Anacacho Formation, Upper K, South Texas

[Uncle Siphuncle]

I believe the ammonite to be Bostrychoceras polyplocum, my best example of the species. The echinoid is Hardouinia bowlesi, and the last I heard the formal description would be published very soon. A question for y'all....is it offensive to the guy about to publish the paper if I show pictures of a specimen under its pending species name, or should I instead just refer to it as Hardouinia sp.? Don't want to step on any toes.

[Oh-Man]

I'd think he'd appreciate the compliment.

[erose]

Nice fossils. I think there could be a small problem in that anyone doing web-based research in the future might be directed to this post and then confused by the discrepancies in dates. Although you do mention that it is soon to be officially described.

Edited April 22, 2010 by erose

[Auspex]

Sometimes considered bad form to preempt publication; it's a precedence thing.

Fabulous ammo!

[JimB88]

Nice ammonite! Makes one wonder how those guys swam?

[MikeD]

Those are cool, Dan. Excellent finds.

[West4me]

Beautiful, only starting out and can't wait to make some amazing finds like these.

[Roz]

Excellent and so good to see that ech at last. I would think that paper should be out very soon.

Cool finds, Dan

[MB]

I believe the ammonite to be Bostrychoceras polyplocum, my best example of the species. The echinoid is Hardouinia bowlesi, and the last I heard the formal description would be published very soon. A question for y'all....is it offensive to the guy about to publish the paper if I show pictures of a specimen under its pending species name, or should I instead just refer to it as Hardouinia sp.? Don't want to step on any toes.

Ask him, but as far I know, authors they don't consider correct that.

Hardounia sp. under study and soon willbe published and bla bla bla... would be better.

BTW ammo is a great sample !!!

[Uncle Siphuncle]

I've since shot an email to the author of the paper asking his opinion on all this...will follow his wishes.

[dinodigger]

Hey Dan, great stuff. I love the echinoderm. So beautiful. The nice thing about describing something new is that you have your name on it. Whenever someone discusses a species, genus, or whatever, the original descriptor is credited. We're always hearing about this new dinosaur or that new dinosaur, and so on, long before the critter is officially described, and usually we're hearing about the genus and not the species. I think its great to hear that something new is being described and its a great compliment to the descriptor. We're working on some new genus and species in the Clear Fork of the Middle Permian. We haven't released the new species names, but we're pretty open about the stuff we're digging, and the genera; some new Dimetrodons and Secodontosaurus', and I'm sure its made its way through town in one conversation or another. I think the forum does a great job at keeping the conversations and interactions at a great social or public level. I don't think anyone here is out to describe something new or step on anyone's toes or claws; only to share it with the rest of us.

[Taxman56]

Love the curls on that ammonite, nice to see one thats not flat as a dinner plate

[Uncle Siphuncle]

I've since heard back from the museum and I've been cleared to use the species name. I must admit to being ignorant of such protocols though as I'm just a private collector / field guy. The cool thing about this echinoid species for me is that I was out with a detachment of collectors years ago when the holotype was found. It was fun watching the echinoid gurus speculate on site as to what this thing was. They reasoned through genus pretty quickly as I recall, although this genus is extremely rare in TX. It took the interstate experience of top echinoid sleuths on hand to key out the genus. Good times.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

The ammonite presented itself in opportune fashion. Most of the rock was soft and gritty, allowing me to reduce it from hundreds of pounds down to something more portable with a few quick swings of a hand sledge. Back home, the gritty stuff yielded readily to the air scribe, affording opportunity to clean between whorls. The back of the specimen is entombed in hard limestone now fashioned as a pedestal. I like the calcite infill too. As you can see here is a calcite filled whorl in the pedestal eroded in section. Even non collectors can't hate this specimen...too much cool natural geometry going on.

[siteseer]

A question for y'all....is it offensive to the guy about to publish the paper if I show pictures of a specimen under its pending species name, or should I instead just refer to it as Hardouinia sp.? Don't want to step on any toes.

A similar situation involves a friend who was given a sample of a species soon-to-be-described. However, he was asked specifically neither to mention the name nor show the specimens until the paper goes out so he hasn't. He understands it as a "trade secret" until the unveiling and appreciates the trust. Since you weren't asked to keep it under your hat, the suthor(s) must have been confident of not being beaten to the punch.

[PFOOLEY]

That is a pretty spectacular heteromorph, @Uncle Siphuncle...have you found many more in the years since?

[Uncle Siphuncle]

18 hours ago, PFOOLEY said:

That is a pretty spectacular heteromorph, @Uncle Siphuncle...have you found many more in the years since?

No sir.  Chance find.