Fossildude19 Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 The astounding finds of this Forum's members continually amaze me - It seems as if the voting choices get a bit harder, every month. Please take the time to post your best find or finds of the current month here, where they will be voted upon by the rest of the membership! Good luck, and Happy Hunting! Remember...carefully read the rules below, make sure you include all the required information, and submit your fossil! If you have a question about a possible entry, please send me a PM. Please pay special attention to Rule #5: Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for Prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. In addition to keeping the contest fair, this new qualification will encourage better documentation of our spectacular past finds. Best of success to all, and good hunting!Entries will be taken until midnight on June 30th. Please let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for sharing more of your fossils and research this month.To view the Winning Fossils from past contests visit the Find Of The Month Winner's Gallery. ____________________________________________________________________________________Rules for The Fossil Forum's Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month Contests 1. You find a great Vertebrate Fossil or Invertebrate/Plant Fossil! Only fossils found by you. 2. Post your entry in the Find of the Month topic. Use a separate post for each entry. (Only two entries per contest category.) 3. Your Fossil must have been found during the Month of the Contest, or most of the significant Preparation of your Fossil must have been completed during the Month of the Contest. 4. You must include the Date of your Discovery (when found in the contest month); or the Date of Preparation Completion and Discovery date (if not found in the contest month). 5. Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. 6. You must include the common or scientific name. 7. You must include the Geologic Age or Geologic Formation where the Fossil was found. 8. You must include the State, Province, or region where the Fossil was found. 9. Play fair and honest. No bought fossils. No false claims. Shortly after the end of the Month, separate Polls will be created for the Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month. In addition to the fun of a contest, we also want to learn more about the fossils. So, only entries posted with a CLEAR photo and that meet the other guidelines will be placed into the Poll. Photos of the winning specimens may be posted to TFF's Facebook page. In a few days, after the votes are tallied, and the Polls for both categories are closed, we will know the two winning Finds of the Month for May, 2017 ! Now, go find your fossil, do your research, and make an entry! Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 (edited) Well it's very quiet here so I'll submit the first IPFOTM for June 2017. For your viewing pleasure I present a terror of the ancient Miocene seas that is also the state fossil of Maryland and one of the first fossils to be classified in the USA. This is an invertebrate and therefore not the dastardly Megalodon but rather the mighty and feared Ecphora snail! These little sea terrors were hypothesized to have burrowed holes into scallops and oysters and suck out their insides. Large Ecphora are very difficult to find intact. The last nine large Ecphora I had recovered where broken in multiple locations. This particular shell didn't require much preparation to uncover the fossil but it did have some cracks so I had to lock those up with super glue and then cleaned off the sand with a light brush. The result is a dark maroon red shell. Here's some information: Location: Calvert Cliffs (Maryland) Formation: Choptank Age: Miocene (15 MYA) Size: slighty over 1.7 inches in diameter Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Family: Muricidae Genus: Ecphora Species: E. gardnerae Before preparation the shell is buried in hard sandstone. The sand was carefully removed with a dental pick. After preparation: Edited June 8, 2017 by Fossil-Hound SailingAlongToo noted these may not have been predatory. Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 14 minutes ago, Fossil-Hound said: These little sea terrors would burrow holes into scallops and oysters and suck out their insides. I'm curious if you have any reference documentation to support this statement? I know it has been hypothesized but I haven't seen anything scientific supporting it was Ecphora over any other fossilized snail. Obviously, something "drilled" many of the various fossilized shells we find in VA, NC & MD and got the "goodies" inside. On a side note, I've always wondered how many bites it would take for us consume a large Chesapecten or Ecphora. The Chesapecten would have been the ultimate "scallop po-boy"!! 1 Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 52 minutes ago, SailingAlongToo said: I'm curious if you have any reference documentation to support this statement? I know it has been hypothesized but I haven't seen anything scientific supporting it was Ecphora over any other fossilized snail. Obviously, something "drilled" many of the various fossilized shells we find in VA, NC & MD and got the "goodies" inside. On a side note, I've always wondered how many bites it would take for us consume a large Chesapecten or Ecphora. The Chesapecten would have been the ultimate "scallop po-boy"!! Indeed the scallops from a Chesapecten must have been very tasty due to their large size or if you prefer escargot a large Ecphora should do. I suppose there are mixed opinions on this subject and I updated the original posting to note this theory, but I would strongly opt that this did in fact occur because we see it in modern predatory gastropods albeit as you mentioned there is no hard evidence that Ecphora were predatory. Another argument is that the number of Ecphora in proportion to potential prey is much smaller and this is also a common trait in ecosystems where your apex predators are fewer in number. Just think about all the Great Whites out there preying on seals. I would wager there are ten seals for every Great White but that's just a wild guess. There are certainly more prey items compared to lions in Africa. The list goes on. Here's some additional information: https://calvertmarinemuseumpaleontology.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/daily-fossil-photo-giant-predatory-snail/ Another claim: http://paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=time_space§ionnav=state&name=Maryland On the MGS there is no such claim: http://www.mgs.md.gov/geology/fossils/maryland_state_fossil_shell_fs.html Now what you are alluding to is on page 16 of the below link and the last paragraph of the essay which points out: "Despite intensive study, we do not understand fully all the factors that influence drilling predation and in turn its effect on evolution. Ongoing work is examining spatial variation in drilling; the relationship between predation intensity and diversity, and between predation and degree of escalation of faunas; the effect of multiple predators on predation intensities; and whether different species of predators can be discriminated by the holes they drill. The Miocene faunas of Maryland will continue to play a key role in such work." http://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com/DocumentCenter/View/630 Here is another source that doesn't mention burrowing or predation by the snail: http://www.priweb.org/about.php?page=who_we_are/ecphora_history 2 Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 My entry may seem a bit out of place, but this find is a MAGNIFICENT one. It is a trip maker 10 times over for me, even with all of the fish I have seen and dug out this one takes the cake. Grande, L. (1984): PALEONTOLOGY OF THE GREEN RIVER FORMATION, WITH A REVIEW OF THE FISH FAUNA. THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WYOMING, BULLETIN 63 States that Amphiplaga brachyptera makes up an less than 1% of the total fish population in Fossil Lake. My find was a Juvenile Amphiplaga brachyptera. They are found primarily in just 2 quarries of the Kemmerer area, exclusively in the split fish layers. 4 years ago I found an adult that reached the upper size limits of the species at 133mm, this juvenile can sit beside him proudly at a whopping 31,5mm! Thanks everyone for your considerations on this rare find! Discovery Date: June 3rd, 2017 Name: Amphiplaga brachyptera Age: Eocene 55myo Location: Kemmerer, Wyoming (USA) Size: 31,5mm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerogrower Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Great finds so far congrats guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleoworld-101 Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 I'll add a couple fish of my own for VFOTM. Two nice examples of the Australian Jurassic fish Cavenderichthys talbragarensis, one of the earliest known teleosts. Collected on the 12th of June (legally i might add, i say this because anyone familiar with the site knows it is otherwise protected) and prepped today. Species: Cavenderichthys talbragarensis Formation: Purlawaugh (but this is debated, definitive stratigraphic context is not actually confirmed for this site) Location: Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia Age: Upper Jurassic (about 151 Ma) "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleoworld-101 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Second fish entry! I call it: "7 Jurassic sardines in a can"! I have tried to outline the 7 fish, in varying levels of completeness, as best as i could. Collected on the 12th of June like the previous entry. Species: Cavenderichthys talbragarensis Formation: Purlawaugh Location: Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia Age: Upper Jurassic (about 151 Ma) "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JarrodB Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Now I wish I had a fish to enter. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Hummm, something seems a little fishy about this months entries! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted June 19, 2017 Share Posted June 19, 2017 22 hours ago, caldigger said: Hummm, something seems a little fishy about this months entries! 1 Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted June 19, 2017 Share Posted June 19, 2017 This little tooth may be "business as usual" for some, but I was very happy to find it and I'm pretty sure it will be my personal VFOTM. Thanks to Ash Hendrick for being and excellent and generous field guide. Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) (40mm/1.6 inches) Rushmere Member, Yorktown Formation Edgecombe County, NC Collected June 10, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted June 19, 2017 Share Posted June 19, 2017 Also recovered on the same trip as the Carcharodon tooth was this lovely 2 1/2 inch tall Ecphora quadricostata (Say, 1824). Rushmere Member, Yorktown Formation Edgecombe County, NC Collected June 10, 2017 Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenJD Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Fish seems to be the theme for the vertebrate entries this month, so i'll throw a fish tail in... Date found: June 17, 2017 Name: Ichthyodectid Formation: Britton (Eagle Ford Group) Age: Upper Cretaceous Location: Dallas County, Texas, U.S.A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt126 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 This is my first submission for fossil of the month, so please let me know if you need more information.... VFOTM Location: Glendive, Montana Date found: June 15th Geological Formation: Hell Creek Formation, Cretaceous Species and fossil: Unknown Dinosaur Tendon(most likely hadrosaur or triceratops) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 On 6/21/2017 at 3:56 PM, smt126 said: This is my first submission for fossil of the month, so please let me know if you need more information.... VFOTM Location: Glendive, Montana Date found: June 15th Geological Formation: Hell Creek Formation, Cretaceous Species and fossil: Unknown Dinosaur Tendon(most likely hadrosaur or triceratops. Would it be possible to retake the photo on a clear background? The tin foil is distracting a bit from the specimen. (A white background might really help bring out the contrast here). ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt126 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 This one doesn't have a chance against the other guys posted this month, but it was something that didn't really need prepping and a nice size bivalve. I should have included an actual measurement based tool, but it's probably about 5" at its longest. IFOTM Location: 10 miles south of Glendive, Montana in the OHV park Found: June 18th Geological Formation: Pierre Shale, Cretaceous Specimen: I'm not sure of the species, but pretty sure the genus is Inoceramus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 On 6/20/2017 at 6:39 PM, StevenJDennis said: Fish seems to be the theme for the vertebrate entries this month, so i'll throw a fish tail in... Date found: June 17, 2017 Name: Ichthyodectid Formation: Britton (Eagle Ford Group) Age: Upper Cretaceous Location: Dallas County, Texas, U.S.A. Is there a tale for this fossil? "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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenJD Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 6 minutes ago, Ash said: Is there a tale for this fossil? This weekend me and my dad decided to go check out a spot that looked like it had potential, and looked for a while but didn't find much. I thought I covered pretty much the whole area, so decided to start heading back to the vehicle. As I was walking back, I spotted this tail. With a lot of area to cover, it can be easy to miss things....even something this big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Love it. Looks so weird just brings tail sitting there! Like..where's the rest? "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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 2 hours ago, Ash said: Love it. Looks so weird just brings tail sitting there! Like..where's the rest? Likely inside a mosasaur. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenJD Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 yeah definitely wish the rest was there, but scratched all around and found nothing else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt126 Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Here's my 2nd entry for IFOTM. It's a Meta Sequoia Pine Cone we found about a half hour before leaving Montana. I thought it was one of the nicer preserved ones I've seen. Location: Glendive Montana on Baisch's Dinosaur Ranch Date Found: June 19th, 2017 Geological Info: Hell creek Specimen: Meta Sequoia Pine Cone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 Just finished to prep Date found: october 2016 Location: Lusk, Wyoming Formation: White River Name: Oreodont and maybe Daphoenus http://www.paleotheque.fr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share Posted June 23, 2017 21 minutes ago, caterpillar said: Just finished to prep Date found: october 2016 Location: Lusk, Wyoming Formation: White River Name: Oreodont and maybe Daphoenus Oh my! That is a SPECTAULAR fossil! That'll be tough to beat! Congratulations on the exquisite find and prep! Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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