October 2013 Finds Of The Month

[JohnJ]

As the weather cools for many of our members, more trips afield are sure bring new discoveries. Let see your best find!

Please remember that we recently introduced another qualification to the current rules. Make a note of 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 luck to all and good hunting!

Entries will be taken through October 31st. 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.

3. Your Fossil must have been found during the Month of the Contest, or significant Preparation of your Fossil must have been completed during the Month of the Contest.

4. You must include the Date of your Discovery or the Date of Preparation Completion.

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. 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. The maximum entries allowed by the Polling software will be selected for each contest by the staff.

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.

Within a few days, we will know the two winning Finds of the Month! Now, go find your fossil, do your research, and make an entry!

[Carcharodontosaurus]

Not much, but here goes...

Common/scientific name: Indeterminate shark tooth (possibly Odontaspis,or Scapanorhynchus?) with associated belemnite.

Date of discovery: October 6, 2013.

Age: 83-65 million years.

Location: Mikonui Stream, Oaro, South Island, New Zealand.

This is my first truly self-found shark tooth.

UPDATE: Better pictures.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Carcharodontosaurus

[JohnJ]

Not much, but here goes...

Common/scientific name: Indeterminate shark tooth (possibly Odontaspis,or Scapanorhynchus?) with associated belemnite.

Date of discovery: October 6, 2013.

Age: 83-65 million years.

Location: Mikonui Stream, Oaro, South Island, New Zealand.

This is my first truly self-found shark tooth.

Finding your first tooth is a cool experience.

Could you please try to get better photos for entry into the contest.

[cowsharks]

Not much, but here goes...

Common/scientific name: Indeterminate shark tooth (possibly Odontaspis,or Scapanorhynchus?) with associated belemnite.

Date of discovery: October 6, 2013.

Age: 83-65 million years.

Location: Mikonui Stream, Oaro, South Island, New Zealand.

This is my first truly self-found shark tooth.

pictur 183.jpg

Congrats on finding your 1st shark tooth. Hopefully you can continue to add even more of these to your collection.

[Carcharodontosaurus]

Hopefully these are better.

I just found out that there are two more tiny teeth on the other side of the rock as well.

[Sylvestersen]

This is my first attempt to preparate one of the nodules from Lyby strand. This species of snail is rather common on this location.The material was quite easy to work with and the result is better then i hoped for, so I might try with at bigger challenge next time, may be a nodule with a crab.

Found this back in 2011.
Preparation Completet: October 10.
Name: Phalium (Echinophoria) rondeleti
Age: Oligocene
Location: Lyby Strand (Lyby Beach) - Denmark

[Ludwigia]

Very nice specimen and nicely prepared!

[sixgill pete]

Very nice specimen and nicely prepared!

I second that!! A superb job for your first time.

[FossilDudeCO]

wow, fantastic prep work! congrats, nice find

[Fossil Foilist]

Gonna be a good month!

[MarcoSr]

This is my first attempt to preparate one of the nodules from Lyby strand. This species of snail is rather common on this location.The material was quite easy to work with and the result is better then i hoped for, so I might try with at bigger challenge next time, may be a nodule with a crab.

IMG_2435.jpg IMG_0007_1.JPG IMG_0008_1.jpg

Found this back in 2011.

Preparation Completet: October 10.

Name: Phalium (Echinophoria) rondeleti

Age: Oligocene

Location: Lyby Strand (Lyby Beach) - Denmark

Wow really nice prep! How long did it take? What did you use to prep it? I have a bunch of crab nodules from Virginia and wonder if I should attempt to prep them. Although the nodule material is probably different from your nodule material which might make it a lot more difficult to prep my nodules.

Marco Sr.

[Sylvestersen]

Wow really nice prep! How long did it take? What did you use to prep it? I have a bunch of crab nodules from Virginia and wonder if I should attempt to prep them. Although the nodule material is probably different from your nodule material which might make it a lot more difficult to prep my nodules.

Marco Sr.

Hi

Thanks for the nice words. I was quite lucky with this one. It only took me 3-4 hours with a Pneumatic Preparation pen, and a little work with a hammer, a chisel and a angel grinder. I will not recommend using a hammer and a chisel for this type of work. I startet out with the engraving pen, but soon realised that there were some natural weaknesses inside the nodule and I took the chance with the hammer. 60-80% of the matrix was removed this way.

If your are thinking about how to prep one of your nodules, take a look at this thread.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/4895-fossil-crabs-and-diverses-from-lybystrand/?hl=lyby

[masonboro37]

I will give it a go for October.

This is a crab carapace found on October 4, 2013 . The carapace was found in the Castle Hayne Formation, North Carolina, USA. This is an Eocene carapace and is intact. There is a little crack in it, but does not bother me. I am just happy to have found it in the area and shared the find that day with friends. The carapace is a Paleocarpilius species, which is extinct. The carapace is so fragile I have not really attempted to prep it except for some areas of matrix and then the adoral aspect which had green moss on it. I did clean it with water and a very fine tooth brush. I was so excited to find this carapace, so pretty and hidden away. It was under a bunch of weeds and I just happened to look there. I have posted some pictures of the carapace.

Third pic right when I found it.

Paleocarpilius species

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Libby

Edited October 18, 2013 by masonboro37

[JohnJ]

That's a beautiful little crab, Libby.

[MarcoSr]

Hi

Thanks for the nice words. I was quite lucky with this one. It only took me 3-4 hours with a Pneumatic Preparation pen, and a little work with a hammer, a chisel and a angel grinder. I will not recommend using a hammer and a chisel for this type of work. I startet out with the engraving pen, but soon realised that there were some natural weaknesses inside the nodule and I took the chance with the hammer. 60-80% of the matrix was removed this way.

If your are thinking about how to prep one of your nodules, take a look at this thread.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/4895-fossil-crabs-and-diverses-from-lybystrand/?hl=lyby

Thank you for the information and the link. I may try to prep one of my really damaged crabs that way if I really mess up I won't feel too bad.

Marco Sr.

[Sgt.K]

Awesome stuff so far!

[masonboro37]

That's a beautiful little crab, Libby.

Thanks John! This was an unexpected little find.

[Evgeny Kotelevsky]

Category: Invertebrate

Discovery Date: 5.10.2013 (Oct. 5)

Preparation Completion Date: 8.10.2013 (Oct. 10)

Name: Coeloptychium agaricoides

Class: Hexactinellida

Age: K₂st (Upper Cretaceous, Santonian)

Location: Saratov, Russian Federation

Note: This is a 3D model - please, open!!!

[Scylla]

Nice sponge! Spectacular presentation too.

[Evgeny Kotelevsky]

Nice sponge! Spectacular presentation too.

Thanks ))))

[piranha]

Category: Invertebrate

Discovery Date: 5.10.2013 (Oct. 5)

Preparation Completion Date: 8.10.2013 (Oct. 10)

Name: Coeloptychium agaricoides

Class: Hexactinellida

Age: K₂st (Upper Cretaceous, Santonian)

Location: Saratov, Russian Federation

Note: This is a 3D model - please, open!!!

Spectacular Spinning Sponge!

[Evgeny Kotelevsky]

Spectacular Spinning Sponge!

Thanks )))))

[Bev]

I'm going to throw my Conulariid in for October!

Conulariid

Ordovician

Galena Formation

Near Wykoff, MN

Found on Oct. 3rd and IDed here:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/41165-neat-fossil-but-totally-clueless/

Here is the overview of the rock.

More on the find on my Fossil Adventure Journal here:

http://www.bluffcountryfossils.com/blog/conulariid-a-fairly-rare-find/

Edited October 21, 2013 by Bev

[astron]

Hello all.

My entry for this month:

Fish gills of undetermined species.

Length 55 mm

Late pliocene (2.6 mya)

Iraklion, Crete, Greece.

Found on 11 Oct.

Edited October 25, 2013 by astron

[Caleb]

Here's my entry that turned out to be a surprise. When I collected it I thought it was an Anataphrus, I'm quite pleased it turned out to be otherwise.

Trilobite

Thaleops laurentiana

Galena Formation, Prosser member

Late Ordovician

Southeast Minnesota

Size: 37mm long

Collected: June 8th (Trip report here)

Prepped: October 27

Edited October 27, 2013 by Caleb