gdarone Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Here are a representative summary of the fossils I found sifting through the bucket-worth of matrix I received from tj102569. Fossils were extracted from the matrix via a combination of 6% vinegar solution and hammer and chisel. Other posts on matrix from this location suggest that they may be from the Carlisle formation. Cretaceous. I've tried to sort the fossils into different shapes. My camera is really not that great, so I'll include a short description if the picture isn't great. Any help in identifying these would be greatly appreciated. 1. Pretty sure these are some sorts of ptychodus sp. Probably a variety of different species. Trying to match pictures with this website, http://www.oceansofkansas.com/ptychodus2.html I feel like I have at least Ptychodus whipplei and Ptychodus mammillaris? 2. Shark teeth with a angle to the left or right. Serrated edges. May be more than one species, based on this website: http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/Vol6/03_lamn.html I'm not sure how applicable Kansas fossils publications will be in SD. 3. These shark teeth seemed much more triangular than the other teeth I found. Serrated edges. 4. These may all just be broken fragments of larger teeth. I thought they might be a different variety however, since they all have the same large "gum" and very tiny teeth feature. If they are just broken bits, then they would have been very large whole teeth! 5. Straight-ish thin shark teeth. 6. These teeth also have a angle to the left or right, however they also have a very concave reverse. The teeth are nearly curved. 7. Teeth with the 2 tiny bits on either side of the main tooth. 8. These pieces are not from the same specimen, probably, but appear to be some non-shark tooth or spike. Fish? Mosasaur? Other? 9. This looks like a tooth, very conical (like a modern sperm whale tooth). The bottom half has lines on it that meet at the tip. 10. Looks a bit like a shell fragment. 11. The photo does absolutely no justice to this one. It looks like it might be part of a crab claw? Up close it's got the right shape and you can see the knobs that would be on the inside of the claw. 12. Unknown gastropod. 13. A variety of vertebrae. Fish? Some are super small, only about 2 mm wide. 14. There were several fragments of this fiberous material in the matrix. Given that it is clearly crystalized in the matrix (looks a bit like quartz or calcite running through it) I think it is not a modern contaminant. Maybe lignite coal? 15. This bit has an imprint in the top left that looks like it might be a vertebrae impression. In the bottom left, is a flat patch which has lines radiating out from the center on the bottom half. Fish scale? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TyrannosaurusRex Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 2 and 6 appear to be tiger shark teeth. 5 appears to be enchodus ferox teeth. Not sure about the other stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TyrannosaurusRex Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Also 13 is fish vertabrae. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 #9 is very interesting. Looks almost plesiosaur, but I think it is too tiny. Possibly some other reptile? Ramo For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 picture 1 the bottom row appear to be Ptychodus mortoni, the others are Ptychodus, just a different species. picture 2 all of these are some type of Squalicorax, not sure of the species. They are not tiger sharks as suggested by T-rex. These are cretaceous teeth. picture 3 again I think some type of Squalicorax picture 4 broken bits, not identifiable picture 5 some of these appear to be Scapanorhynchus texanus (goblin shark) could also be some protolamna or cretolamna in there picture 6 some cool teeth I think Cretolamna, definately not tiger shark as suggested picture 7 same as #6 picture 8 not sure picture 9 maybe croc? picture 10 ?? picture 11?? better pics would help if it is a crab claw picture 12 internal mold of a gastropod picture 13 shark verts and fish verts 1 Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 picture 14 maybe pet wood picture 15 sea floor hash Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Picture 1 looks like all Ptychodus. The bottom row, circled in green in the picture below, look like P. whipplei. The others it is hard to tell for sure from the picture. Can you take close-up individual pictures of the two specimens circled in red? The Squalicorax are probably S. falcatus. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bgoods55 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Nice bucket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bgoods55 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Where did you get your matrix from? I want some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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