June 2022 - Finds of the Month Entries

[digit]

REMINDER: PLEASE carefully read ALL of the rules below.

Make sure you include all the required information, IN THE REQUESTED FORMAT (below) when you submit your fossil! 

If you have a question about a possible entry, please send me a PM.

Please pay special attention to 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.

Entries will be taken until 11:59:00 PM EDT on JUNE 30, 2022

Any fossil submitted after that time, even if the topic is still open, will be deemed ineligible! 

 

Only entries posted with CLEAR photos and that meet the other guidelines will be placed into the Poll. 

Photos of the winning specimens may be posted to TFF's Facebook page.

 

Please let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for sharing more of your fossils and research this month.

 

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. 

Tell us more about your fossil, and why you think it is worthy of the honor. 

To view the Winning Fossils from past contests visit the Find Of The Month Winner's Gallery.

 

Now, go find your fossil, do your research, and make an entry!
Best of success to all, and good hunting!

 

***********************************

Rules for The Fossil Forum's Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month Contests

1. Find a great Vertebrate Fossil or Invertebrate/Plant Fossil! Only fossils found personally by you are allowed. NO PURCHASED FOSSILS.
2. Post your entry in the Find of the Month topic. Use a separate post for each entry. (Only two entries per member per contest category.)
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 Discovery (when found in the contest month); or the Date of Preparation Completion and Date of Discovery (if not found in the contest month).
5. Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. Please make sure you arrange for photos if someone else is preparing your fossil find and completes the prep requirements in the contest month.
6. You must include the Common and/or Scientific Name.
7. You must include the Geologic Age or Geologic Formation where the fossil was found.
8. You must include the State, Province, or region where the fossil was found.
9. You must include CLEAR, cropped, well-lit images (maximum 4 images). If you are proud enough of your fossil to submit it for FOTM, spend some time to take good photos to show off your fossil.
10. Play fair and honest. No bought fossils. No false claims.

 

* Significant Preparation = Substantial work to reveal and/or repair important diagnostic features, resulting in a dramatic change in the look of the fossil. The qualification of Significant Preparation is decided at the discretion of staff. Any doubts as to the eligibility of the entry will be discussed directly with the entrant.

 

******* Please use the following format for the required information: *******

• Date of Discovery  (month, day, year) 

• Scientific and/or Common Name

• Geologic Age or Geologic Formation

• State, Province, or Region Found

• Photos of Find

 

 

(Please limit to 4 clear, cropped, and well-lit images.)

(If prepped, before and after photos are required, please.)

[frankh8147]

I'll get us started this month! Here is my Enchodus jaw section with a roughly 2-inch long fang. Usually the fangs are broken off but I got really lucky with this one!

 

Date of discovery: 6/7/22

Enchodus jaw section with fang

Late Cretaceous

Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA

 

 

[digit]

Very cool!....and we're rolling for June.

 

Half a month left--get your entries in.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[A.C.]

Trying my luck at another PA Eurypterid!

 

Date of Discovery  (month, day, year) 2022-06-18

Scientific and/or Common Name:  Eurypterus sp. (Likely E. remipes) "Sea Scorpion"

Geologic Age or Geologic Formation: Upper Silurian

State, Province, or Region Found: Pennsylvania, USA

 

 

[Mioplosus_Lover24]

Found this my first week at American Fossil! My first ever aspiration, and a REALLY rare one at that! I've had lot's of other cool finds, but I'm going to wait to see if I can find something really special.

 

 

 

Date of Discovery: 6/01/22

Hypsiprisca sp. + Unidetified Percoid (Priscacara or Hypsiprisca)

Age: Middle Eocene

Location: Kemmerer, Wyoming

 

[Dimitris]

Hi everyone! That's my first find of that kind of fossils. I consider it quite good, since this gastropod is listed as endemic, therefore, it can be found only there.

 

 

The cleaning process finished on 20th. Stabilization of the fragile gastropods and leaves was made with Revinex ®, a sealant for cement. The light brown/reddish elements on the shells are result of iron oxides and not remnant of colorization of the shell itself. Overall dimensions are 4"X4.5"X2.5"

 

@laiosx was there, among three more friends. Last picture shows me holding the sample, Laios on the right, one friend not very visible due to high vegetation, one with turned back and the photographer. I really enjoyed both the trip and the cleaning process.

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery: 18th of June

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Viviparus lacedaemoniorum. Endemic freshwater gastropod. Two leaves imprints I am not able to identify. One might be poplar sp.

• Geologic Age or Geologic Formation: Pliocene to early Pleistocene 

• State, Province, or Region Found: Southern Greece, Peloponnese, Lakonia province.

 

 

[Nimravis]

I figured that I would put this piece up for VFOM. Here is a rare fossil from the Mazon Creek fossil fauna.

 

 

 

Date Found: 1992

Date Opened: 6-11-22

Scientific and/or Common Name: Mazonova helmichnus (Amphibian Eggs)

Geologic Age and/or Formation: Carboniferous / Francis Creek Shale 

State, Province Found: Pit 11 (Mazon Creek)  Braidwood, Illinois 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[digit]

34 minutes ago, Nimravis said:

I figured that I would put this piece up for VFOM. Here is a rare fossil from the Mazon Creek fossil fauna.

 

Date Found: 1992

 

Date Opened: 6-11-22

Now that's what I call persistence in terms of staying the course with lots of freeze-thaw cycles.

 

Glad to see that this one finally popped and revealed something out of the ordinary.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Nimravis]

30 minutes ago, digit said:

Now that's what I call persistence in terms of staying the course with lots of freeze-thaw cycles.

 

Glad to see that this one finally popped and revealed something out of the ordinary.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

No freeze thaw here Ken. Like 99% of my concretions, they have just sat in buckets and I have been whacking them open with a hammer. This year I only put out 3 buckets to freeze / thaw and not one concretion opened. 

[digit]

8 hours ago, Nimravis said:

No freeze thaw here Ken. Like 99% of my concretions, they have just sat in buckets and I have been whacking them open with a hammer. This year I only put out 3 buckets to freeze / thaw and not one concretion opened. 

I remember hearing about one Mazon Creek collector who lived near that well known Lagerstätte and had a backyard with something like 100 5-gallon buckets. He would worth through a bucket now and then (when we wasn't busy collecting more concretions and filling additional buckets ) and would remove and concretions that had split from natural weathering. It generally took several years before he visited each bucket so they experienced a few natural freeze-thaw cycles just sitting outside in his yard. I still have a small container of concretions from 3+ years ago that continue to make visits to my freezer but have stubbornly resisted showing me what is inside them. Some are long and cigar shaped and most certainly contain fern bits that I'd like to get a peek at sometime soon.

[Nimravis]

29 minutes ago, digit said:

I remember hearing about one Mazon Creek collector who lived near that well known Lagerstätte and had a backyard with something like 100 5-gallon buckets. He would worth through a bucket now and then (when we wasn't busy collecting more concretions and filling additional buckets ) and would remove and concretions that had split from natural weathering. It generally took several years before he visited each bucket so they experienced a few natural freeze-thaw cycles just sitting outside in his yard. I still have a small container of concretions from 3+ years ago that continue to make visits to my freezer but have stubbornly resisted showing me what is inside them. Some are long and cigar shaped and most certainly contain fern bits that I'd like to get a peek at sometime soon.

I started my “Sometimes You Have To Whack It Thread” with 120- 5 gallon buckets in my basement and now I am down to about 15. I still freeze-thaw a few over the winter too, hoping for them all to open. It is a lot of hard work using a hammer and I do damage now nice pieces from time to time.

[digit]

11 hours ago, Nimravis said:

It is a lot of hard work using a hammer and I do damage now nice pieces from time to time.

Glad you are a fossil hunter and not a diamond cutter.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Brandy Cole]

Husband and I found this very rare, deformed vertebra together on the Brazos River.  Measurements in inches.

 

Date of Discovery:  June 18, 2022

 

Scientific and/or Common Name: Proboscidean (cf. Columbian Mammoth) Vertebra with Doubled Neural Arch (Birth Defect).

 

Geologic Age or Geologic Formation: Pleistocene

 

Region Found: South Texas

 

[digit]

Nice entries so far--you all have another 5 days to get some final entries in for this month's contest. Let's see what you're finding.....

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Misha]

Glad I saw this topic, it had evaded me earlier this month, these are some beautiful entries! The amphibian eggs I find especially fascinating, I know places like Mazon Creek have amazing soft tissue preservation, but I've never seen anything like that! 

[A.C.]

Since the rules say I can enter two per category:

 

Here is another Eurypterid found ~2 feet to the upper right of my above post.

While not uncommon up at Lang’s or other famous NY spots, this is an uncommon find for Pennsylvania.

 

Date of Discovery  (month, day, year) 2022-06-18

Scientific and/or Common Name:  Eurypterus sp.(Likely E. remipes) "Sea Scorpion"

Geologic Age or Geologic Formation: Upper Silurian

State, Province, or Region Found: Pennsylvania, USA

 

[Mioplosus_Lover24]

With the month coming to a close, I figure I'll share another one of my favorite finds! I'll have to make a separate post detailing my adventures and the collection I've built in my apartment this year! 

 

 

Date of Discovery: 6/3/22

Asterotrygon maloney Juvenile

Age: Middle Eocene

Location: Kemmerer, Wyoming

 

[Nimravis]

I am going to put up this piece for consideration for the IFOM. Here is an 8-Tentacle jellyfish from Mazon Creek.

 

Date Found: 1990’s

Date Opened: 6-25-22

Scientific and/or Common Name: 
Octomedusa pieckorum Jellyfish 

Geologic Age and/or Formation: Carboniferous / Francis Creek Shale 

State, Province Found: Pit 11 (Mazon Creek)  Braidwood, Illinois 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Nimravis

[minnbuckeye]

I had recently made an excursion to Iowa to hunt the Maquoketa. A post on 6/17 showing my finds (A Rainy Day Hunt) was produced. In it, a mention of heading back to Minnesota to hunt as a way to avoid the rain was made. This week, I had the opportunity to go through the material collected in Minnesota. In it was a fairly large chunk of rock with a few fossils poking out the edge. A little work with the Dremel revealed what was hiding in the matrix. As I exposed one fossil, another one would appear, resulting in the piece presented today. If you look, I purposely left a bit of matrix in its original condition to show how embedded these fossils were. I enjoyed the results enough and wanted to show TFF members who might be interested. Then a thought crossed my mind. A hash plate for fossil of the month??? Why not!! So here it is. Enjoy. 

 

Found  - June 12, 2022 

Some of the fossils include Hormatoma major, Eccyliopterus owenanus,
Lepidocyclas, Lophospira, a cephalopod, Trochonema, Hormatoma trentonense, Strophomena incurvate, and a genal spine from an unknown trilobite.

Location  - Southeast, Minnesota 

Age - Galena, Ordovician

 

 

 

 

[fifbrindacier]

There's awesome finds this month !

[fifbrindacier]

On 6/26/2022 at 5:02 AM, A.C. said:

Since the rules say I can enter two per category…

 

Here is another Eurypterid found ~2 feet to the upper right of my above post. 
 

While not uncommon up at Lang’s or other famous NY spots, this is an uncommon find for Pennsylvania.

 

 

Date of Discovery  (month, day, year) 2022-06-18

Scientific and/or Common Name:  Eurypterus sp.(Likely E. remipes) "Sea Scorpion"

Geologic Age or Geologic Formation: Upper Silurian

State, Province, or Region Found: Pennsylvania, USA

 

 

 

Did you also took the rest of it ? It seemed entire on the rock.

[A.C.]

14 hours ago, fifbrindacier said:

Did you also took the rest of it ? It seemed entire on the rock.

Unfortunately the shale was so brittle that even carefully trying to extract resulted in damage. If you look closely you can see a near complete to the right that I didn’t even bother trying to take as it was on that extremely fragile layer of shale. 

[fifbrindacier]

That's a pity.

Anyway, is a fantastic spécimen.

[PaleoNoel]

Hi everyone, June has been a great month of hunting for me and I wanted to share my favorite find from my time in the Hell Creek. I was incredibly excited to find this as bird material tends to be quite rare in these beds.

Discovered on June 13th, 2022.

Diving Bird Vertebra

Hesperornithes indet. (potentially Potamornis or Brodavis)

Hell Creek formation 

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)

Fallon County, Montana, USA

[deutscheben]

There are so many great finds this month, I had to join y’all. Here is my Carboniferous crusher tooth, it got a little damaged during my prep unfortunately. 
 

Date of Discovery:  June 3, 2022

Scientific and/or Common Name:  Deltoptychius sp.- Chimera

Geologic Age or Geologic Formation: Pennsylvanian- La Salle Limestone of the Bond Formation

State, Province, or Region Found: Illinois, USA