Paleocene Shark, Ray, And Fish Micros From The Aquia Formation Of Maryland

[MarcoSr]

I collected these specimens from matrix from the Paleocene, Aquia Formation, Zone 4 of Maryland. I normally don’t collect from zone 4 of the Aquia of Maryland because the micros have really been very scarce in past attempts. However, there was a nice slide with zone 4 on my last trip to this site so I did take some matrix. I found a decent number of fish fossils including numerous teeth, vertebrae and two Otoliths. I also found shark teeth, a shark/ray vertebra and ray teeth. I’m posting the nicer and more unusual micros which I found. If you place your cursor on a JPEG image you will see the file name which will have the specimen id as best that I can determine and the specimen size. If you can identify the specimens further please do so. Each matrix that I search makes me more of an avid micro tooth collector. If anyone has or can collect good matrix with shark, ray, and fish micros please send me a PM.

Below are some of the shark teeth:

Anomotodon cf novus:

Foumtizia abdouni (this is the first specimen of this genus that I have found in the Paleocene of MD):

Two Orectolobiforms (I have found a number of these from the zone 4 of VA and MD. They are very small, around 1mm) Further id help is appreciated:

Palaeogaleus sp.:

Squalus cf minor:

Below are some of the ray teeth and a vertebra:

Hypolophodon cf sylvestris:

Myliobatis sp.

Vertebra (this could be shark or ray but based upon the shape and the foramina it is probably ray):

Below are two fish Otoliths and some of the fish teeth:

Two Fish Otoliths(these are the first Otoliths that I have found at this site):

Paralbula marylandica:

Scomberomorus sp.

Marco Sr.

Edited October 6, 2014 by MarcoSr

[jcbshark]

Very interesting specimens and great pics as usual Marco!

[old bones]

Marco Sr.,

Those are very interesting specimens. The Foumtizia sp. is really unusual. I have never even seen pictures of that one before.

Julianna

[MarcoSr]

Very interesting specimens and great pics as usual Marco!

Jeff

Thanks. There were some other interesting specimens that I didn't post because they were a little beat up. I'm glad I took some of the matrix and want to get back to the site to get some more before the slide is washed away.

Marco Sr.

[MarcoSr]

Marco Sr.,

Those are very interesting specimens. The Foumtizia sp. is really unusual. I have never even seen pictures of that one before.

Julianna

Julianna

I have found a good number of Foumtizia from Paleocene matrix from Morocco. However, I don't find many at all in the US. Some specimens are easy to identify because they have those short, finely indented folds at the base of the labial face of the crown.

On another note, I've been seeing a lot of Otoliths lately, and I'm convinced that the specimen which you sent the PM for, is an Otolith.

Marco Sr.

[old bones]

Julianna

I have found a good number of Foumtizia from Paleocene matrix from Morocco. However, I don't find many at all in the US. Some specimens are easy to identify because they have those short, finely indented folds at the base of the labial face of the crown.

On another note, I've been seeing a lot of Otoliths lately, and I'm convinced that the specimen which you sent the PM for, is an Otolith.

Marco Sr.

Marco Sr.,

Yes! I am so pleased that you have confirmed my find as an otolith. I have been looking so hard to find one. Thank you.

Julianna

[MarcoSr]

Marco Sr.,

Yes! I am so pleased that you have confirmed my find as an otolith. I have been looking so hard to find one. Thank you.

Julianna

Julianna

When I try to id a specimen I not only look for features that support an id but also features that might rule out an id. Your specimen had a feature that I hadn't seen/remembered in the Otoliths that I had seen before. However, the first Otolith in my post has the same feature. I would like to know though why your specimen had the colors that it did. Actually much more appealing than most of the Otoliths that I see which can be pretty washed out color wise.

Marco Sr.

[sixgill pete]

Beautiful teeth, Marco. I really love the Foumtizia. I was looking, out of curiosity, and could not find a reference of any Foumtizia from the Aquia or any Paleocene or Eocene in our areas. I agree with you on the ID, but was wondering if you know of any references on the Catsharks of our region other than Elasmo, and of course Eric's post from a while back.

The Squalus is really nice too.

Edited October 6, 2014 by sixgill pete

[MarcoSr]

Beautiful teeth, Marco. I really love the Foumtizia. I was looking, out of curiosity, and could not find a reference of any Foumtizia from the Aquia or any Paleocene or Eocene in our areas. I agree with you on the ID, but was wondering if you know of any references on the Catsharks of our region other than Elasmo, and of course Eric's post from a while back.

The Squalus is really nice too.

Don

I used a Cappetta book to id the Foumtizia. I haven't seen Foumtizia described from our region. There are different papers and Bretton Kent's "Fossil Sharks of the Chesapeake Bay Region" 1994 which has a good number of the shark species from our region. I'm waiting for the North Carolina Fossil Club's Fossil Fish Volume which should be out this winter. I'm expecting a lot of the species from our region to be described in it.

Marco Sr.

[Plantguy]

Hey Marco Sr. very nice material. I sure wish I had the patience for those tiny guys! Regards, Chris

[sixgill pete]

Don

I used a Cappetta book to id the Foumtizia. I haven't seen Foumtizia described from our region. There are different papers and Bretton Kent's "Fossil Sharks of the Chesapeake Bay Region" 1994 which has a good number of the shark species from our region. I'm waiting for the North Carolina Fossil Club's Fossil Fish Volume which should be out this winter. I'm expecting a lot of the species from our region to be described in it.

Marco Sr.

Thanks for the info Marco. I also am waiting on the Fossil Fish Volume 3 from the NCFC. The first volume, Invertebrates and Plants is excellent. I have not yet been able to pick up the second volume on Mollusks.

[fossilized6s]

Nice stuff as usual Marco!

Im saving my micro hunting till ol' man winter comes blowing through.

[MarcoSr]

Hey Marco Sr. very nice material. I sure wish I had the patience for those tiny guys! Regards, Chris

Chris

The micros help me to stay interested in sites that I have collected for a lot of years. I don't find many new macro species for my collection but I still manage to find new micro species from these sites.

Marco Sr.

[MarcoSr]

Nice stuff as usual Marco!

Im saving my micro hunting till ol' man winter comes blowing through.

Charlie

I look through matrix year round. I haven't posted much lately because what I'm searching and finding is going to vertebrate studies.

Marco Sr.

[fossilized6s]

Charlie

I look through matrix year round. I haven't posted much lately because what I'm searching and finding is going to vertebrate studies.

Marco Sr.

Really?!

That's very exciting to hear sir!

[MarcoSr]

Really?!

That's very exciting to hear sir!

Charlie

The nice thing about vertebrate fauna studies is that teeth that are broken or beat up can be valuable if you still can make a positive id of them. I recently found an Alopias with a broken/missing root lobe. Alopias had not been reported from the layer that I found it in. So instead of the tooth winding up in my junk bin, it will wind up in a museum.

Marco Sr.