Myrtle Beach Cretaceous Finds

[Rustdee]

Hi all,

I was recently at Myrtle Beach and collected some fossils from around 4th Ave. N. where a drain pipe is being installed. I found my best Hardouinia mortonis and several nice Exogyra costata so I know the Peedee formation is present there, I am unsure of other formations, as I found these in a dredge spoil pile on the beach, however I did find some things that are a bit puzzling:

The first item is a vertebra of some kind. What throws me off is that the cells are not filled in with limestone like the usual Peedee bones I find, I am wondering if this may be newer, maybe Pleistocene? Any ideas what kind of vertebra it is?

The second item I found on the beach 5 miles south. I was sifting in the sand and I found this. I believe it is a piece of coral and it looks an awful lot like horn coral to me, although I don't think that is possible unless someone dropped it on the beach. I think it is a species of Scleractinian coral, which due to convergent evolution looks like rugose coral.

Finally, I found the third item in the spoil pile. I am thinking it is the section of a jaw of a marine reptile, perhaps a mosasaur? In the last picture, I have seen small holes like that on mosasaur and crocodile jaws. Unfortunately, I do not have the tools yet to remove some of the limestone matrix surrounding the fossil.

Thanks,

Rustdee

Edited August 23, 2015 by Rustdee

[Rockwood]

I'm not sure that is a coral, but we would need a shot that shows the pattern of septa to determine the type if it is.

Sure looks like a jaw piece. Nice finds !

[ZiggieCie]

[Rustdee]

Thanks for the replies!

Unfortunately there is a bit of limestone matrix on the septa and cannot remove it without an air pen (Christmas needs to hurry up and get here ). Any ideas on what it could be besides coral?

Also, I am really curious about that vertebra. Does anyone have any idea on what it may be. It is very different from what I normally find.

[Rockwood]

You might cautiously try a little white vinegar on it. It would be nice to see another opinion on it, but it just doesn't strike me as looking like coral.

[PAJim]

It sure looks like horn coral that I've found in eastern PA, Devonian in age. I'll post a picture or two of what I have to compare at some point.

[fossil_lover_2277]

On 8/23/2015 at 12:45 AM, Rustdee said:

Hi all,

I was recently at Myrtle Beach and collected some fossils from around 4th Ave. N. where a drain pipe is being installed. I found my best Hardouinia mortonis and several nice Exogyra costata so I know the Peedee formation is present there, I am unsure of other formations, as I found these in a dredge spoil pile on the beach, however I did find some things that are a bit puzzling:

The first item is a vertebra of some kind. What throws me off is that the cells are not filled in with limestone like the usual Peedee bones I find, I am wondering if this may be newer, maybe Pleistocene? Any ideas what kind of vertebra it is?

The second item I found on the beach 5 miles south. I was sifting in the sand and I found this. I believe it is a piece of coral and it looks an awful lot like horn coral to me, although I don't think that is possible unless someone dropped it on the beach. I think it is a species of Scleractinian coral, which due to convergent evolution looks like rugose coral.

Finally, I found the third item in the spoil pile. I am thinking it is the section of a jaw of a marine reptile, perhaps a mosasaur? In the last picture, I have seen small holes like that on mosasaur and crocodile jaws. Unfortunately, I do not have the tools yet to remove some of the limestone matrix surrounding the fossil.

Thanks,

Rustdee

The third item certainly looks like it could be a fragment of a mosasaur dentary.

Edited June 16, 2022 by fossil_lover_2277