JamieLynn 1,283 Posted January 7 January in Texas is usually, weather wise, fantastic hunting. For seasonal allergy sufferers (like me) it can be miserable. But, we had a GREAT rain...two days of decent downpours and the temps were in the upper 60s, so, hoping the cedar pollen had been knocked out of the air a bit by the rains....I donned my mask and spent three hours out in the great outdoors and was I ever rewarded for my "perseverance"!!! hahahahha I had been hoping to find a Glen Rose Formation (Lower Cretaceous) Shark Tooth for a couple of years. I knew they could be found! Erich ( @erose) told me so and I believe him, usually! hahhaha. Well, Mother Nature decided to gift me one on this first hunt of the year! Plus, it was a bit of an Echinoid bonanza....nothing "new" to me, species wise, but a couple of really nice examples (four actually, of differing sizes!) of Hyposalenia phillipsae and a better preserved Paraorthopsis comalensis than I had. But what really tricked me was the Pygopyrina hancockensis. They are usually oval and i found this one (which turns out was just squished) and REALLY thought I'd found a Pygaster (which I DON'T have) so I got really excited until I got it home and realized I'd been fooled. Ah well, I found a Shark Tooth (Plus a nice big crab claw, too) so......it was a GOOD DAY. Shark Tooth Protolamna sp. 5/8 inches (15 mm) In situ (with lotsof Foramnifera Orbitolinas! A Quartet of Hyposalenia phillipsae echinoids: (Biggest is 3/8 inch) A very nice Paraorthopsis comalensis Size: 1/2 inch A very squished Pygopyrina hancockensis Size- 3/4 inch And a big honking crab claw - Pagurus banderiensis Size 7/8 inch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
facehugger 223 Posted January 7 Looks like a great hunt to me - I need to spend more time in the Glen Rose, apparently! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamieLynn 1,283 Posted January 7 3 minutes ago, facehugger said: Looks like a great hunt to me - I need to spend more time in the Glen Rose, apparently! It is probably my favorite. So many Echnioids! There are at least six species that I have not found yet. And so many other interesting things...it is incredibly diverse! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
facehugger 223 Posted January 7 Just now, JamieLynn said: It is probably my favorite. So many Echnioids! There are at least six species that I have not found yet. And so many other interesting things...it is incredibly diverse! I don't have any of those urchins yet, trying not to drool lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
digit 6,127 Posted January 7 29 minutes ago, JamieLynn said: A very squished Pygopyrina hancockensis Size- 3/4 inch Squished and evidence of a prehistoric bandage to boot! Really cool echis--I love pentagonally symmetrical fossils. Cheers. -Ken Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamieLynn 1,283 Posted January 7 @digit - right?? I am not at all sure, but I THINK that is a fragment of a heart urchin (Heteraster) that somehow got stuck on the Pygo?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
digit 6,127 Posted January 7 I see similar debris plastered to echinoids here in Florida. The placement of this one was perfect for the hole in the test. Cheers. -Ken Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnJ 4,604 Posted January 7 You capitalized on perfect hunting conditions. Great finds, Jamie! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will stevenson 1,302 Posted January 7 Love that tooth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fossildude19 14,847 Posted January 7 Great report and finds, Jamie Lynn! Thanks for posting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nimravis 6,739 Posted January 7 Great finds and I love the in situ pic and the little caterpillar that ended up in the shot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sixgill pete 2,352 Posted January 8 Great finds Jamie. Your hunts have been paying great dividends lately. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert 1,905 Posted January 8 Great finds! Nice you can hunt for fossils in January, all we have here is snow Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monica 4,251 Posted January 8 That's a very cool-looking shark tooth! And the crab claw and echinoids are very nicely-detailed - thanks for the show-and-tell! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clint08 144 Posted January 8 Thanks for sharing! That tooth looks really cool, it was just waiting to be found! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamieLynn 1,283 Posted January 8 Thanks y'all! @RuMert - Snow....no thank you! I've lived in Texas almost 50 years and it has snowed three times in my memory- at least enough to cover the ground (the occasional snow flurries don't count) and while it is beautiful, fortunately, it doesn't stick around long. I have lived in areas that had "real winter" full snow and ice all winter long and I don't care for that at all! hahahha I Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamieLynn 1,283 Posted January 11 @RuMert - Well, I get to use a well loved Southern expression - "Well, Shut My Mouth"....it snowed in Central Texas yesterday! Last snowfall was in 2017 and it's usually about 10 years between snows, but......surprise! Big Fat snowflakes swirling all over! So yeah...Shut My Mouth! hahahah Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert 1,905 Posted January 11 We have -15C this week, so you're still warm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huntlyfossils 30 Posted January 14 Nice finds we are the opposite here in Queensland my usual fossil spot is way too hot to go to temps of over 40c are normal and as its the wet season here so there is a risk of getting trapped by floodwaters. I went in late October last year and that was pushing it, it was a 42c day and severe storms so I dig most of my digging under lamps at night. Winter is the best time of the year to go hunting here. I’m getting itchy feet waiting for conditions to get better so I can get back there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FossilNerd 2,227 Posted Sunday at 03:11 PM Nice finds Jamie! As usual I love those echinoids. Glad you were able to get out and take advantage of the weather. Thanks for the report! I can live vicariously through you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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