A rare Saturday Hunt

[Shellseeker]

Went hunting with a friend yesterday on the Peace River. Saturday is unusual for me because of increased river traffic on the weekends. Since I can hunt any weekday, I tend to avoid weekends.

We were prospecting, looking for gravel. As always interesting finds: Not too many , but interesting ..

One location had agatized shell: I guess this might be the equivalent of a RucksPit Calcite Clam,  but this half bivalve is pretty complete and clearly an oyster. I am not positive on the creation process but think I ought to name it a silicafied Oyster.  I would like to find more of this.... @Sacha @MikeR

Then I picked up this interesting shark tooth.  Any time , I have to roll a small shark tooth in my fingers a couple of times wondering what it is,  that's the time I need to reach out for help . @Al Dente

Moving locations , I came across an oddity... White shark roots coming out of white rock,  under the sand and gravel of the Peace River... This will get multiple visits if it keeps producing teeth like these.

 

A couple of deer tines,  a broken Equus magnum, gator tooth, a dolphin jaw fragment, and a numbers of broken teeth,  horse, bison, camel,  and then this oddity.   I am really not sure what it is besides a really beat up tooth....

At first, I thought Equus long upper tooth, but Equus would have the thin white lines , not the wide upper bands.  then I bounced between Mastodon and Mammoth.  The 3rd photo seems to show more agatized material, just slate instead of golden color. Size 40 mm long 15x20 mm. I finally settled on Mammoth fragment with the enamel crumbling and the cementum agatized.

 

I am pleased by the interesting and unusual finds,  a long day exercising in the sunshine with friends. and finding a couple of locations that I will return ...

 

[Mark Kmiecik]

Quite a few nice shark teeth. Looks like a rewarding trip.

[Al Dente]

49 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

Then I picked up this interesting shark tooth.  Any time , I have to roll a small shark tooth in my fingers a couple of times wondering what it is,  that's the time I need to reach out for help .

It is Physogaleus contortus. It is Miocene or older. The tooth below that is a Hemipristis serra lower tooth.

[Shellseeker]

8 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

It is Physogaleus contortus. It is Miocene or older. The tooth below that is a Hemipristis serra lower tooth.

I "thought" it was contortus, a little different from others I had found..  Mostly in much better shape, being able to see the fine serrations.

I guess that I am interested in "miocene or older".  Implies that it was laid down at least 5 million years ago, and from the lack or wear and tear on the tooth, implies that it has not moved very much in the rough and tumble environment of the Peace River, which in storms and hurricanes has been noted to move concrete blocks and thousand pound logs. It is reinforcing the idea that a number of the finds (the Hemipristis and oyster) are miocene age fossils.

[Sacha]

3 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

One location had agatized shell: I guess this might be the equivalent of a RucksPit Calcite Clam,  but this half bivalve is pretty complete and clearly an oyster. I am not positive on the creation process but think I ought to name it a silicafied Oyster.  I would like to find more of this

 

Jack, I find quite a few of these and have kept a couple. Yours has the best complete structure I've seen and is clearly an oyster. Would like to see if mike can give a species assignment (maybe not on great preservation, but on time frame and location). If not, will you send a picture to Roger Portal to follow Up?

[Shellseeker]

1 hour ago, Sacha said:

 

Jack, I find quite a few of these and have kept a couple. Yours has the best complete structure I've seen and is clearly an oyster. Would like to see if mike can give a species assignment (maybe not on great preservation, but on time frame and location). If not, will you send a picture to Roger Portal to follow Up?

Will send it to Roger and will let you know his response.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[Nimravis]

Nice report and finds.

[Shellseeker]

Hi Jack,

 

This is probably the nicest silicified oyster shell I have seen from the Peace River. Most are just fragments of Hyotissa haitensis and possibly Crassostrea normalis. I believe your shell to be the latter.

 

Of course we would gladly receive the specimen, if offered.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

Roger W. Portell

Director of Invertebrate Paleontology, Micropaleontology, and Conservation Paleobiology Collections

Florida Museum of Natural History

1659 Museum Road

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, USA 32611

 

I have already replied, Will be donating this one.  Jack @Sacha

[Family Fun]

Great finds Jack, I always look forward to your trip reports.  So cool of you sending your find to the FMNH.

[MikeR]

To expand upon Roger's id, from Mansfield monograph on the mollusks from the Suwannee and Tampa Limestones below.  I am assuming that subspecies "caducaqua" is not accepted and only phenotypic variation.

 

Edited April 26, 2022 by MikeR

[Shellseeker]

9 hours ago, MikeR said:

To expand upon Roger's id, from Mansfield monograph on the mollusks from the Suwannee and Tampa Limestones below.  I am assuming that subspecies "caducaqua" is not accepted and only phenotypic variation.

 

Thanks, Mike...

I try to understand a little of what you and Roger do,

Set up a side by side.  and then Slowly read the description of the Holotype:

[Shellseeker]

I am pleased to receive one of these.  It is both a recognition and communication of donation progress.

 

I also get to email it to siblings,  letting them know that I am still breathing, still contributing.

[Discover and Preserve]

That is awesome- I would love to find something the museum would like to add to their collection! Great of you to donate the specimen!

Edited May 13, 2022 by Discover and Preserve
misspelled word

[Shellseeker]

4 hours ago, Discover and Preserve said:

That is awesome- I would love to find something the museum would like to add to their collection! Great of you to donate the specimen!

Welcome to the Fossil Forum. Exactly the right attitude. I have been supported and respected by the scientific leaders for Paleontology in the State of Florida.  I actively seek opportunities to help them in any way I can as giveback. 

Many of our TFF Members are actively involved with their Paleo Scientists. It feels good to be part of that.. Jack