Cretaceous Microfossils

[Rockin' Ric]

Hello all! I have been hunting shark teeth for about 8 months now thanks to a hunting buddy who has access to private property with a creek running through it that contains Cretaceous marine fossils. While sifting on the creek one day I wondered what got through my 1/4" mesh so I bucketed up the gravel and took home. Once the gravel dried I placed a lil' bit at a time in a white paper plate do see what was going back into the creek after sifting. I was astonished at what I was finding! Perfectly preserved tiny teeth from sharks, rays and other fossil organisms! After two buckets I was hooked on the hunt for micro fossils! Not only do I look forward to going to the creek, I now look forward bringing buckets home to go through as well.

 

Meristodonoides

 

Hadrodus prices

 

Urchin Spines

 

Tiny shark teeth found so far...at least 4 pieces?

 

Enchodus teeth.

 

Myledaphus (ray teeth) maybe some other teeth mixed in?

 

Pycnodont teeth (drum fish teeth)

 

Not quite microscopic but pin sized teeth.

 

[JamieLynn]

Welcome to the world of minis and micros! I too am completely hooked on the little stuff, as are quite a few here on the FF! 

I also have had fun with the Cretaceous of Texas minis. I have a question - how do you tell the difference between Ray teeth and Pycnodont teeth?  I assumed they were all Pycnodont (have found quite a few that look like ones in both of your pictures). 

[Rockin' Ric]

2 minutes ago, JamieLynn said:

Welcome to the world of minis and micros! I too am completely hooked on the little stuff, as are quite a few here on the FF! 

I also have had fun with the Cretaceous of Texas minis. I have a question - how do you tell the difference between Ray teeth and Pycnodont teeth?  I assumed they were all Pycnodont (have found quite a few that look like ones in both of your pictures). 

 

Hey JamieLynn...the ray teeth I was told have the hexagon shape. The pycnodont are round or oval. Definitely not an expert...I only identifying by those who are in the know or by Googling?

[Al Dente]

1 hour ago, Rockin' Ric said:

Myledaphus (ray teeth) maybe some other teeth mixed in?

Probably not Myledaphus. This picture is from a publication that calls these Brachyrhizodus ellipsis.

 

 

[JamieLynn]

Thanks @Al Dente - that helps solve a couple of other "mystery micros" from my Post Oak Creek matrix. 

[PaleoNoel]

Awesome finds, I gotta see if NJ creeks preserve micros like these. I especially like the hybodont teeth. 

[Plax]

On 12/30/2020 at 11:40 PM, PaleoNoel said:

Awesome finds, I gotta see if NJ creeks preserve micros like these. I especially like the hybodont teeth. 

They do!

[bthemoose]

Those are great. I too especially like the hybodont teeth!

[old bones]

Very nice preservation on those!

[TheShrifter]

These are great! I've always wondered if there are micro shark teeth and other fossils in the Cretaceous marine formations here in BC.. there's not much research on the subject so I guess there's only 1 way to find out!