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Triassic Ichnos


flyguy784

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Had a good hunt this past weekend. I was directed to one of the few, still accessable outcroppings here in Southeastern PA. Upper Lockatong formation. I'll not give his name, he can do that if he'd like. Although my primary interest is plant fossils, you gotta love tracks. Sorry for not including a scale. The large plate is about 40 inches long, 16 inches across. The large prints are aout 3 1/2" long. The smaller prints are about 1/2" long. The large prints are called Atreipus the smaller, Rhynchosauroides. Believed to be from lizards. All about 220 MYA. Enjoy, I did!

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Yay! Ichnos! Triassic, no less!

I dig 'em (well, you dug 'em, but I would if I could) :wub:

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Way to go John! :)

These are totally amazing!

The last picture looks like the track was left yesterday! :wub:

Great finds!

Best regards,

Edited by Fossildude19

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Thanks guys. It was a pretty "banner" day. The fact is, I hunted diligently all morning, walking a creek bed with tons of the right material. All to no avail. Even the outcropping that eventualy produced was barren, for hours. In the Lockatong/Passaic formations, Tim, you know this I'm sure, there are 100's of what would appear to be viable layers/horizons. 98% of these are absent of past life. The material is right, mud cracked, ripple marks and worm holes. But alas, nothing. Then it happens, Eurika, you find that layer. That's what happened this weekend. Even when I was told the location of this outcropping, a place my friend had visited before. He claimed no great finds. Some insect trails and "maybe" a few poorly preserved lizard tracks. It's all about finding that strata.

It's equally bewildering, to me anyway, that here is a layer with obvious signs of terrestrial life and not one leaf, stem or any sign of plant life. Well yet anyway. How can that be? So many things crawling around and not a plant to be seen.

Oh well, the search goes on.

At this point let me publicly thank our own, Fossildude19. He most generously sent me some plant specimens from his local Newark Group formations. Thanks again Tim. Now I have something worth returning the favor.

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John,

I do know that frustration you speak of. Tons of rock with little or no fossils!

Very frustrating, but like anything - it's all about ... "Location, Location, Location."

OK.... in this case... more like Stratigraphy,... Stratigraphy, ... Stratigraphy. :P

Now that you know which layer... it's only a matter of time. Those plants will be there.

I just know there is plenty more at your site, awaiting your discovery.

Only a matter of time, hard work, and patience. :D

The Fossil Gods are currently smiling upon you - make the most of it! :)

Regards,

Edited by Fossildude19

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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They almost look like starfish, thats a really cool piece!

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Congratulations on another Tremendous Triassic discovery! You certainly have found a couple of museum-quality specimens recently. This plate of lizard tracks and the colossal plant from your other post are top shelf fossils in any collection. Those were well earned sir!

WOW - WTG !! :D:D

image.png.a84de26dad44fb03836a743755df237c.png

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very nice, john. I will go back there soon to see if i can find some prints.

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Thanks Guys. I'm of course thrilled. Ben, it wouldn't have happened without your help. Thanks pal, I owe ya one. I'm working on getting permission to get into the restricted area next to the site we're talking about, you know what I'm talking about Ben. I think I may have a good connection. If I do, you're in as well.

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Wow Those are show stopper folks! You just don't see those kind of tracks out of PA too often. Congrats John on a good site.

-Dave

__________________________________________________

Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPhee

If I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPhee

Check out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/

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  • 9 months later...

It's hard to get nice large slabs like those above from the farm we are working outside of Gettysburg (across the Maryland line), but we have removed to date around 1,000 tracks of four reptiles, plus skin impressions.

http://paleoplastic.4t.com/eBay/track13.JPG

Rhynchosauroides brunswickii

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It's hard to get nice large slabs like those above from the farm we are working outside of Gettysburg (across the Maryland line), but we have removed to date around 1,000 tracks of four reptiles, plus skin impressions.

http://paleoplastic....Bay/track13.JPG

Rhynchosauroides brunswickii

Wow; that's an awesome site!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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This is exactly why I love plaeontology. If I spent every weekend for my entire life, I couldn't find all the cool stuff that is out there.

Absolutely fantastic tracks. They are very difficult to come by down here. I was lucky enough about 6 months ago to get a small slab of crab tracks from the pawpaw formation of the lower cretaceous.

But they are nothing compared to these trackways.

Again, Congrats on some killer material!

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Very nice specimens indeed! It's difficult to find that brittle PA Triassic rock in large slabs, even without containing primo trackways. Persistence paid off.

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Just saw the post Rich. Nice indeed. Looks like we have another Newark Guy. Yahoo. :fistbump:

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Looks like we have another Newark Guy. Yahoo. :fistbump:

Indeed! :)

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Indeed! :)

We are few and far between. I sometimes think there's something wrong with us. I know there's something wrong with Tim but now I'm starting to question myself. "Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a shcizophrenic and so am I".

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I've explicitly tried to avoid Mid-Atlantic and New England Triassic all my life. Leave it to me to find the largest Triassic site that has ever been found in Maryland, and now I'm the lead paleontologist on the site. Proof God has a sense of humor.

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We are few and far between. I sometimes think there's something wrong with us. I know there's something wrong with Tim but now I'm starting to question myself. "Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a shcizophrenic and so am I".

Nice Yank, ... Nice! :P

Mr. Pot, please meet Mr. Kettle!

As I always says,... takes one to know one! ;)

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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We are few and far between. I sometimes think there's something wrong with us. I know there's something wrong with Tim but now I'm starting to question myself. "Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a shcizophrenic and so am I".

You and Tim sure do your part, but more representation is highly desirable!

More posts here will attract more participation; we did it with Carboniferous plants, we did it with Carb. inverts, we can do it with the Triassic too! :)

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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I've tried to avoid the Eastern Triassic Newark Group all my life. I'm a Coastal Plain, Gulf Coast and Mid-to Southwestern raised collector. A crack hammer was something only radicals used! Then I moved to Gettysburg and was invited across the line to a friend's farm outside Emmitsburg, and stumbled across the largest Late Triassic fossil site that has ever been found in Maryland in the process of exploring the area. Go figure. The rock gods sure do seem to have a sense of humor after all....Pass the crack hammer...

Edited by richardfulton
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