May 2024 - 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 (or any staff) 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 MAY 31, 2024

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 MAJORITY of prep in the contest month. Pre-Prep Photos need to be dated with the start of the month date, and then finished prep date must be supplied.  Entries not including this information/photos will be disqualified.
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 READ AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES BEFORE YOU POST!!!

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT A MOD OR ADMIN.
ENTRIES NOT FOLLOWING THE REQUESTED FORMAT WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM THE CONTEST!!

 

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

 

Information about your find. A short paragraph or sentence or two about why it should be fossil of the month.

Rarity, completeness, beauty, etc.

 

 

• Date of Discovery  [month, day, year]

• Preparation Completion Date (if prepped) [month, day, year]

• Scientific and/or Common Name

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age

• 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.)

[Fossildude19]

For the sake of adhering to the rules, finds will have to be approved, before being seen by the membership at large.

They will be approved as the mods/admins have time to check for proper formatting, identification,  prep dates, etc.

READ THE RULES CAREFULLY!

 

ANY ENTRIES NOT FOLLOWING THE REQUESTED FORMAT or PROVIDING NEEDED DETAILS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!!!

[Danielb]

This was the first hell pig fossil I have found and it is a lower jaw incisors canines and premolars this specimen is incredible to me because of its rarity and the amazing creature it was from, I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.

• Date of Discovery: May 2, 2024 

• Preparation Completion Date: May 6, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Archaeotherium sp. , Hell Pig

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: White River Formation, Oligocene

• State, Province, or Region Found: Grover, Colorado

 

 

Before preparing.

 

After Preparation total prep time 8 hours

 

 

 

-Daniel

 

[digit]

Now there's something you don't see every day!

 

(Actually I walk by a resin cast of a hell pig skull every day while volunteering in the FLMNH.)

 

Any more of that beastie in the area?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Danielb]

12 hours ago, digit said:

Now there's something you don't see every day!

 

(Actually I walk by a resin cast of a hell pig skull every day while volunteering in the FLMNH.)

 

Any more of that beastie in the area?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Thanks unfortunately we only found this part the a skull and some pieces of  bones scattered around it.

[digit]

Still, a cool part of the skull to have found. Our forum founder Cris recently had some Hell Pig action of his own. Anybody curious will find his video interesting:

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Doctor Mud]

3 hours ago, digit said:

Still, a cool part of the skull to have found. Our forum founder Cris recently had some Hell Pig action of his own. Anybody curious will find his video interesting:

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

I was just watching this the other day! Took me a minute to put it together that I was watching Cris - TFF founders - videos. Actual until he mentioned it in one of his videos. 

[svcgoat]

Boy is that Hell Pig going to be hard to beat.

 

Two Syngnathus avus overlaying each other

 

 

• Date of Discovery -  May 11th 2024

• Preparation Completion Date (if prepped) - May 13th 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name - Syngnathus avus - Pipefish

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Monterey Formation/ Late Miocene

• State, Province, or Region Found - Santa Barbara County, CA, USA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[svcgoat]

It was my first time prepping these myself

 

[Brian James Maguire]

• Date of Discovery -  5-20- 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name - Coiled nautiloid

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Malahide Formation.

• State, Province, or Region Found - Dublin Ireland

Preparation finish date: 25th of may 2024. 10 hours.

 

[Fossildude19]

Phyllocarids are rare arthropods, and even more rare to find with their tails, and telsons intact, or present.

Deep Springs Road in Lebanon New York does have phyllocarids present, but these creatures are often overlooked, due to their resemblance to bivalve fossils.

This specimen has both valves present, and opened, with the tail and telson preserved. (mostly.)

Although not quite complete, it is still a rather rare and impressive specimen.

 

 

• Date of Discovery -  5-25- 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name - Rhinocaris columbina - phyllocarid

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Middle Devonian Moscow Formation, Windom Shale - Hamilton Group

• State, Province, or Region Found - Lebanon, New York

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thomas1982]

On 5/26/2024 at 8:47 AM, Fossildude19 said:

Phyllocarids are rare arthropods, and even more rare to find with their tails, and telsons intact.

Deep Springs Road in Lebanon New York does have phyllocarids present, but these creatures are often overlooked, due to their resemblance to bivalve fossils.

This specimen has both valves present, and opened, with the tail and telson preserved.

Although not quite complete, it is still a rather rare and impressive specimen.

 

 

• Date of Discovery -  5-25- 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name - Rhinocaris columbina - phyllocarid

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Middle Devonian Moscow Formation, Windom Shale - Hamilton Group

• State, Province, or Region Found - Lebanon, New York

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Great specimen!!  

 

[johnnyvaldez7.jv]

Here is my entry for this month. It is a beautifully preserved Columbian Mammoth pelvis bone that I found on a river gravel bank.  I think it's quite a nice, solid piece with incredible detail. 

(Incredible competition this month by the way.)

 

Date of Discovery: 5-27-24

Scientific and/or Common name: Columbian Mammoth (Mammuthus Columbi)

Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Beaumont Formation - Pleistocene 

State, Province, or Region Found: Southeast Texas

 

[LiamL]

Date of Discovery:  5-27-24

Scientific and/or Common name: Gagaticeras gagateum ammonite

Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age:  Upper Sinemurian, Oxynotum Biozone,

State, Province, or Region Found: Whitby Robin Hoods bay

 

[Notidanodon]

The specimen is still with the preparator as it was only done this morning so i only have these pictures but it is around 30 cm in length and a nice example of a brachiopod colony.

 

Date of Discovery:  3/6/2019

Scientific and/or Common name:  Stiphrothyris tumida brachiopods

Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age:  ,Middle Jurassic, Bajocian, Salperton Limestone

State, Province, or Region Found: Gilbert’s grave railway cutting, Cheltenham, UK

Prepped on:  5/31/2024

 

before prep:

 

 

after prep:

 

 

 

 

 

[frankh8147]

For fossil of the month, I want to enter my double echinoid with two different species. Echinoids are tough to find in general there so I was pretty pumped with this one!

 

 

 

Date of discovery: 5/26/24

Scientific/common name : double echinoid (Ova rancoca and Salenia)

Geologic formation : Vincentown Formation 

State and region found : New Jersey, USA

 

[digit]

Lovely last minute additions. You still have 12 hours--what else have you all got for this month's contest?

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken