December 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 DECEMBER 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!!!

[PFOOLEY]

 

• Date of Discovery - December 1st, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name -  Tarrantoceras sellardsi Ammonite

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Paguate Sandstone

• State, Province, or Region Found - New Mexico, USA

 

 

[LSCHNELLE]

Date of Discovery - September 7, 2024

First Date of Air Scribe Prep - November 30, 2024

Last Date of Prep - December 14, 2024

Scientific and/or Common Name -  Didymoceras binodosum (multi-fossil slab of heteromorph ammonites with barite crystals)

Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Bergstrom Formation concretion zone

State, Province, or Region Found - Texas, USA

 

 

 

 

[aldo66]

I submit to you this discovery made last week which I have just finished preparing.
It is the most beautiful example that I could find with its 61 mm!
It is extremely difficult to extract as the fragility is important

 

• Date of Discovery - December 17, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name -  Ficus geometra

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Pliocene blue marls (Zanclean)

• State, Province, or Region Found - Roussillon, South West of France

 

 

 

 

[Darktooth]

The Ficus is absolutely beautiful @aldo66! Great prep work!

Very nice entry!

[Brian James Maguire]

Unbelievable preservation, well done

[Coco]

Hi,

 

Really incredible !

 

Coco

[C2fossils]

I found this vert on Sunday December 22, 2024. After doing some research I identified it as a Yearling Juvenile Bison Bison Cervical Vertebra. It is

my very first "Calf" Bison Vert. I was super excited to find it!

 

 

• Date of Discovery - December 22, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name -  Bison bison "Calf" Yearling Cervical Vertebra

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Glacial Deposits

• State, Province, or Region Found - Missouri, Midwestern United States of America

 

[Mikrogeophagus]

Whew the inverts look pretty competitive this month!

 

Had a day trip west in hopes of expanding my Paleozoic shark collection. I didn't find much in the way of teeth, but I did luck out with this killer goniatite. Not often for one of these to be found with such completeness. Would've preferred to submit this with some b72, but I won't have access until next month. Expect a report some time then, focusing on my recent sharky Paleozoic adventures.

 

• Date of Discovery - 12/19/24

• Scientific and/or Common Name -  Gonioloboceras goniolobum Goniatite

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Finis Shale, Virgilian Series, Late Pennsylvanian

• State, Province, or Region Found - Jacksboro, Texas

 

[Sjfriend]

A trip for trilobites into the desert. With over 20 hours of digging this was the 1 complete trilobite found. Can find hundreds of cephalons without a single complete showing up. So happy to find the 1. Well over 130 hours on-site over the years and only 4 complete. 

 

• Date of Discovery -December 1,  2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name - Bristolia sp.

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Latham shale, early Cambrian.

• State, Province, or Region Found - California. 

 

 

[Jaybot]

Wow!  Epic goniatite man!  They are hard to find here in E KS/W MO areas as well.

Edited December 27, 2024 by Jaybot

[Jared C]

 

 

In August of 2021, I found an isolated Hadrodus premaxilla, the first solid evidence of the fish in Texas. Unfortunately, that find was in float, but happily I discovered the site of the fish with in situ remains this week! (turns out, the site was only a few feet away from the floated premaxilla)

There is a strong likelihood of more in the formation, but I will not be able to start an excavation until January. So, until then, here is what I have!

(Note: upon excavation, this specimen will be donated to SMU, and the subject of my first academic paper)

Below: the maxilla, a second premax, and a dorsal scute

 

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery -December 23,  2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name - Hadrodus sp.

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Early Campanian (likely Austin Chalk fm)

• State, Province, or Region Found -  Texas

 

 

 

next, the specimen at home:
top row: maxilla

middle: the new premaxilla

bottom: two scutes, and the specimen all put together (including the Aug 2021 premaxilla found in float, which is leftmost in the image)

[Jaybot]

In the Cherryvale fm., complete teeth are very hard to come by, since they are typically fragmented during the acid micro matrix processing due to calcite veins.  This one is a rare exception, as I have processed 50+ teeth without any of them being this complete.  All of the cusplets are intact-!  I originally assumed the main cusp was chipped, but after closer inspection it may be pathological feeding wear.   This species has been reported from Russia and Nebraska, so this may or may not be a rarer species in W Missouri; cladodont teeth are generally not well reported. 

 

A description of the identifying features of G. myachkovensis:

 

''This species of Glikmanius is characterised
by small teeth with a relatively long and narrow median cusp
and in most cases more than one, usually two to three, inter−
mediate lateral cusplets on each side, smaller than the outer−
most ones. All the cusps in the crown are more in line than in
G. occidentalis. The basolabial depression, projections, and
rounded oral−lingual buttons are relatively weakly devel−
oped. The buttons are rather far from the lingual rim and can
be connected by a thin and vague ridge. The part of the base
lingual to the line connecting the buttons is folded down−
wards.''  -- Ginter, M., Ivanov, A., and Lebedev, O. 2005. The revision of “Cladodus” occidentalis, a late Palaeozoic ctenacanthi−
form shark.MICHAŁ GINTER, ALEXANDER IVANOV, and OLEG LEBEDEV

 

 

 

This specimen was extracted from a shaly-limestone hash plate from the Cherryvale fm; recovered in the seam where the Block limestone meets the Wea Shale.

 

• Date of Discovery: 12/11/2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name: Glikmanius myachkovensis

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age: Block limestone, Cherryvale fm, Kansas City Group.

• State, Province, or Region Found:  W Missouri, Midwest USA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The processed micro matrix this tooth was recovered from:

 

 

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

EDIT: Fixed a comment on known localities of this species

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by Jaybot
Peru is a town in Nebraska, not the country

[digit]

10 hours ago, Jared C said:

(note: upon excavation, this specimen will be donated to SMU, and the subject of my first academic paper)

Good luck in the contest, but finding a great topic for your first academic paper is the real win here.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[patelinho7]

11 hours ago, Jared C said:

 

 

In August of 2021, I found an isolated Hadrodus premaxilla, the first solid evidence of the fish in Texas. Unfortunately, that find was in float, but happily I discovered the site of the fish with in situ remains this week! (turns out, the site was only a few feet away from the floated premaxilla)

 

There is a strong likelihood of more in the formation, but I will not be able to start an excavation until January. So, until then, here is what I have!

 

(note: upon excavation, this specimen will be donated to SMU, and the subject of my first academic paper)

below: the maxilla, a second premax, and a dorsal scutext, the specimen at home:
top row: maxilla

middle: the new premaxilla

bottom: two scutes, and the specimen all put together (including the Aug 2021 premaxilla found in float, which is leftmost in the image)

Saw your cool video on Instagram. So excited for you!

[FossilDAWG]

Lots of great entries this month!

 

Don

[Mikrogeophagus]

@Jared CI've said it before, but congrats again man! That will make for an awesome paper one day

[jdp]

On 12/27/2024 at 5:03 AM, Jaybot said:

Most of what I can find on this species comes from Russia or Peru

 

 

 

 

 

Just to clarify, Peru is a town in Nebraska, right across the river from Missouri. That's where Glikmanius was originally described from, not Peru the country in South America.

[Jaybot]

13 hours ago, jdp said:

 

Just to clarify, Peru is a town in Nebraska, right across the river from Missouri. That's where Glikmanius was originally described from, not Peru the country in South America.

Oops.. You are 100% correct @jdp, that is my mistake.  I should have read the entire paper, not just the section on G. myachkovensis. 

 

 

EDIT: Thank you @FossilDAWG!

[RuMert]

On 12/27/2024 at 7:03 AM, Jaybot said:

reported from Russia

It's here. The quarries no longer exist, but used to be famous

[Jaybot]

3 hours ago, RuMert said:

It's here. The quarries no longer exist, but used to be famous

Thank you for that info!  Interesting how close it it is to Moscow.

[Collector9658]

Win or lose, I always enjoy sharing some nice finds and this one is no different. It's a bit of an oddball, an artifact and fossil combo. Depending on where chert is sourced, sometimes it can contain fossils. I've found some artifacts prior with fossil bits, but this tool takes the cake.

 

 This broken (probably an Afton blade) has a big crinoid stem towards the bottom of the base. Most of the time these bits of fossils are just glassy looking inclusions in the chert. This one really pops out at you. Unfortunately, most of cast of the stem had eroded away, but the impression left is very apparent. I'd like to think the man who made this tool a few thousand years ago appreciated crinoids as much as I do now.

 

 

 

• Date of Discovery - December 28, 2024

• Scientific and/or Common Name -  unknown crinoid stem impression 

• Geologic Formation and/or Geologic Age - Burlington Formation chert, Mississippian 

• State, Province, or Region Found - Missouri