sixgill pete Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 I was lucky enough to be invited on a hunt to a southeastern North Carolina quarry for yesterday. This quarry contains exposures of the Eocene Castle Hayne formation and the Cretaceous PeeDee formation. The quarry had not been hunted at all since late April / early may, so with all of the rain we have had over the summer and from the recent Hurricane, I wa pumped to get in there. It was a small group of people, only 8 of us, but all experienced quarry hunters. After arriving and filling out all the necessary paperwork we headed to the first area around 8:30. This area was a small section in an old part of the quarry that contained a small but very good section of Eocene material. We decided to stay there until 11 and then move to another area. Well the finds here were awesome. Several very rare varieties of echinoids were found by several of us along with the usual common ones. Bivalves, gastropod molds and brachiopods were also found. There were also a few nice nautaloids found. But, no teeth. However with the amount and variety of other things that was fine with all of us. No one left to head to the second area unhappy. We arrives at the second area around 11:30 and headed straight to an exposure of PeeDee sand. For those of you who remember the posts a few years ago about the "Big Hole" by FossilFoilist, this is the exact same type of exposure. Echinoids and oysters galore. Many of us left from there and continued hunting Cretaceous piles, while others went in search of Eocene material. It was really a fantastic day. One of my best ever at this quarry, and I'm sure a few of the others also. Some of the items found ( sorry I dont have pictures of the others finds) were, Eocene echinoids ...... Echinolampas appendiculatta, Rhyncholampas carolinensis, rare Eupatagus wilsoni, rare Linthia hanoverensis, rare Agassizia inflata, very uncommon Maretia subrostrata, uncommon Linthia wilmingtonensis, Eurhodia rugosa ideali and depressa and a very nice Coelopleurus carolinensis. On the Cretaceous side I would guess there were over 100 Hardouinia mortonis found along with over 30 of the rare Hardouinia kellumi also. There were also a few Hardouinia mortonis emmonsi found, this is a subspecies of the H. mortonis with a higher dome, looks more conical. But the truly best finds of the day were 3 complete and one partial Phymotaxis tournoueri with attached spines. There was also an amazing Enchodus ferox tooth found, it was over 3" and an amazing and extra large Squalicorax pristodontus. lso C. auriculatus but none in great shape. All of my cleaned finds finds on my drying table. 3 3 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 rare Hardouinia kellumi, I found 3 of these. an uncommon Eutrephoceras carolinensis nautiloid, I found 2 of these 2 4 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 a crab carapace with a boring in it .... Hardouinia mortonis, large and super small. I found a total of 28 of these. The high domed subspecies H. mortonis emmonsi ... my very first one ever 2 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 Maretia subrostrata a nice cretaceous oyster Flemingostrea subspatulata I believe. 2 2 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 a rare Eupatagus wilsoni. My first one ever. My first Agassizia iflatus. Another rare find. The top on this one is in very bad shape, but the bottom makes it identifiable. 2 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 and my find of the day. A complete with spines attached very rare Phymotaxis tournoueri. Another first 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 2 2 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 and these are the echinoids that I still have to clean. Most are Echinolampas appendiculatta with a few Rhyncholampas carolinensis. 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...
FossilDudeCO Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 WOW DON! What an amazing trip, I would love to have a haul like that! Congrats, and thanks for bringing us along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Great stuff. Is the crab Eocene? Reminds me of Eocarpilius. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 Thanks Blake. Dan it is Eocene and I think Eocarpilius is a good bet, probably E. carolinensis 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...
RickNC Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Wow what a haul. Wishing now that I had got on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Nice finds. I really like the Eupatagus and the Maretia. The Eocene Maretia tend to be thin shelled and hard to find complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Quite a day. I envy those of you that can find undistorted things just falling out of the sand like that. Nothing like that here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 18 minutes ago, Al Dente said: Nice finds. I really like the Eupatagus and the Maretia. The Eocene Maretia tend to be thin shelled and hard to find complete. Thanks Al Dente. I really like the nicely ornamented irregulars myself. Both of those were found right of the bat first thing. 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 19 minutes ago, Wrangellian said: Quite a day. I envy those of you that can find undistorted things just falling out of the sand like that. Nothing like that here... I hear you. Occasionally we find items that need to be prepped, but most stuff just needs a good cleaning. I have a couple of crab concretions from the same place that need prepping, one of these days I will give it a go. 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 October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 1 hour ago, RickNC said: Wow what a haul. Wishing now that I had got on that one. Should be good on the next one too. 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...
doushantuo Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Wow,amazing echinoids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Great Finds and Great Report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 6 minutes ago, doushantuo said: Wow,amazing echinoids 3 minutes ago, Nimravis said: Great Finds and Great Report. Thank you both. This particular quarry is always a pleasure to hunt, when access is allowed. 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...
jcbshark Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Wow Don, sweet haul! Congrats: ) Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 Thanks Jeff. I know you are not much into inverts, but the variety of them up here is amazing. 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...
Pagurus Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Terrific hunt Don, and you made some terrific additions to your collection. Those echinoids are beautiful. The one with the spines is a great find! Thanks for sharing your trip. Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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