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More Cretaceous Midlothian fossils

TroyB

By TroyB
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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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Hi all, here are a few teeth I've found in sifting the matrix from the Martin, Marietta Cement plant near Midlothian Texas.  It is the contact between the Austin chalk and Eagleford shale formations. Aprox. 90 million years ago, when the ocean was void of oxygen and everything died. Void because we find large amounts of Iron Pyrite everywhere there and it only forms in an oxygen depleted environment.

 

The teeth are Ptychodus whipplei, and Cretolamna appendiculata.

 

TroyB

ptychodus whipplei 01.jpg

ptychodus whipplei 02.jpg

Ptychodus whipplei03.JPG

Cretolamna appendiculata1.jpg

Cretolamna appendiculat2.JPG

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Tankman

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Auspex Regular Member

Auspex

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Black Beauties all!

How fossiliferous is that matrix?

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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For larger fossils only a few per 100 pounds, but the micros seem to be plentiful. These 5 teeth are from about 100 pounds of matrix. I brought back last trip about 400 pounds of matrix. I am in the process of sifting it 5 sizes. 1/2", 1/8", 1/16", 1mm, and what ever falls thru that. hehe

 

Can only do about 20 pounds at a time.

 

It is the black phosphate layer about 6-8" thick.

 

 

Still investigating but have found many, many, many, macro/micro teeth.

 

TroyB

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Tankman

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Walt Regular Member

Walt

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17 minutes ago, TroyB said:

sifting the matrix from the Martin, Marietta Cement plant

@TroyB, did you go in with a club, or can you go in alone?

Everything is generated through your own will power ~ Ray Bradbury
 

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Auspex Regular Member

Auspex

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Troy, bulk-sampling:

bulk sampling.gif

:P

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"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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37 minutes ago, Walt said:

@TroyB, did you go in with a club, or can you go in alone?

Hi Walt, I went with the Houston Gem and Mineral bunch.

Tankman

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Walt Regular Member

Walt

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22 minutes ago, TroyB said:

Hi Walt, I went with the Houston Gem and Mineral bunch.

Ah. Thought so. Our rock club goes also, but only once a year so I was hopeful rules had changed. Hmmmm awful lot of TFF folks in Texas and LA...wonder if they would consider us a club. (If you're listening, just joking, Mr. Moderator.  Insurance liability is the deciding factor, I'm sure :) )

Everything is generated through your own will power ~ Ray Bradbury
 

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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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2 minutes ago, Walt said:

Ah. Thought so. Our rock club goes also, but only once a year so I was hopeful rules had changed. Hmmmm awful lot of TFF folks in Texas and LA...wonder if they would consider us a club. (If you're listening, just joking, Mr. Moderator.  Insurance liability is the deciding factor, I'm sure :) )

Actually you have to sign your life away, as they, Martin Marietta, are not liable for anything. Everyone is self liable, only. hehe

 

Tankman

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Walt Regular Member

Walt

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1 minute ago, TroyB said:

Actually you have to sign your life away, as they, Martin Marietta, are not liable for anything. Everyone is self liable, only. hehe

 

Our club carries a policy in case anyone is hurt. I was told that was why they only allowed clubs.  Maybe I'll give them a call. See if they will let me in if I sgn away an old, bald life :)

Everything is generated through your own will power ~ Ray Bradbury
 

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DPS Ammonite Regular Member

DPS Ammonite

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Go there for the fossils; come away with rocks. Amazing quarry. My ammonite avatar came from there. The giant pyrite clusters and the calcite geodes are great. Join a local society such as the Dallas Paleontology Society to get in. The nearby Ash Grove Quarry also has nice calcite crystal clusters with iridescent pyrite.

IMG_0513.JPG

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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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Nice finds DPS Ammonite. Yeah, I've got several of those myself. Hard to just stick with Paleo there. hehe

 

Tankman

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sixgill pete Regular Member

sixgill pete

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Beautiful teeth. I had the opportunity a few years ago to be able to search about 5 gallons of micro matrix from that quarry. The finds were spectacular. 

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

 

image.png.0c956e87cee523facebb6947cb34e842.png May 2016  MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png.b42a25e3438348310ba19ce6852f50c1.png May 2012 IPFOTM5.png.fb4f2a268e315c58c5980ed865b39e1f.png.1721b8912c45105152ac70b0ae8303c3.png.2b6263683ee32421d97e7fa481bd418a.pngAug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png.af5065d0585e85f4accd8b291bf0cc2e.png.72a83362710033c9bdc8510be7454b66.png.9171036128e7f95de57b6a0f03c491da.png Oct 2022

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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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Here are all the Ray/Shark Dermal Denticals that I have found in the ~90 million year old Martin Marietta matrix to date. Not sure who they belong to, though.

20180917_175203.jpg

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Tankman

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TroyB Regular Member

TroyB

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On 9/17/2018 at 6:06 PM, TroyB said:

Here are all the Ray/Shark Dermal Denticals that I have found in the ~90 million year old Martin Marietta matrix to date. Not sure who they belong to, though. Scale = 0.7mm to 5mm

20180917_175203.jpg

 

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Tankman

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ynot Regular Member

ynot

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On 9/17/2018 at 4:06 PM, TroyB said:

Not sure who they belong to, though.

They are all ray or skate denticles.

Most shark denticles are much smaller  - less than 0.5 millimeter.

See this thread....

 

Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys."

Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough."

 

My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection

My favorite thread on TFF.

 

 

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