January 2014 Finds Of The Month

[JohnJ]

It's a new year and a fresh start for many fossil hunters. Carefully read the rules below and submit your fantastic finds!

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 January 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.
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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.

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!

[nils]

Hi everyone!

My first try at this contest

My nominee for the vertebrate fossil of the month is a partly preserved skull of an unknown osteichthyan fish, maybe a Lungfish (Dipnoi)..
I´ve found this cool fossil on January 5th in the Eifel-Hills, Germany. Its age is Middle Devonian, Givetian. Size of specimen is about 7 cm wide and about 7 cm long.

A: view from above on the skull, B: angular view on the front, C: view on the palatal region with showing some teeth, D: angular view on the palatal region

Nils

I added two more images:
The first shows the cleaned, unprepared nodule. The drawings on the surface mark the suspected position.
The second picture shows the cracked nodule before preparation.

Edited January 14, 2014 by nils

[garyc]

This is my first attempt at VFOTM! I found this plate of glyptodon osteoderms on January 10, 2014. This is a surface find from a gravel bar on the Brazos River in SE Texas. It is pleistocene in age. This plate measures 17.8cm by 14cm and contains 14 complete or nearly complete osteoderms.

[TMNH]

Well, the vertebrate side of this contest is looking great so far! I guess I will start it off for the inverts. This is the nearly 12" long (29.5 cm) Isotelus maximus trilobite I finished preparing early in the month. It is from the Late Ordovician Georgian Bay Formation. I already posted the story of it's discovery and prep here: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/43260-isotelus-the-big-one/

Here are some photos of the trilobite, including one at the time of discovery in the field and one of the negative impression which I also saved and repaired.

Edited January 13, 2014 by TMNH

[Ash]

January's gunna be a good one..

[Caleb]

Here in Wisconsin winter time is prep time. This is a cephalopod I found in Sept. of 2012 and just now had prepped. This specimen is fully inflated with the living chamber preserved.

Westonoceras minnesotense (Clark, 1897)

Cephalopod

Galena Formation, Prosser member

Upper Ordovician

Southeast Minnesota

Found: Sept. 9 2012

Prep completed: Jan. 12 2014

As found:

Prepped free-standing

Front:

Right side:

Left side:

Edited January 21, 2014 by Caleb

[Doctor Mud]

I found this Penguin Humerus (upper flipper bone) last month while on a trip to New Zealand. I finished prepping it this week.

Penguin Humerus (undetermined genus)

Otekaike Limestone

Late Oligocene

South Island

New Zealand

Found December 2013

Prep completed 12th January 2014

Some background information:

Here's an image to show you where this bone is placed in the flipper:

This was probably quite a large penguin. Here's a picture comparing the penguin humerus fragment I found with a complete example

from a Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor)

Edited January 14, 2014 by Doctor Mud

[MikeR]

January's gunna be a good one..

It's going to be a tough one...

[Adron]

hello everyone,

The year starts very good for me. Yesterday I found an ultra rare tooth in my matrix of Antwerp. It's the most spectacular tooth in my collection up to now.

Oxynotus centrina

found in Antwerp, Belgium

Pliocene age

size: 0.5 cm

date: 18th January

Only a few teeth were found there, I'm one of the lucky ones

greetings

Aaron

Edited January 19, 2014 by Adron

[TyrannosaurusRex]

Well this REALLY is going to be a great month.

Here is my find:

Ammonite (unknown species) found 1/11/14

Found in Rankin Tx.

It is 1 cm measured from top to bottom

Edited January 19, 2014 by TyrannosaurusRex

[bruce]

Here is a Pulalius vulgaris crab from the Lincoln Creek Formation, 30 MYO, showing its ventral side. I found it in October, 2011 in a stream bed and it was originally the size of a bowling ball but water had eroded the top 2/3 away, including the top carapace, one of the claws, and portions of the side legs. When I broke it open, I found only an large intact claw. Because it was difficult, I was hesitant to prep it at the time and put it away until now and was completed on Jan 17. You can see traces of pyrite on the abdomen.

Edited January 22, 2014 by bruce

[MarleysGh0st]

That's awesome, Bruce!

[matt cable]

Beautiful prep job, Bruce!

[fossilcrazy]

Here is a Pulalius vulgaris crab from the Lincoln Creek Formation, 30 MYO, showing its ventral side. I found it in October, 2011 in a stream bed and it was originally the size of a bowling ball but water had eroded the top 2/3 away, including the top carapace, one of the claws, and portions of the side legs. When I broke it open, I found only an large intact claw. Because it was difficult, I was hesitant to prep it at the time and put it away until now. You can see traces of pyrite on the abdomen.

I just feel like giving your crab a "high five". Definitely a different pose from other prepped Lincoln Creek crabs.

I didn't realize the time and patience it takes to prep those crab nodules until I tried it; and that was with just one side exposed!

[FossilForKids]

I guess my fully rooted baby Desmostylus found January 9 th in Bakersfield in the Round Mountain silt is my entry. It is rare beautiful a nd miraculously intact.

[Malcolmt]

The crab is a work of art!!!!!!

[FossilForKids]

I wanted to add this picture of the crown

[cowsharks]

Here is a Pulalius vulgaris crab from the Lincoln Creek Formation, 30 MYO, showing its ventral side. I found it in October, 2011 in a stream bed and it was originally the size of a bowling ball but water had eroded the top 2/3 away, including the top carapace, one of the claws, and portions of the side legs. When I broke it open, I found only an large intact claw. Because it was difficult, I was hesitant to prep it at the time and put it away until now and was completed on Jan 17. You can see traces of pyrite on the abdomen.

Wow. I can't imagine how difficult it was to prep around the claw and legs. Awesome job and specimen for your collection.

[MarcoSr]

hello everyone,

The year starts very good for me. Yesterday I found an ultra rare tooth in my matrix of Antwerp. It's the most spectacular tooth in my collection up to now.

Oxynotus centrina

found in Antwerp, Belgium

Pliocene age

size: 0.5 cm

date: 18th January

Only a few teeth were found there, I'm one of the lucky ones

greetings

Aaron

DSC_0416.JPGDSC_0418.JPG

Most folks won't appreciate how rare and the great condition of your tooth. I would have been extremely happy finding that tooth.

Marco Sr.

[MarcoSr]

I wanted to add this picture of the crown

John

Awesome tooth! I heard your yells of joy when you found it all the way in Virginia.

Marco Sr.

[hokiehunter]

Are you kidding me? I'm supposed to actually choose one of these and Busyeagle hasn't even submitted his rostrum yet? Ugh!!!

Great stuff to all that have submitted. In my opinion you've collectively made this one of the hardest decisions this contest has ever had to make.

[espeton]

Lower Isurus Hastalis found in the East quarry in Sharktooth Hill (California) this Sunday January 19th. The size is 3.25 inches.

[nils]

Fantastic fossils here, it's gonna be a thrill this time!

Luckily there is no loser in this contest, everyone already got his personal FOTM.

[Doctor Mud]

Fantastic fossils here, it's gonna be a thrill this time!

Luckily there is no loser in this contest, everyone already got his personal FOTM.

You bet ya!

That's the spirit! Great to have a fossil to be proud of and share it with like minded people.

FOTM kudos would always be fun though too

[hokiehunter]

Lower Isurus Hastalis found in the East quarry in Sharktooth Hill (California) this Sunday January 19th. The size is 3.25 inches.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! That is one of the nicest Hastalis lowers I have ever seen. Incredible find and welcome to the 3" Mako club.

This month is just straight ridiculous in terms of the rarity and quality of the fossils that have been found. Can't wait to see what else pops up. Still a few more days though at this point I might have to slow my prep down if I found something FOTM worthy....