January 2021 - Finds of the Month Entries

[digit 6,121]

REMINDER: PLEASE carefully read ALL of the rules below.

Make sure you include all the required information, IN THE REQUESTED FORMAT (below) when you submit your fossil! 

If you have a question about a possible entry, please send me a PM.

Please pay special attention to Rule #5: 

Before and After Preparation Photos must be submitted for prepped specimens NOT  found during the Month of the Contest.

In addition to keeping the contest fair, this new qualification will encourage better documentation of our spectacular past finds.

Entries will be taken until 11:59:00 PM EDT on JANUARY 31, 2021

Any fossil submitted after that time, even if the topic is still open, will be deemed ineligible! 

 

Only entries posted with CLEAR photos and that meet the other guidelines will be placed into the Poll. 

Photos of the winning specimens may be posted to TFF's Facebook page.

 

Please let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for sharing more of your fossils and research this month.

 

Shortly after the end of the Month, separate Polls will be created for the Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month.

 

In addition to the fun of a contest, we also want to learn more about the fossils. 

Tell us more about your fossil, and why you think it is worthy of the honor. 

To view the Winning Fossils from past contests visit the Find Of The Month Winner's Gallery.

 

Now, go find your fossil, do your research, and make an entry!
Best of success to all, and good hunting!

 

***********************************

Rules for The Fossil Forum's Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month Contests

1. Find a great Vertebrate Fossil or Invertebrate/Plant Fossil! Only fossils found personally by you are allowed. NO PURCHASED FOSSILS.
2. Post your entry in the Find of the Month topic. Use a separate post for each entry. (Only two entries per member per contest category.)
3. Your fossil must have been found during the Month of the Contest, or Significant Preparation * of your fossil must have been completed during the Month of the Contest.
4. You must include the Date of Discovery (when found in the contest month); or the Date of Preparation Completion and Date of Discovery (if not found in the contest month).
5. Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. Please make sure you arrange for photos if someone else is preparing your fossil find and completes the prep requirements in the contest month.
6. You must include the Common and/or Scientific Name.
7. You must include the Geologic Age or Geologic Formation where the fossil was found.
8. You must include the State, Province, or region where the fossil was found.
9. You must include CLEAR, cropped, well-lit images (maximum 4 images). If you are proud enough of your fossil to submit it for FOTM, spend some time to take good photos to show off your fossil.
10. Play fair and honest. No bought fossils. No false claims.

 

* Significant Preparation = Substantial work to reveal and/or repair important diagnostic features, resulting in a dramatic change in the look of the fossil. The qualification of Significant Preparation is decided at the discretion of staff. Any doubts as to the eligibility of the entry will be discussed directly with the entrant.

 

******* Please use the following format for the required information: *******

• Date of Discovery   (month, day , year) 

• Scientific and/or Common Name

• Geologic Age or Geologic Formation

• State, Province, or Region Found

• Photos of Find

 

 

(Please limit to 4 clear, cropped, and well-lit images.)

(If prepped, before and after photos are required, please.)

[JarrodB 1,225]

I'll kick it off. 

VFOTM

Found Jan. 2

Tylosaurus scapula with shark feeding marks. 

Ozan Formation

North Sulphur River Texas

Ozan Formation

Cretaceous - 84 - 71 Ma

 

[JarrodB 1,225]

VFOTM #2

Found Jan. 2

Xiphactinus left maxilla and associated vert.

Ozan Formation

North Sulphur River Texas

Ozan Formation

Cretaceous - 84 - 71 Ma

 

 

[JamieLynn 1,281]

that was a BIG fishy

[Thecosmilia Trichitoma 310]

Xiphactinus fish and chips with a side of (slightly chewed on) Tylosaur fries. Delicious (although a bit hard.) 

[jdp 747]

That Xiphactinus vertebra is absolutely fantastic.

[Captcrunch227 225]

That was a heck of a trip @JarrodB!

[Captcrunch227 225]

Protohadros caudal vertebrae 

Found 12/28/2020

Prep finished on 1/1/2021

Protohadros byrdi 

Woodbine formation

North Texas

 

Went out for a little hunt to enjoy the weather after Christmas and found this beauty just barely peeking out of the ground. The back half is missing sadly, but after cleaning it up the front half has wonderful preservation (for the Woodbine). 

 

 

 

[Pixpaleosky 360]

• Date of Discovery : December 2020, Prepped January 2021

• Name Dinosaur egg of Megaloolithidae family

• Geologic Age : Upper Cretaceous, Campanian, 74 MY

• State, Province, or Region Found : Bouches du Rhone, France

• Photos of Find

 

FIELD

 

ON PREP

 

END RESULT

 

 

[digit 6,121]

Finally! Someone who has found a "dinosaur egg" that actually turns out to be A DINOSAUR EGG! Would you be upset if we told you this was just a concretion and your pareidolia had gotten the best of you?

 

I cannot remember seeing a fossilized egg in the FOTM competition (at least in recent memory). Very cool! Thanks for such a novel entry.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[JamieLynn 1,281]

well, there ain't no way my little shark tooth is going to win against a DINO EGG....but putting it in here anyways, because I love it. 

I'll probably even be voting for the Dino Egg!

 

• Date of Discovery   January 3 2021

• Scientific and/or Common Name    Protolamna sp.

• Geologic Age or Geologic Formation  - Lower Glen Rose Formation, Cretaceous 

• State, Province, or Region Found - Canyon Lake Texas

-Size - 5/8 inch   15 mm

 

 

 

 

[digit 6,121]

10 minutes ago, JamieLynn said:

but putting it in here anyways, because I love it.

It's not all about adding little digital award badges but more about sharing special finds here so we can all drool a little.

 

Florida seems to be built on fossilized shark teeth (a house foundation composed of meg teeth would be quite the statement) but I'm still envious of Cretaceous (and earlier) shark teeth which take on more and more odd forms as you get earlier. Florida gets no earlier geologically than the Eocene and the vast majority of our shark teeth are from the Miocene forward with only a tiny number from the Oligocene or Eocene. It's a cool looking tooth--and a mini which is always a win in my book.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[JamieLynn 1,281]

Thanks @digit !  I am totally okay with drooling! hahhaha! And yeah, I was super excited because it is my first Shark Tooth from the Lower Cretaceous.  As you say, something a little more unusual than most of the shark teeth from Texas (which are mostly upper Cretaceous).

[Pixpaleosky 360]

8 hours ago, digit said:

Finally! Someone who has found a "dinosaur egg" that actually turns out to be A DINOSAUR EGG! Would you be upset if we told you this was just a concretion and your pareidolia had gotten the best of you?

 

I actually believe this egg is a concretion ...

[digit 6,121]

The first documented case of reverse-pareidolia!

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[fifbrindacier 4,744]

On 1/7/2021 at 9:00 AM, Pixpaleosky said:

 

 

On 1/7/2021 at 9:25 AM, digit said:

Finally! Someone who has found a "dinosaur egg" that actually turns out to be A DINOSAUR EGG! Would you be upset if we told you this was just a concretion and your pareidolia had gotten the best of you?

Very nice pareidolia of septarian.

[ColombianFossils 34]

On 1/7/2021 at 9:00 AM, Pixpaleosky said:

Wow that is remarkable! I would be satisfied for life if I found something that beautiful 

[fifbrindacier 4,744]

19 hours ago, ColombianFossils said:

Wow that is remarkable! I would be satisfied for life if I found something that beautiful 

Sure, me too ! An entire egg, that's so rare !