Maryland Cretaceous Potomac Group ID Help

[Kreager]

Wonder if I can please get an ID on 2 items from the Potomac Group of Maryland.

 

First item is a small item the size of a nickel. Second my imagination wants me to think it’s part of a foot print, which is the more common find from this formation. 
 

thanks so much for all insight, 

Matt

[Rockwood]

Sorry. The proposed track isn't distinct enough to be called such in this context. As part of an extended set on a clear bedding plane more consideration might be given.

The other piece looks like ironstone to me.

[digit]

@MarcoSr do you recognize these items?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Kreager]

52 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

Sorry. The proposed track isn't distinct enough to be called such in this context. As part of an extended set on a clear bedding plane more consideration might be given.

The other piece looks like ironstone to me.

Thank you sir , I appreciate your help. 

[MarcoSr]

3 hours ago, digit said:

@MarcoSr do you recognize these items?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

No.  I haven't collected the Potomac Group.  The Potomac Group is made up of three Cretaceous formations (Patuxent Formation, Arundel Clay, and Patapsco Formation) which are mostly terrestrial with some fluvial and some near shore marine.  Mostly plant fossils and some dinosaur and a few other fossil types are found in the Group.

 

The small piece looks like ironstone to me also.  The larger piece doesn't look like any of the Cretaceous tracks that I've seen from the MD/VA area but is worth looking at further.

 

Dr. Robert Weems has spent a good bit of time collecting and researching tracks in VA/MD.  He just had his book, "The Age of Dinosaurs in Virginia and Nearby States", published in 2022.  Most of what is known about dinosaurs in MD/VA comes from tracks.   Dr. Weems has a number of sketches of tracks in his book.

 

If  @Kreager sends me a PM with the below information/pictures, I'll send an e-mail to Rob asking for his opinion.

 

1) Location is really important when it comes to the Potomac Group.  I need to know exactly where the large specimen was found.  If you have GPS coordinates that would be very helpful.

2) Clear, in focus, picture/pictures of the large specimen, with a ruler next to the three indentions for size determination, shot straight down.

 

Marco Sr.

 

[digit]

Thanks, Marco!

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Kreager]

10 hours ago, MarcoSr said:

 

No.  I haven't collected the Potomac Group.  The Potomac Group is made up of three Cretaceous formations (Patuxent Formation, Arundel Clay, and Patapsco Formation) which are mostly terrestrial with some fluvial and some near shore marine.  Mostly plant fossils and some dinosaur and a few other fossil types are found in the Group.

 

The small piece looks like ironstone to me also.  The larger piece doesn't look like any of the Cretaceous tracks that I've seen from the MD/VA area but is worth looking at further.

 

Dr. Robert Weems has spent a good bit of time collecting and researching tracks in VA/MD.  He just had his book, "The Age of Dinosaurs in Virginia and Nearby States", published in 2022.  Most of what is known about dinosaurs in MD/VA comes from tracks.   Dr. Weems has a number of sketches of tracks in his book.

 

If  @Kreager sends me a PM with the below information/pictures, I'll send an e-mail to Rob asking for his opinion.

 

1) Location is really important when it comes to the Potomac Group.  I need to know exactly where the large specimen was found.  If you have GPS coordinates that would be very helpful.

2) Clear, in focus, picture/pictures of the large specimen, with a ruler next to the three indentions for size determination, shot straight down.

 

Marco Sr.

 

Thank you Mr. Marco. I will get on that today. I appreciate all your help.

 

Matt

[Kreager]

On 12/4/2022 at 4:08 PM, Rockwood said:

Sorry. The proposed track isn't distinct enough to be called such in this context. As part of an extended set on a clear bedding plane more consideration might be given.

The other piece looks like ironstone to me.

I just wanted to pass on more information I found out about this find. Marco was kind enough to contact Dr. Weems the Aurthor of The age Dinosaurs in Virginia and nearby states. Here are his findings after seeing better pics 

 

"Hi Marco and Matt,

 

From looking at the pictures, I would say that these are large fragments of tracks of an ankylosaurian dinosaur, which made tracks known as Tetrapodosaurus.  I am attaching a copy of my last paper on Patuxent tracks and a picture from my book "The Age of Dinosaurs in Virginia and Nearby States."  Between the size of the toe tracks and their rather blunt track termination on the end of the foot, this seems the only likely trackmaker known.  The tracks are nice and certainly deserve to be kept.  Hopefully, with the track patterns shown on the attached pictures, other tracks might show up on further searching.

[Rockwood]

23 minutes ago, Kreager said:

Dr. Weems the Aurthor of The age Dinosaurs in Virginia

I'm not about to argue with him. He would obviously be more qualified to recognize a track and a bedding plane from the site.