Search the Community

Hi guys, I couldn’t find any literature on the kimmeridgian derived vertebrates of the Farringdon sponge gravels, I was wondering if anyone could help me with these or point out any literature 1. hybodus or asterscanthus? Notable for very large size! I wasn’t sure if size was diagnostic enough for a species identification 2. sold as a plesiosaur tooth but I suspect fish, does have striations @pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon

Hi, Whilst collecting yesterday along the coast between Bonchurch and Luccombe, I was searching around on some accessible parts of the cliff face and came across this very nice, nearly intact ammonite in a scree slope of clay like material (@Ludwigia you were right!). The cliff is divided up between the Sandrock Fm. and the Monk's Bay Sandstone Fm. which are the upper parts of the Lower Greensand group, dating to the Albian stage of the Cretaceous. As far as I can tell it's a likely a member of the Hoplitidae, which is a very common family in the Albian strata here, however considering the fairly nice and nearly whole condition of the specimen would it be possible to ID it further to a genus or even species level? The closest match I can find is Euhoplites bucklandi but even then there are some differences. I've attached images below showing the specimen and it's keel. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Theo

Hi, Some of you may have seen my post yesterday about unexpectedly stumbling across some ammonites here in the Lower Cretaceous sandstones (Lower Greensand) on the SE Isle Of Wight, on a beach I would never have thought to look. Last night I headed back down there with the intention of properly collecting and testing how abundant this new site was. I was not disappointed. I scrambled along the rocks from Bonchurch and got down there around 7pm, (just a 10 minute walk from my house) and began to systematically scan the beach. Within about an hour I'd picked up more than 50 phragmocones and fragments of ammonites, some of which were a decent size. Phragmocones are by far the most common find, although why this is I'm not sure, possibly due to environmental energy breaking up the ammonites? As far as I can tell the ammonites are parts of nodules which are originating from a hard, glauconite rich bed at the base of the cliff meaning they seem to be from the upper most parts of the Sandrock fm. Some however also seem to come from the Monk's Bay Sandstone fm. (Carstone fm.) which overlays the Sandrock. These were laid down in a shallow sub-tropical shelf sea during the Albian stage (100-113mya), other formations of the Lower Greensand are estuarine/mud flats showing a cycle of sea level rise before the final marine incursion laid down in the Gault (which is also present here on top of the Lower Greensand). As far as species, most of the fragments seem to be members of the Hoplitidae, I've identified one as being Hoplites maritimus, although I think I'll post some up in the ID section as my ammonite knowledge isn't that great. There seems to be much larger ammonites present at the site too, as at the base of the cliff some large moulds could be seen (although the ammonites themselves were gone). There is also an abundance of large pieces of fossilised driftwood, which would likely have originated from land to NE. Needless to say it was a very productive trip (unfortunately the seal didn't return), and it's definitely rekindled my interest in the cretaceous strata here on the island and the fantastic finds it has to offer (I might even start pursuing the dinosaurs again!). If the weather holds I'll head back again this evening to continue investigating the site and the strata, I've also attached images of the finds below (including the larger moulds). The entire haul from the trip, lots of phragmocones An example of the phragmocones Some larger sections of ammonite, although I'm not sure on their ID's

Hi, I haven't been able to get out to the north coast this weekend to collect as I would normally do, so unfortunately I've got no croc teeth and mammal bones to show. However last night whilst doing some landscape photography along the coast been Bonchurch and Luccombe on the south coast of the Island, I made some pretty nice finds and had a really lucky wildlife encounter! The local bedrock here at Bonchurch are the upper formations of Lower Greensand group, including the Sandrock and Monk's Bay Sandstone Fm. (named after the beach at Bonchurch). I've always presumed the Lower Greensand on this side of the Island is fairly unfossilferous, and being an addict for the tertiary beds up north I've never really taken the time to look so close to home. But last night whilst photographing the sunset in the rockpools, I thought I'd take a little look around, and was really surprised. I searched for about 15 minutes (light was fading) and picked up 5 ammonite phragmocone casts (sorry if that's wrong I haven't properly collected ammonites for years) and 3 fragments of ammonites, one of which I've tentatively ID'd as being Euhoplites. I was pretty pleased with this I've collected ammonites before from around Ventnor but never thought of looking for them here in Bonchurch. The best 'find' of the evening however was a little bit more alive and 'mammaly'. I was picking up the ammonite fragments when I heard a loud breathing sound coming from the water, having done marine mammal surveys and been up close and personal to loads of cetaceans in the wild, I thought it sounded almost identical to a cetacean, I looked up and found myself eye to eye with a Grey Seal instead. Seals, and especially Grey Seals, are not common on the Island so seeing one on our coasts was really lucky! I only had my wide angle lens so the photos are pretty (very) bad quality, but I'm planning on heading down there again this evening with my telephoto, to collect more ammonites, and see if he's still in the area. Overall not a bad trip aha! The ammonite finds, phragmocones and fragments. Euhoplites s.p? The Grey Seal, watching me suspiciously.

Rhynchonella parvirostris found on the beach in Shanklin Isle of Wight, just past Fishermans Cottage. It took me ages to identify them but glad I took the time as it seems they have only ever been found in two locations on the Isle of Wight. I have left one in matrix as I think it should look great with gentle polish. Taxon Name Rhynchonella parvirostris Taxonomy • Kingdom - Animalia • Phylum - Brachiopoda • Subphylum - Rhynchonelliformea • Class - Rhynchonellata • Order - Rhynchonellida • Family - Rhynchonellidae • Genus - Rhynchonella • Species Name - parvirostris Geospatial Information • Continent - Europe • Country - UK • State - England • District - Isle of Wight • Nearest Named Place - Little Atherfield & Shanklin (Mine) • Era - Mesozoic • Period - Cretaceous • Epoch - Early • Stage - Aptian-Albian • Geological group - Lower Greensand Group