Hunting from Home 3 : Aguja Texas Cretaceous

[JamieLynn]

Part the Third of the Hunting from Home series! The Texas Aguja Late Cretaceous formation Matrix from PaleoTex LLC!  While i have been to West Texas MANY times (Big Ben National Park is kind of my second home) I've never had a chance to go fossil hunting there. So when I found out the Aguja Formation matrix was available, I was excited to see what I could find. So here are my little tiny finds! 

 

So far my favorite find is these tiny tiny shark teeth - Onchopristis dunklei (thanks Trodon for the ID!) They are about 1/16th inch (2mm)

 

 

Next is a surprise find - a mammal incisor!   1/4 inch

 

And thanks to another forum post, I was able to ID this tooth as Paronychodon : 1/4 inch

 

Some cool little crocodile teeth

 

I sure wish I could have found more of this Hybodont Spine, but at least it has some of the barbs on it.

 

I love the translucence of this gar tooth:

 

And here is a little montage of various Gar Scales

 

 

An unknown tooth:

 

 

 

 

 

I think the above is different than this one, but it might be the same. This one is another Gar Lepisosteus 1/4 inch

 

Some neat vertebra (all are 1/4 to 1/16

 

 

Another Tooth...possibly Hybodont?

 

And lastly, some random spines:

[Tidgy's Dad]

Fascinating. 

I've been finding things at home myself, it's really fun and exciting. 

[JamieLynn]

I truly am enjoying the matrix! It's like an Easter Egg hunt ....or a box of chocolates! You never know what you are going to find! 

[Pterygotus]

Wow! I love these fossils 

[ziggycardon]

Lovely stuff! It's always a joy to see some nice micro matrix finds!  
 

[Troodon]

Having fun going through the matrix

 

Same critters ones missing crown

 

I actually think the the amiidae fish Melvius sp.

 

I would lean toward this being "cf Richardoestesia isosceles" than Paronychodon 

[JamieLynn]

I do have to admit..I am wishing my Celestron Microscope camera were a wee bit better....it takes good photos of things 1/4 inch and up, but 1/16th inch is hard to get a good clear photo! Perhaps in a year or so I will upgrade to a slightly better one! 

[JamieLynn]

@Troodon Thanks! I was thinking that was Paronychodon because of this image on Wikipedia:  Also, there are no serrations on mine, which there would be on Richardoestesia.

 

and here is mine...both sides. they seam to match very very closely . But then, I am not an expert and will happily rescind my ID.  

 

[Darktooth]

Nice finds, glad you are having fun hunting from home!

[Troodon]

Unfortunately a good part of the tooth is missing to make a clear ID..   Richardoestesia serrations are super fine and can be worn, difficult to say.  I based it more on the shape being upright with similar sides.  I have a similar one missing the top from when I went through that matrix.

 

[JamieLynn]

very interesting. I will look at it close and see if I can get a pic of where the serrations would be. I'll be happy either way! hahahha

[JamieLynn]

well....after going through all the matrix, there were a few chunks that had not broken down and I put them back in to soak a little more and I am VERY HAPPY I DID SO....found THIS!!: Not really sure what it is...I thought it was the smaller tooth of the Paronychadon but it doesn't REALLY look like it. sooo back to the drawing board! Any ideas anyone?  TINY - about 2 mm

[JamieLynn]

ID'd as a gar fish tooth. Not terribly exciting, but I like it anyways.

[Troodon]

I think its croc.with that shape and ribs

[JamieLynn]

1 hour ago, Troodon said:

I think its croc.with that shape and ribs

 

ooohhh...really? I thought they were more conical. 

[JamieLynn]

here is another pic of it: 

[Troodon]

Yes they are also conical.  Same figure as the one I sent you, all these described as " Crocodylian indet. "

[JamieLynn]

@Troodon  Thanks so much!!