Potomac

[Searcher78]

Water was high today, but just like this tree, I didn’t give up.

Not as many teeth as I usually get.

I get distracted.

My first tooth of this type.

[Searcher78]

[bthemoose]

That's a killer snake vert! Is the double cusped tooth a cow shark or something else like part of a Paraorthacodus clarkii?

[Searcher78]

6 minutes ago, bthemoose said:

That's a killer snake vert! Is the double cusped tooth a cow shark or something else like part of a Paraorthacodus clarkii?

Part of clarkii 

[hokietech96]

Great finds as always!

[Coco]

Hi,

 

Wouah the little snake vert !

 

Coco

[Searcher78]

1 hour ago, hokietech96 said:

Great finds as always!

Thanks, it is bug spray time. I forgot to use any and my arms are eaten up.

[hemipristis]

Nice Carcharoides tooth!

[Searcher78]

1 hour ago, hemipristis said:

Nice Carcharoides tooth!

Thanks, I always enjoy the variety of fossils I can find at this location.

[HemiHunter]

On 6/13/2021 at 5:56 PM, Searcher78 said:

 

This snake vert is incredible! Congrats!!

[Searcher78]

2 hours ago, HemiHunter said:

 

This snake vert is incredible! Congrats!!

Thanks, I usually ignore pieces of turtle shell and broken verts, but this one was in great shape and it was not like my shark and fish verts. The joints on each side were great.

[GreatWhiteMac]

Great finds!!  Love those shiny triangles! 

[Bjohn170]

Wow that snake vert is amazing, I’ve never seen one found there before! I’ll have to be on the look out 

[Al Dente]

Nice finds. I'm guessing the snake vert is modern based on the condition. Maybe @MarcoSr could tell us if snake verts have been found in the Aquia Formation.

[HemiHunter]

21 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

I'm guessing the snake vert is modern based on the condition. Maybe @MarcoSr could tell us if snake verts have been found in the Aquia Formation.

Here is a Palaeophis vert in the Smithsonian collection from the Aquia formation: 

https://www.si.edu/es/object/nmnhpaleobiology_3448770?width=85%&height=85%&iframe=true&back_link=1&destination=spotlight/starfish

 

My boys and I found several last year south of Purse, but they are not nearly as complete as the one @Searcher78 posted.

Edited June 15, 2021 by HemiHunter

[Searcher78]

6 hours ago, Al Dente said:

Nice finds. I'm guessing the snake vert is modern based on the condition. Maybe @MarcoSr could tell us if snake verts have been found in the Aquia Formation.

I thought the same due to condition. Not sure.

[MarcoSr]

19 hours ago, Al Dente said:

Nice finds. I'm guessing the snake vert is modern based on the condition. Maybe @MarcoSr could tell us if snake verts have been found in the Aquia Formation.

 

Eric

 

I have hundreds of fossil sea snake vertebrae from the Eocene of MD/VA.  I don't have a single snake vertebra from the Paleocene Aquia Formation of MD/VA or recall one ever being found in the Aquia Formation.  There are lots of extant snakes along the Potomac River (water snakes like the common brown water snake and terrestrial snakes like copperhead and black snakes).  The pristine condition of the vertebra in this thread, compared to the condition of the hundreds of Eocene sea snake vertebrae that I have, make me doubt that it is a fossil.  But you never know, so I would take it to the CMM (or send pictures) just to be sure.

 

Marco Sr.

[Searcher78]

9 hours ago, MarcoSr said:

 

Eric

 

I have hundreds of fossil sea snake vertebrae from the Eocene of MD/VA.  I don't have a single snake vertebra from the Paleocene Aquia Formation of MD/VA or recall one ever being found in the Aquia Formation.  There are lots of extant snakes along the Potomac River (water snakes like the common brown water snake and terrestrial snakes like copperhead and black snakes).  The pristine condition of the vertebra in this thread, compared to the condition of the hundreds of Eocene sea snake vertebrae that I have, make me doubt that it is a fossil.  But you never know, so I would take it to the CMM (or send pictures) just to be sure.

 

Marco Sr.

I may have to let them check it out.

[Searcher78]

9 hours ago, MarcoSr said:

 

Eric

 

I have hundreds of fossil sea snake vertebrae from the Eocene of MD/VA.  I don't have a single snake vertebra from the Paleocene Aquia Formation of MD/VA or recall one ever being found in the Aquia Formation.  There are lots of extant snakes along the Potomac River (water snakes like the common brown water snake and terrestrial snakes like copperhead and black snakes).  The pristine condition of the vertebra in this thread, compared to the condition of the hundreds of Eocene sea snake vertebrae that I have, make me doubt that it is a fossil.  But you never know, so I would take it to the CMM (or send pictures) just to be sure.

 

Marco Sr.

Update, went ahead and did the burn test. It is modern.

[HemiHunter]

Cool find, just the same!