Let's see your rarest specimen!

[Brad84]

Most of my rare things have been donated but it led to two species ( one new genus and species ) so that made it worth it. Out of my remaining collection my rarest has to be my Acrocanthosaurus tooth I found. Acrocanthosaurus remains are very rare. Only 5 partial skeletons and one skull have ever been recovered. This tooth is just shy of 3 inches with the curve it has. It was found in the Glen Rose formation ( not Glen Rose) about 2 1/2 hrs north from there. It’s  115-120 mya and I doubt I will find another like it but sure hope so!

 

Edited March 29 by Brad84

[ThePhysicist]

18 minutes ago, Brad84 said:

Most of my rare things have been donated but it led to two species ( one new genus and species ) so that made it worth it. Out of my remaining collection my rarest has to be my Acrocanthosaurus tooth I found. Acrocanthosaurus remains are very rare. Only 5 partial skeletons and one skull have ever been recovered. This tooth is just shy of 3 inches with the curve it has. It was found in the Glen Rose formation ( not Glen Rose) about 2 1/2 hrs north from there. It’s  115-120 mya and I doubt I will find another like it but sure hope so!

That is a fantastic find! Beautiful.

[reefer_man_kz]

On 3/26/2024 at 2:57 AM, Doctor Mud said:

I’d love to learn more about this find. It is so incredible. Did you write about it elsewhere on here? A trip report?

id live to read about the discovery, extraction and prep. Will it be studied? Are there any other associated tooth sets from this species?

 I’m think a dream for any shark tooth collector to find an associated set like this!

 

congratulations

Thank you for your interest in my find. Yes, despite the study of this shark species, I could not find a single mention of these teeth on Instagram. I think my publication was the only one. I didn't write any travel report, I don't like graphomania, I just posted a regular post on Instagram. I was lucky, I found about 30 pieces of such teeth, there are both front and side ones. I hope I'll find more tomorrow. Or maybe something even more interesting, for example, from the reptiles of that period.

[Doctor Mud]

14 minutes ago, reefer_man_kz said:

Thank you for your interest in my find. Yes, despite the study of this shark species, I could not find a single mention of these teeth on Instagram. I think my publication was the only one. I didn't write any travel report, I don't like graphomania, I just posted a regular post on Instagram. I was lucky, I found about 30 pieces of such teeth, there are both front and side ones. I hope I'll find more tomorrow. Or maybe something even more interesting, for example, from the reptiles of that period.

Do you have it in your collection or did it end up in a museum?

It sure would be interesting to get that tooth cluster CT scanned. I contacted one of the local radiology labs to get specimens CT scanned.

You could try a regular sized CT scanner (for entire humans) or if it is small enough a dental cone beam. This is higher resolution and is used to scan human teeth and jaws.

So would be fitting to get a shark jaw scanned!

[reefer_man_kz]

On 3/29/2024 at 7:16 PM, Doctor Mud said:

Do you have it in your collection or did it end up in a museum?

It sure would be interesting to get that tooth cluster CT scanned. I contacted one of the local radiology labs to get specimens CT scanned.

You could try a regular sized CT scanner (for entire humans) or if it is small enough a dental cone beam. This is higher resolution and is used to scan human teeth and jaws.

So would be fitting to get a shark jaw scanned!

All this is stored at my house or in the garage.. Maybe someday, I'll give it to the museum.. (If I go crazy..) As for the tomography, I don't think they'll let me in there with this exhibit. But the idea is interesting, thank you!

[Doctor Mud]

2 hours ago, reefer_man_kz said:

All this is stored at my house or in the garage.. Maybe someday, I'll give it to the museum.. (If I go crazy..) As for the tomography, I don't think they'll let me in there with this exhibit. But the idea is interesting, thank you!

Understandable! Some fossils are so special that it is hard to part with them. 
I suppose there is no harm in asking about the CT. It can even be CT scanned wrapped up in a bag or box if they were worried about dirt or dust. I had a bunch of small concretions scanned without taking them out the box and it worked well

[reefer_man_kz]

On 4/1/2024 at 12:45 AM, Doctor Mud said:

Understandable! Some fossils are so special that it is hard to part with them. 
I suppose there is no harm in asking about the CT. It can even be CT scanned wrapped up in a bag or box if they were worried about dirt or dust. I had a bunch of small concretions scanned without taking them out the box and it worked well

Thanks for the clarification! I was afraid that this was the reason I might be rejected. Maybe someday I'll do it.

[jpc]

I have asked the local hospital several times if they would CT scan my fossils.  Many CT people really like to do this.  It is a change form broken and sick humans for them.  It is worth asking.  Bring them a photo of your specimen and ask to speak to the chief of radiology.  That is how I do it here in the states.  I don't know what to expect though, in other countries.  Good luck.  It would be a lot of fun. 

[Doctor Mud]

5 hours ago, jpc said:

I have asked the local hospital several times if they would CT scan my fossils.  Many CT people really like to do this.  It is a change form broken and sick humans for them.  It is worth asking.  Bring them a photo of your specimen and ask to speak to the chief of radiology.  That is how I do it here in the states.  I don't know what to expect though, in other countries.  Good luck.  It would be a lot of fun. 

Yes it all depends on the facilities, but no harm in asking. The place I go through manages to fit me in a couple of times every few months or so. They use it as relief from scanning sick humans, an interesting change for staff and learning. Safer to adjust the settings on something long dead. To give back I’ll be giving a talk in august which is part of their training/information sessions. 

I just visited to help @6ix scan a very large rock! I think he will update us on that?

 

 

Edited April 2 by Doctor Mud

[jpc]

I like the idea of giving a talk to hospital staff.  

[Jaybot]

I wondered where y'all were getting your fossil ct scans done.. If I ever find something like @reefer_man_kz did, I'll have to try that.  Sounds like fun

[Doctor Mud]

Thought I would add this that I found about a year ago.

An unidentified flatfish from New Zealand.

Unsure of the age yet but comes from a site famous for Miocene giant crabs. 

There are lots of concretions there with fish bits and otoliths (coprolites?). But this is wonderful. It already had a crack and only needed a gentle tap.

It even has the otoliths in situ!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3 by Doctor Mud

[Doctor Mud]

It was a toss up between the last one and this one.

Same site. Same area. I wonder if more will show up? An area lots of people walk right past 

I found both halves of this concretion several weeks apart (it was already split). I keep looking for the front of the skull.

A bit worn but I think this is another flat fish, The large blob of brown bone top right is the back of the neurocranium (skull).

The little strings of brown dots are vertebral columns in the stomach.

Hence I call this one "the last supper"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: My interpretation of the area covered by the concretion.

More bones are on the counterplate which I don't have a photo handy for.

 

 

Edited April 3 by Doctor Mud