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Paleoworld-101

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G'day all!

 

I have just returned from a three day collecting trip to Beaumaris, a coastal suburb of Melbourne in Australia. This report acts as a pictorial overview of the trip and provides an insight into what collecting at this beach location is like. A similar trip was undertaken by@digit late last year (http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/70070-quick-trip-to-beaumaris-cliffs-australia/). I too had previously spent two days at this location in early 2016, during my first Victorian fossil hunting trip. Pictures of the finds from that trip can be found in this thread: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/61248-fossil-hunting-holiday-in-victoria-australia-dec-2015-jan-2016/

 

I decided to return to Beaumaris for a second time as i haven't been collecting for quite some time and i wanted to find more vertebrate material from this location, as i knew the potential that the site possesses and didn't manage to do it enough justice on my first trip here. All of these finds were collected on the shore across the three days that i spent here from the 14th through to the 16th of February. I spent most of that time rummaging on hands and knees in the beach shingle near the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron. As mentioned my main goal was to collect vertebrate material and i was especially interested in finding shark teeth. The fossils come from the Beaumaris Sandstone formation and are between 5 and 6 million years old (latest Miocene or earliest Pliocene). Most of the vertebrate material is derived from a phosphatic nodule bed at the base of this formation, just above the unit contact with the underlying Gellibrand Marl. This nodule bed outcrops only at the very base of the cliffs and on the shore platform which is normally covered by the sea except at low tide. Because i was collecting loose material from the beach shingle a lot of the bones and teeth are heavily worn and fragmentary, but they are still very cool! Beaumaris is highly significant as it is one of the only places in Australia where you get fossils of both marine and terrestrial animals from this period of time, capturing a snapshot of almost the entire ecosystem from fish, birds and mammals to corals, gastropods, echinoids and many others. It is also one of the only places where you can collect vertebrate fossils so close to a major Australian city (only about 30 minutes drive from the centre of Melbourne). 

 

The Location: 

 

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Fossil bones in-situ and in my hand (these are most likely from whales):

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58a66f676ca88_8-Bone.thumb.JPG.843cc3cd70adf5005fad9a29be6bd361.JPG

 

Many more pictures still to come!

 

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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Whale rib fragment in-situ on the beach:

58a671f5c36ec_9-WhaleRibInSitu.thumb.JPG.e51807e51abb265bee3d4c6399ff3baa.JPG

 

58a67200b81b4_10-WhaleRib.thumb.JPG.7cc379522768436c3f95957bb8623692.JPG

 

More in-situ bone fragments (likely cetacean):

58a67214e2908_11-BoneinSitu.thumb.JPG.880985c068fd7fe3f870c90355e690c7.JPG

 

58a6722332f6f_12-Bone.thumb.JPG.f60232e0208ee73720a74de6a7861aa4.JPG

 

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"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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Large fragment of whale bone in-situ on the shore:

58a672fe26f11_17-WhaleBoneinSitu.thumb.JPG.3e5a7fe73b4d13ce552eba19f876c5ae.JPG

 

Partial whale vertebral centrum (in-situ in the first photo, found at 1am!):

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58a67314c63cd_19-WhaleVertebra.thumb.JPG.8777bf9f19e93ce02c75bc5b6192c077.JPG

 

58a6731eba53f_20-WhaleVertebra.thumb.jpg.1eb9e6ab0bfe3713bf085d70190dc6c4.jpg

 

Another large whale bone fragment:

58a6732ab70ca_21-WhaleBoneFragment.thumb.JPG.5ba10d61a3267591719a799a65a9484d.JPG

 

Possibly a jaw fragment?:

58a673328420a_22-PossibleJawFragment.thumb.jpg.e9178a00c95823faca4cd96d629f7837.jpg

 

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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Extinct bullhead shark crushing teeth (Heterodontus cainozoicus):

58a673ef16297_23-InSituPortJacksonTooth.thumb.jpg.dd914b53518b49519ddbd543eff20adf.jpg

 

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Fish toothplate fragment:

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58a674174ac8b_27-FishToothplate.thumb.JPG.2fbb1ab85a868bdfae3bce980b2d7797.JPG

 

Diodon formosus (extinct toadfish) crushing teeth fragments:

58a674319c12b_30-Diodontoothfragments.thumb.JPG.e1b17b8c4dce5b4239678dbf5821b512.JPG

 

Fish vertebra:

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"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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Shark tooth in-situ on the shore (Isurus oxyrinchus or Isurus desori?):

58a6751a06199_31-InSituSharkTooth.thumb.JPG.b0ce7164d3dc6ae5f232589fd62275bb.JPG

 

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58a6752986f9b_33-SharkTooth.thumb.JPG.4c6fc8138ae63806c16b7f478c1f7966.JPG

 

Galeocerdo aduncus tooth (extinct tiger shark) :

58a67533b5fbc_34-TigerSharkTooth.thumb.JPG.09f292205f90d9a622562c9759376ea3.JPG

 

A heavily worn Carcharodon hastalis tooth (extinct white shark and probable ancestor of the modern great white):

58a6753b530ff_35-HastalisTooth.thumb.JPG.31ec458106c740fefdd61ed7e8d6f288.JPG

 

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All fish material collected on the trip:

58a6754c38630_37-AllFishMaterial.thumb.jpg.76dd4b181f802c6031dc1d78f94f1e0b.jpg

 

All other vertebrate material collected on the trip (most are cetacean bones):

58a67559affe6_38-AllMammalBoneMaterial.thumb.jpg.593387ef6b74c63fb326f3fb7ceb398f.jpg

 

Finally, the invertebrates!

 

Echinoids (Lovenia woodsi):

58a6756489fe4_39-Echinoids.thumb.JPG.343dc026978c88ddbffa1c6d2dca76a1.JPG

 

Gastropods, corals and a bivalve:

58a675704e98a_40-GastropodsCoralsandBivalve.thumb.JPG.a784704ce430318b4281b9cf337d4a8d.JPG

 

 

Thanks for checking out this report! 

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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Great post! Love the C. hastilis! That would have made the trip for me.

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe" - Saint Augustine

"Those who can not see past their own nose deserve our pity more than anything else."

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Great report and finds, Nathan!

Thanks for taking us along. 

In situ shots make me want to get out there. :)

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Well done, Nathan! :1-SlapHands_zpsbb015b76:

 

When Tammy and I visited last October we had our search image set on Lovenia. I'm sure we likely overlooked some worn vertebrate (whale) bones but it is hard to be efficient at sussing out pretty little echinoids while also keeping an eye out for the telltale texture of a worn chunk of bone. As we were taking our finds away from Australia we didn't want to spend time hunting for any of the more rare finds from this locality (it would have complicated getting proper permission to export our finds).

 

I'm really glad you managed to make it back to Beaumaris and had the time (and the search image) to scour the beach shingle for the other items beyond Lovenia that can be found with a dedicated search. Your initial trip report on TFF was the basis for our collecting trip when we were in the Melbourne area. We wanted to indulge our passion for hunting while in Australia and the lovely Lovenia were a perfect quarry. Between Beaumaris echinoids and some opal that we found in Coober Pedy, we have lots of little reminders of our trip down under.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

P.S.: In situ shots ROCK!

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Awesome finds! I like the bits of whale bone :D

Concerning the jaw piece...without more photos, I can't be sure, but the Vertebrate Paleontology of Australasia by Rich (pretty sure you have it) has a few figures of jaws from teleosteans from Beaumaris (page 383).

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
-Romans 14:19

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They are pretty little echis. I've seen some broken ones and it seems like these are the fossilized calcitic tests themselves as you can see the thin eggshell like layer in cross section which is filled with a sandy limestone matrix they they have been buried in. Here's a nice reference to the fossils found at this locality:

 

http://www.marinecare.org.au/images/Fossils_of_Beaumaris_Feb_2015.pdf

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

 

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Thank you everyone for the kind words!

 

@Jesuslover340- Yes i have that book (well, a borrowed copy). I was surprised to see that jaw number I on that page is a perfect match with the fish jaw i got at Beaumaris last year (below)! Still not sure about the find in this thread though, or whether it is even a jaw at all. I might make a separate ID thread for it later. 

 

58a7c5eb90125_jaw1.jpg.513c20060c322478f7edeabb02e55b5d.jpg

 

58a7c5f315739_jaw2.jpg.595414de598c24deac7cabc54f038883.jpg

 

 

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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@Paleoworld-101 , sorry I couldn't help much on the one piece, but at least I inadvertently helped identify another! :P

Great book; should definitely get a copy if you don't have one!

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
-Romans 14:19

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On 18/02/2017 at 4:10 PM, Jesuslover340 said:

@Paleoworld-101 , sorry I couldn't help much on the one piece, but at least I inadvertently helped identify another! :P

Great book; should definitely get a copy if you don't have one!

 

Too bad it wasn't more specific though, 'teleost'... so it's narrowed down to only 96 percent of fish diversity :P

 

I want an updated edition to be released! That would be amazing. 

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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@Paleoworld-101 True...perhaps check the index and see if it mentions the fauna of Beaumaris a bit more in-depth elsewhere?

That would be amazing!

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
-Romans 14:19

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  • 1 year later...

@Paleoworld-101 Beautiful specimens.

 

I was thinking of heading down there on Saturday, tide is going to be very low. I was just wondering which part of the cliffs you searched around? 

 

Thanks,

Daniel

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34 minutes ago, DanKurek said:

@Paleoworld-101 Beautiful specimens.

 

I was thinking of heading down there on Saturday, tide is going to be very low. I was just wondering which part of the cliffs you searched around? 

 

Thanks,

Daniel

I merely searched the pebbles on the beach either side of the Motor Yacht Squadron. Both directions will produce finds. The echinoids are very numerous on the south-west side particularly, but overall the vertebrate finds are not that easy to find. You will have to put in as much time as possible, and be able to spot the texture of bone very well because as you can see from my pictures in this thread a lot of them are just worn chunks with no recognisable bony shape. The shark teeth are more obvious, but are even rarer than the bones. Good luck!

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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A beautiful beach and awesome finds! I especially love the echinoids. Thanks for sharing! 

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Lovely report and finds. :)

Glad this thread was brought up again. 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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@Paleoworld-101 Hi. Thanks for the advice!

 

I was able to go down to Beaumaris on Sunday for two hours and found some vertebrate fossils!

The first photo is what I believe is a piece of cetacean bone and the second photo is possibly a fish jaw fragment? (The fossil on the right is the one I found on Sunday. The other fish bone fragment was found a couple months ago) Each of the fossils was 2cm long.

 

Thanks,

Daniel

DSCN8329.JPG

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@DanKurek

 

Good to hear you found some bits. The first piece certainly looks like a worn bone fragment, and although its never going to be definitively identifiable, cetacean is the most likely option. In the second photo, the piece on the left may be a teleost fish jaw bit similar to the one i posted earlier in this thread, but additional and larger photos would be needed to have better confidence. 

"In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..."

-Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas

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