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Found This Skull Today In North Texas...mosasaur?


John S.

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Well I've had some people ask so I thought I'd update yall on the find. About a year ago I got into this hobby. My third trip out I found a mosasaur Platecarpus skull in the middle of busy plano, TX in the Atco. At the time I had no idea what I was doing or what I found. I contacted Smu and it now resides at the Shuler museum in Dallas. It is being used for an upcoming paper on Dallas area mosasaurs. It's been quite the adventure since and my excitement for this hobby is only growing. Just a few weeks ago I found a vertebrate specimen in the same area. There will be a dig soon to find out what it is. Looks like a large X fish but we'll see (2nd pic). It's been nice contributing and talking to others about this fascinating area of science. More updates to come.

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  • I found this Informative 2

North Central Texas

Eagle Ford Group / Ozan Formation

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John, thanks for the update. Do you have any additional photos of the mosasaur skull? :)

(I merged your new topic with the old one for better continuity.)

The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true.  -  JJ

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Thank you very much for the update! Find of a lifetime! :wub::envy:

I really need to move to Texas!

Edited by JohnBrian

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:popcorn: John

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Thanks for the update John. You have set a good example for others by doing the right thing with your discovery. Some folks would have sold it to the highest bidder instead of contacting the university. Even some commercial collectors take the science seriously enough to leave potentially important finds to be studied. I recently was shown some articulated vertebra of a very large shark by an ammonite dealer who didn't want to damage it. Some of the same team from SMU that worked with you will see what can be learned from the find.

Edited by BobWill
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  • 11 months later...

Well I've had some people ask so I thought I'd update yall on the find. About a year ago I got into this hobby. My third trip out I found a mosasaur Platecarpus skull in the middle of busy plano, TX in the Atco. At the time I had no idea what I was doing or what I found. I contacted Smu and it now resides at the Shuler museum in Dallas. It is being used for an upcoming paper on Dallas area mosasaurs. It's been quite the adventure since and my excitement for this hobby is only growing. Just a few weeks ago I found a vertebrate specimen in the same area. There will be a dig soon to find out what it is. Looks like a large X fish but we'll see (2nd pic). It's been nice contributing and talking to others about this fascinating area of science. More updates to come.

Wow John, It's going to be hard to top that find. Great job!

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Dang!! I saw this back up and was hoping there was some new info and some new photos!

For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun.
-Aldo Leopold
 

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I've been wondering about this too. thanks for the update?

It's my belief that specimens like this SHOULD be in a museum

Edited by PRK
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I do not. Waiting for the work to be complete.

This was a fantastic find! One that even the most jaded collector would love to find! Congratulations on it.

Do You have any more recent information on this fossil?

Thank You ,

Tony

Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys."

Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough."

 

My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection

My favorite thread on TFF.

 

 

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I've been wondering about this too. thanks for the update?

It's my belief that specimens like this SHOULD be in a museum

I'm glad it was John S.'s decision to make...it is in a museum and more. ;)LINK

The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true.  -  JJ

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