Best Day On The Ram, So Far!

[Darwin Ahoy]

So, it seems everyone and their mother is coming of the Ram with Mosasaur teeth, while I have yet to find one this year. So, I figured yesterday would be as good a time as any to give it another shot. Well, didn't walk away with a Mos tooth, BUT I did come away with my first cephalic clasper, AND a few feet from that, my first drumfish jaw section with teeth. And man, that jaw section is thicker than I thought it would be.

And, if you guys would be so kind, I could use a tentative ID on this tooth. I'm guessing a posterior of something, I just don't know what.

[Shamalama]

Hoo, Great finds! I envy you guys being as close as you are. I'd probably hit it every evening right now as the sun stays up so late.

[Just Bob]

Don't feel bad Anthony, I have never found a mosasuar tooth yet. Great ray plate though. I had no ideal that they were that thick also.

[Taxman56]

With Lord Piney gone for a few months we all may get a chance to find a Mos tooth. Took me 3 years.

Wow thats a nice find Anthony. Amazing the shape of it. For some reason it looks familar. I hope its not because I tosed one from screening LOL.

And thats a nice piece of jaw bone too.

Gee now I want to sneak up there tomorrow.

[Haddy]

Nice finds! I don't yet have a mos tooth either, just a small mos vert. We're due!

Edited May 23, 2010 by Haddy

[Fossildude19]

Anthony,

Great finds!!!

You must be psyched!!

Don't worry, that mosasaur tooth will be found soon!

Thanks for sharing!

[Taxman56]

Anthony you have an advantage over us, your minutes away. But I hope I find a companion to that monster Mosasaur tooth Phil found a month ago. I held it in my hands, it was huge. Funny, the nicest stuff I found was mostly from picking, not sifting.

[Darwin Ahoy]

I may be only 45 minutes away, but working 6 days a week puts a damper on it most of the time. That last day I'm either exhausted, or, recently, going to Upper New Street quarry, since that really does take all day if you want a chance at finding something good. Even when I do make it down there after a rain, I've usually been beat by a couple sets of tracks. But you're right, the best stuff I've found has been picking (well, except the uncommon shark species, since they're all so small). Besides, how long would it take you to sift several gravel bars worth of gravel? Might as well let mother nature help out sometimes.

I have some Mosasaur teeth from last year, but the more I think about them, the more I think they may be croc. One of these days I'll unpack them and take a better look. I remember seeing your post with that vert, I think...the tail vert, right? That was a nice one, though I admit I'd completely overlook something like that...I just don't think I have the eye for it

[Taxman56]

Ahh Hah you have Mosasaur teeth. The truth will set you free.

Its a 2 hour one way trip for me and only I can do it on sundays.

If I right Crocs are round base and Mos teeth are oval. But you never know what you find sifting. I started using 3/8 inch instead of 1/4 mesh to do more volume.

I say the same thing to Lord Piney when he finds those critters. Actually I think we all walked over that vert all summer since I think I found it 2 weeks after a good rain. It was the odd shape of the top of the gravel bar that caught my eye. It was oval and uniform and all the other rocks were angular. I think you have to set your brain on looking at things that are different. If all your looking for is shark teeth then you might miss something else.

Now the question is who's beating everyone down to the creek. :~) Actually I think haddy and I met you once when we were exploring the Ram for the first time. You had a baggie of teeth, wadders and a walking stick.

[Tony Eaton]

My guess on the mystery tooth is Squatina. Is there a single hole in the root on the other side?

[arien]

hi there nice finds I think the shark teeth is a Isurus retroflexus can you take a,picture of the back side

greats arien

[Darwin Ahoy]

I know how those long drives are, at least. I used to make them a few times a week up to Franklin last year, when they were pulling out cuspidine with pretty good regularity. Didn't find any, though...

Unfortunately, though, that wouldn't be me you met. I haven't come across 2 people at once down there. I have, however, come across at least a couple people there who are not on the forum (I always ask! haha). I always try to pitch the forum whenever possible. And as far as the Mos teeth, I doubted them as soon as I saw the picture of both in the other thread. I know at least one is croc, but the others I can't remember. Oh, and if you find I DO beat you there after a rain, I usually turn around very shortly after the large sand bank with the little pond. So if you think I may be the only one there before you, there should be some virgin banks just after that for you.

Thanks for the shot on the ID guys. There is no hole on the back. In fact, the other side is just completely nondescript. Pretty much identical, except for bowing forward. The site is Cretaceous. The list that I have so far of species known to be found here is:

Scapanorhynchus texanus

Squalicorax pristodontis

Squalicorax kaupi

Pseudocorax affinis

Cretolamna appendiculata

Archaeolamna kopingensis

Carcharias samhammeri

Carcharias holmdelensis

Protolamna borodini

Odontaspis aculeatus

Panomotodon angustidens

Squatina hassei

Hybodus sp.

and then there's a couple micro guys.

I just can't see one that I can really put my finger on, and say "that's it", so I figured I'll let you guys do that for me haha.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Anthony in NJ

[Just Bob]

I think the first tooth is a Hybodont shark Cephalis Clasper which to my understanding are pretty rare. The second one has me stumped. Not really sure what it is, Fossilofnj may know, maybe he could chime in.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Just Bob

[Taxman56]

Unfortunately, though, that wouldn't be me you met. I haven't come across 2 people at once down there. I have, however, come across at least a couple people there who are not on the forum (I always ask! haha). I always try to pitch the forum whenever possible.

While its always fun to think your the first on a gravel bank, I like seeing what people found, like your clasper or that big mos tooth. You never know what your going to find. I've only met one person on the Ram section I like and he seemed to be a regular like a big vert. Love to find one of those mos jaw sections you see in Pictural Guide to Fossils

[Darwin Ahoy]

Bob, yea...the first two pics are a cephalic clasper, third and fourth are drumfish teeth in the jaw...only the last one is my mystery tooth. Might go in the little collection to bring for an ID at the museum. I'm going to have to take a trip sometime soon...I don't want to bring them too many at once haha.

One of those Mosasaur jaw sections would be awesome. I think the exact same thing every time I go down there. Same with a whole ammonite. One of those things that I'm sure one day I'll come on here, and someone else will be bragging about . But the teeth in jaw section was one on my wish list. Never thought I'd get the full thickness of the jaw, nor that it would be that thick. And the teeth themselves are my largest so far, to boot. It actually kind of makes me not want to go back, because I feel like any later trip is just going to be a disappointment in comparison.

Oh well...I say that now, but I know I'll get excited the next time it rains lol.

[Just Bob]

Oops sorry, see now you only needed ID on the last picture.

[Darwin Ahoy]

Lol...no worries. I did kind of talk a bit, so it may have gotten a little jumbled up there.

[fossilsofnj]

Hello Anthony,

Some very nice finds. Your unidentified tooth does appear to be a posterior, too stream worn to venture a guess on any specific species. A clasper that complete is unusual for our area, they tend to be on the fragile side. I can’t tell from the picture if it is from a hybodont shark or ratfish.

Not to worry on the mossey teeth. As long as you are out looking you will find them, it’s really only a matter of time.

BTW: If you wish, I can send you Case and Cappetta’s list of the Cretaceous elasmobranch fauna from NJ. (No Jerry bashing guys )

John

[jonnyquest]

could it be extinct thresher?

[Darwin Ahoy]

could it be extinct thresher?

The "shoulders" would say yes, but I have NO idea where in the mouth this would come from. Anterior teeth are much longer, like a lateral goblin, and the laterals are curved and have a tell-tale indentation. I'm not sure if posteriors straighten back out or not, though.

[Darwin Ahoy]

Hello Anthony,

Some very nice finds. Your unidentified tooth does appear to be a posterior, too stream worn to venture a guess on any specific species. A clasper that complete is unusual for our area, they tend to be on the fragile side. I can’t tell from the picture if it is from a hybodont shark or ratfish.

Not to worry on the mossey teeth. As long as you are out looking you will find them, it’s really only a matter of time.

BTW: If you wish, I can send you Case and Cappetta’s list of the Cretaceous elasmobranch fauna from NJ. (No Jerry bashing guys )

John

That list would be GREAT. If there's one for Eocene/Miocene, I'd very much appreciate that, too, since I can't find anything that agrees on the sand tigers present.

[bear-dog]

Hello Anthony,

Great finds.Are your drum fish Pogonais cromis? Our's are and the teeth here look nothing like those.It has me stumped to see yours and hear them called drum fish. Keep up the good work.

[tracer]

Hello Anthony,

Great finds.Are your drum fish Pogonais cromis? Our's are and the teeth here look nothing like those.It has me stumped to see yours and hear them called drum fish. Keep up the good work.

"drum fish" is a generic term that's been used for a number of species. pharyngeal tooth grinding plates also have existed in a number of species My link

but actually, the teeth look like pycnodont to me... link

[Darwin Ahoy]

Yes, Pycnodont...Anomoeodus phaseolus. It's commonly referred to as a "drumfish" and it's just faster to type out, so I tend to use it a lot for these guys. Sorry about that.

[The Jersey Devil]

The shark tooth is a lower posterior Scapanorhynchus texanus.