KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Over Labor Day weekend, I took some of my friends and we went fossil hunting at my favorite location, Castle Rock. We also made stops at Monument Rocks and the Keystone Gallery. We had tons of fun (the prairie is beautiful at this time of year!) I found some VERY interesting and rare finds! The first picture is an Apsopelix that was found in the upper chalk. This is a very nice skull, as this species is somewhat rare. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Ok, that's cool. I've probably found dime-sized pieces of that fish.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 I had been hunting for less than five minutes, when my father called me over and showed me a fish bone sticking out of the rock. I walked over and instantly noticed a giant clam that had several Kansius fossil fish eroding from inside it, just above the bone he showed me. It's not a case of the clam eating the fish, but rather the fish would hide inside the giant clams to escape predators (some clams could reach more than 4 feet in diameter). The sea bottom was probably muddy and pretty flat at the time, so the clams would have offered a good hiding place. Clams are among the most common fossils in the Niobrara formation, however little fish are incredibly rare. The details of the fish are amazing, almost every scale is preserved. After several hours of digging, I was able to free a 150 pound chunk of rock containing about 45 fish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Here are some scenery pictures, it was beautiful out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh-Man Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 That's awesome - those little fish a great and the skull, too!!! What is geology? "Rocks for Jocks!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 A mass fish grave.. Amazes me.. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 It was about 3:30 and we were about ready to go home, when I decided to make one last run to one of the places where there were some clams that might have fish in them. As soon as I arrived at the spot, I saw a couple Omasoma eroding out, so I began to dig them out. When I noticed that there was a separation layer that was very close to the clam, but it was too late. The clam broke into about three pieces. I flipped over piece of the top shell, and there it was . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilnoob Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Wow, how awesome! That first fish is spectacular. Jealous here,LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 An eel! There have only been about 3 eels ever discovered from this entire formation, in 2010, I found the second. This third eel was partial, it was only the tail half (not as good as my first which was nearly complete) but it had the tail which was not documented in either the first or second. This was the best fossil hunt ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Th fish skull looks like it might be complete if the matrix comes off? Excellent finds! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 An eel! You are killing me over here.. Congratulations! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeDOTB Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Great finds and great trip report, thanks for posting! DO, or do not. There is no try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Here's the first eel I collected. I donated it to the Sternberg Museum in Hays. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Here's the first eel I collected. I donated it to the Sternberg Museum in Hays. What a fantastic find.. That may be the first fossil eel I have seen up close.. It's mouth is wide open.. Makes one wonder if it was getting ready to eat or something else.. They don't get any better than that.. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Wow! Mass mortality plate and an Eel!!! Fantastic! Congratulations! Thanks for posting them. Regards, 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...
West4me Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Wow, I am going to have to head out to Kansas, bit of a drive though "You have to listen. It is under the rocks." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyersfan805 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Route 70 here I come!!! great finds, the eel is crazy. I've not thought about it much but honestly have never heard of finding an eel. Really excited for you. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Nice eel. Didn't you find another big clam full of fish back in September? I thought I saw it in the FOTM. You must have a heck of a spot for fish-in-clams. For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 What a trip! Thanks for showing us these wonderful chalk fossils (they really have a special look of their own), and congratulations on your terrific finds! "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Wow! Never found a single fish in a clam. I love those. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KansasFossilHunter Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Thanks for the comments everyone! This is my first major post, I hope to add some other finds in the comming weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Fantastic finds, know everyone wishes they were close to the area you hunt --Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickNC Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Wow. When I think of Kansas I don't picture scenery like that. Wonderful finds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taxman56 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Nice fish finds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Finally, the story behind the September VFOTM entry. Big shells holding little shells I've seen, but not a school of fish. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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