796d4c46ab2068b9a1f4c0a9c.jpg

 

Onchopristis numidus (rostral barb)
Age: 99.7 - 94.3 mya | late Cretaceous
Formation: Kem Kem Beds
Locality: Southeast Morocco
Size: 8 meters
Diet: Crustaceans, molluscs and smaller fish
Note: This is more of a river predator than a marine one. Placing him here because they supposedly migrated between marine and freshwater environments to spawn

 

5eb6ea1207a4b_24byBBC.png.d3ff05ffae1a15b4911df7edc41b6efc.png

Screenshot of Planet Dinosaur by BBC

  • I found this Informative 17

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Super collection and matched with pictures. Thanks for posting really enjoyed it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is just awesome. Great pics of your fossils and the artwork on the animals

5d738606eab6e_2018-11-1322_54_57-Greenshot-newlogo.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

:default_clap2: :default_clap2: :default_clap2:

 

Coco

----------------------
OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici

Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici
Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici
Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici
Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici
Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici
Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici

Un Greg...

Badges-IPFOTH.jpg.f4a8635cda47a3cc506743a8aabce700.jpg Badges-MOTM.jpg.461001e1a9db5dc29ca1c07a041a1a86.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice collection - and beautifully presented, too :D

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

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nicely presented Andy like all your other displays.  I chuckled when I saw that you added a Spinosaurid tooth to your assemblage

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really enjoyed this presentation. Informative, and visually stimulating. Excellent work!:thumbsu:

Dipleurawhisperer5.jpg

I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This post is one of the best I’ve read! Amazing  presentation and amazing collection!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely @-Andy- :) I could only imagine how difficult it was to amass all of these but it was worth it! The information provided with each taxon was very informative and I learned quite a bit!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is an incredible bit of perseverance. Also a great learning experience!

On The Hunt For The Trophy Otodus!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@-Andy- Diverse and impressive marine collection, the presentation is awesome. Really like how you included unique pics with each specimen too. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, Andy!  What a collection and what a presentation!  This would make any museum envious.  I'm saving this post and printing out two copies to give to each of my grandsons who I know will enjoy it as much as I did.  Thank you for putting this collection and its presentation together and for sharing it with us.

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Astounding presentation, both in the case and in this wonderful thread. 

Thank you so much for going to all this trouble for us.:)

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great job Andy! Glad to see you spending your Covid downtime well. You’re getting married soon though and I hope that this doesn’t stop your passion for a Fossils. Haha!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantastic collection and presentation of great educational value. It's very good it all fitted into a not-so-big box for even better effect per cubic inch:D

 

A few thoughts: I wouldn't place mosasaurs with ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs as they replace the latters and would add more fishes like Acrodus/Cretodus/Chimaera, ammonites and belemnites (why not?). Also didn't Ptychodus teeth look more like this?:

 

140949269418430-big.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are many species of Ptychodus.  Yours and Andy's a re different species. 

 

Nice work, Andy.  

 

 

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the kind comments guys. It means a lot to me that you appreciate this thread.

 

In case anyone is wondering, here is ver 1 and ver 2 of the box from years ago.

 

5eb81710596be_Predator-Sea_Box1.thumb.jpg.fafeed9053a09e2ee7ebcba5a7c20ea9.jpg

Predator-Box-2a.thumb.jpg.851584cec050224190d64cce720ac5b0.jpg

 

20 hours ago, Troodon said:

Nicely presented Andy like all your other displays.  I chuckled when I saw that you added a Spinosaurid tooth to your assemblage

 

Thanks Frank. No way I can exclude the famous Spino. I wish I could put one of the Brazilian Spinosaurids which were found at coastal environments, but the Moroccan Spinosaurid is the next best thing.

 

19 hours ago, Norki said:

Awesome collection.

 

Have you thought about including Protosphyraena?

 

I did. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough space in the box. There's so many more species of fish and sharks I want to include.

 

18 hours ago, grandpa said:

Wow, Andy!  What a collection and what a presentation!  This would make any museum envious.  I'm saving this post and printing out two copies to give to each of my grandsons who I know will enjoy it as much as I did.  Thank you for putting this collection and its presentation together and for sharing it with us.

 

I am so happy to hear that I made something good enough for you to pass to your grandsons!

 

18 hours ago, Dracarys said:

Great job Andy! Glad to see you spending your Covid downtime well. You’re getting married soon though and I hope that this doesn’t stop your passion for a Fossils. Haha!

 

No way man. Fossils are a part of my life now.

 

17 hours ago, RuMert said:

Fantastic collection and presentation of great educational value. It's very good it all fitted into a not-so-big box for even better effect per cubic inch:D

 

A few thoughts: I wouldn't place mosasaurs with ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs as they replace the latters and would add more fishes like Acrodus/Cretodus/Chimaera, ammonites and belemnites (why not?). Also didn't Ptychodus teeth look more like this?:

 

 

 

I've thought of including more creatures and invertebrates like ammonites but the box has ran outta place. I think 20.25 inches is as big as it gets.

  • I found this Informative 1

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...